The LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Nursing is proud to recognize the accomplishments of its faculty, who continue to advance the field of nursing through leadership roles, research contributions and academic scholarship.

Faculty Promotions

• Allison Davis, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, Professor of Nursing
• Paula Kensler, DNP, MBA, RN, Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing

Director Appointments

• Jennifer Austin, MSN, RN, SANE-A, Off-Campus Instructional Site Assistant Program Director at LSUHSC-Baton Rouge
• Melissa F. Nunn, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC, CNE, NEA-BC, CNEcl, Assistant Dean for Student Services
• Marcy Purnell, PhD, APN, FNP-C, Director of PhD in Nursing Program
• Demetrice H. Smith, DNP, MN, FNP-C, CNM, Director of Nurse Midwifery Concentration

Appointments (New Hires)

• Amanda Smith, DNP, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, Instructor of Clinical Nursing
• Colleen M. Story, DNP, DNP, FNP-C, MSN, RN, Instructor of Clinical Nursing, Full-time

Faculty Publications

Our faculty continues to contribute valuable research and thought leadership to the nursing field through publications.

• Mary Kelly, DNP, MSN, MHA, NEA-BC, Instructor of Clinical Nursing; Denise Danna, RN, DNS, NEA, BC, CNE, FACHE, Associate Professor; Marsha Bennett, DNS, RN, Professor of Nursing, Emerita; and Mary Dioise Ramos, PhD, RN, CNE, FAAN, Associate Dean for Nursing Research, Scholarship and Science, contributed to an article entitled “Impact of Bundled Care: Optimizing Pain Management Outcomes in Acute Care,” published in the June 2025 edition of Pain Management Nursing.
• Shantell Jackson-Burns, DNP, APRN, CNEcl, PMHNP-BC, Program Coordinator, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration, Instructor of Clinical Nursing; Leanne H. Fowler, DNP, MBA, APRN, AGACNP-BC, CNE, FAANP, FAAN, Program Director, Nurse Practitioner Programs, Program Coordinator, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration, Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing; and Sherry Rivera, DNP, APRN, ANP-C, FNKF, FAANP, Program Director, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration, Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing, wrote “Enhancing Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Education Through Academic-Practice Partnerships in Integrated Care Settings,” which was published in the June 2025 edition of The Journal for Nurse Practitioners.
• Laura Bonanno, PhD, DNP, CRNA, Program Director, Nurse Anesthesia Program, Professor of Nursing, co-authored, “Interprofessional simulation education in surgery,” which was published in the May 2025 edition of Surgery.
• Mary Dioise Ramos, PhD, RN, CNE, FAAN, Associate Dean for Nursing Research, Scholarship and Science, co-authored “Advancing Remote Monitoring for Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Systematic Review,” which was published in JMIR Aging in May 2025.
• Alison Davis, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, Director of Nurse Educator Concentration, Professor of Nursing, co-authored “The Impact of a High-Risk Obstetric Simulation Program on Prelicensure Nursing Student Clinical Reasoning,” which was published in the April 2025 issue of Nursing Education Perspectives: The Research Journal of the National League for Nursing.
• Demetrius Porche, DNS, PhD, ANEF, FACHE, FAANP, FAAN, Professor and Dean, co-authored the article “Faculty Development Needs in Southeastern Conference Nursing Schools,” which was published January 2025 in Journal of Nursing Education.
• Kendra M. Barrier, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, Associate Dean for Engagement, Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing, and Demetrius Porche, DNS, PhD, ANEF, FACHE, FAANP, FAAN, Professor and Dean, wrote “Models of DEIB: Part I – Approaches to Inclusion from Other Health Professions for Consideration by Dentistry” and “Models of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging: Part II—Exploring Models of Inclusion from Other Health Professions for Dentistry,” both published in Dental Clinics of North America in January 2025. The first article highlights inclusive models from other health professions that dentistry can adopt to advance equity, collaboration and patient-centered care. This follow-up article builds on earlier insights by exploring tested inclusion models from other health professions that dentistry can adopt to advance equity, collaboration and patient-centered care.
• Benita Chatmon, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, Assistant Dean for Clinical Nursing Education, Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing, co-authored “Inclusivity in Mentorship: Shifting Paradigms of Inclusion in Dental Education,” which was published in Dental Clinics of North America in January 2025. By reframing mentorship through an inclusive lens, this article emphasizes the value of diverse, community-based approaches like mosaic mentoring in shaping the future of dental education.
• Melissa Nunn, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC, CNE, NEA-BC, CNEcl, Assistant Dean for Student Services, Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing, Coordinator BSN-DNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs – Primary Care and Acute Care Concentrations, co-authored “Improving Communication-specific Developmental Screening Skills: Interprofessional Peer Teaching in Nurse Practitioner Education,” which was published in the January/February 2025 edition of Nurse Educator. This study highlights how interprofessional peer teaching strengthens nurse practitioner students’ communication skills for pediatric developmental screening.

Clinical Nurse Educator Academy Graduates

The following faculty members completed the Clinical Nurse Educator Academy and earned the CNEcl credential by the National League for Nursing certification board:

• Kryshonda Alleyne, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, NRCME, CNE-cl
• Colette Baudoin, PhD, MSN, RN, OCN, CNE-cl
• Shantell Jackson-Burns, DNP, APRN, CNEcl, PMHNP-BC
• Erica Love, DNP, ACNPC-AG, CCRN, CNE-cl
• Melissa Nunn, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC, CNE, NEA-BC, CNE-cl
• Lucretia Wiltz-James, DNP, APRN, Family Nurse Practitioner-C, CNE-cl, NRCME
• Melanie Young, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNE-cl

Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing Class of 2025

• Benita Chatmon, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, Assistant Dean for Clinical Nursing Education, Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing
• Alison Davis, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, Director of Nurse Educator Concentration, Professor of Nursing
• Jennifer Manning, DNS, ACNS-BC, CNE, FCNS, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Nursing Program, Program Director, Baccalaureate Articulation Program, Program Director, AGCNS Concentration, Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing