PhD Faculty

Connie Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Professor and Dean

612-624-5959
delaney@umn.edu

Knowledge representation standards/essential data
Big data and knowledge discovery
Interprofessional education and Triple Aim impact

Full bio

Eunice M. Areba, PhD, RN, PHN
Clinical Assistant Professor

612-624-9605
areba002@umn.edu

Environmental, social and individual factors fostering healthy youth development
Coping mechanisms in immigrant and refugee youth
Drugs, substance use, violence and mental health in immigrant and refugee youth

Full bio

Melissa D. Avery, PhD, APRN, CNM, FACN
Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-624-5933
avery003@umn.edu

Maternal confidence for physiologic birth
Outcomes of nurse midwifery care in vaginal birth after Cesarean section
Technology-enhanced learning

Full bio

Barbara Beacham, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, Child and Family Heath Cooperative

612-624-6658
bbeacham@umn.edu

Family management of children with chronic health conditions, development of self-care and health care autonomy, mixed methods

Full bio

Mary M. Benbenek, PhD, MS, RN, FNP, PN
Clinical Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-626-5236
benbe001@umn.edu

Immigrant health
Adolescent health
Bone health

Full bio

Rozina H. Bhimani, PhD, DNP, APRN-CNP, CNE
Assistant Professor

612-625-1497
bhim0001@umn.edu

Symptom measurement and management in movement disorders
Symptom interventions for individuals with disabilities.
Patients/providers communication pattern to improve patient outcomes
Quality of life issues for individuals with disabilities.
Prevention of impairments and limitation in disabled population.
Overlapping pain syndrome in neurological disabilities.

Full bio

Donna Z. Bliss, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA
Professor

612-624-1425
bliss@umn.edu

Use of mobile and web-based health interventions/apps and technology for promoting health self-management
Symptom management of chronic conditions in adults and older adults
Fecal/dual incontinence, associated skin problems (dermatitis, pressure injury)
Health disparities

Full bio

Mary L. Chesney, PhD, APRN, CPNP, FAA
Clinical Professor Distinguished University Teaching Professor Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-625-1601
chesn009@umn.edu

APN utilization in new models of health care delivery
Family adjustment after international adoption
Parent-child attachment/relationship
Neurobiological, cognitive, social, and emotional effects of early childhood deprivation (hospitalization or orphanage care)

Full bio

Chih-Lin Chi, PhD, MBA
Associate Professor

612-624-5113
cchi@umn.edu

Translational research for personalized health management
Machine learning and knowledge discovery
Treatment modeling and simulation

Full bio

Mary J. Findorff, PhD, RN, MPH
Clinical Associate Professor

612-624-6933
find0003@umn.edu

Exercise behaviors in older adults
Fall prevention and injury outcomes
Occupational health nursing
Injury prevention

Full bio

Jayne A. Fulkerson, PhD
Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-624-4823
fulke001@umn.edu

Family-based health promotion in community settings
Child/adolescent obesity prevention through family meals at home
Research methodology, evaluation, measurement and instrument development

Full bio

Ann E. Garwick, PhD, RN, LP, LMFT, F
Professor

612-624-1141
garwi001@umn.edu

Children and youth with special health needs
Cross-cultural health and culturally competent care
Family health and stress caregiving, and coping

Full bio

Niloufar N. Hadidi, PhD, APRN, CNS-BC, FAHA
Associate Professor

612-626-8901
hadi0001@umn.edu

Problem-solving therapy to treat post-stroke depression
Use of fMRI to determine neuron connectivity in stroke survivors following problem-solving therapy

Full bio

Casey C. Hooke, PhD, RN, PCNS, CPON
Associate Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-624-2972
hook0035@umn.edu

Interventions for fatigue and related symptoms in children with cancer
Physical performance and exercise in children with cancer
Measurement of symptoms and quality of life in children with chronic illness

Full bio

Melissa L. Horning, PhD, RN, PHN
Assistant Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-624-1947
horn0199@umn.edu

Full bio

Merrie J. Kaas, PhD, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN
Professor

612-626-3781
kaasx002@umn.edu

Nursing interventions: older adults with late-life depression
Advanced practice psychiatric mental health nursing
Caregiver training about late-stage dementia

Full bio

Laura N. Kirk, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor

612-625-4593
kirk0013@umn.edu

• Gerontology
• Exercise
• Long-term Care

Full bio

Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FAAN
Director

612-625-3977
kreit003@umn.edu

Mindfulness-based stress reduction to improve health outcomes
Integrative care model to manage women with eating disorders
Meditative movement and health outcomes of older adults

Full bio

Kathleen E. Krichbaum, PhD, RN, FGSA, ANEF,
Professor

612-624-2489
krich001@umn.edu

Complexity compression: factors influencing the nursing work environment
Education interventions to improve nursing student learning outcomes including use of simulations
Quality of long-term care delivered to elders

Full bio

Joan Liaschenko, PhD, RN, HCEC-C, FAAN
Professor

612-624-2443
jliasch@umn.edu

Clinical ethics, bioethics, feminist ethics and nursing ethics
Interdisciplinary communication and collaboration particularly in end-of-life care
Impact of the electronic health record on the nurse-patient relationship

Full bio

Wendy S. Looman, PhD, RN, CNP
Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-624-6604
looma003@umn.edu

Family health care nursing
Quality of life among children and youth with special health care needs
Care coordination for children with medical complexity

Full bio

Anne Chevalier McKechnie, PhD, RN, IBCLC
Assistant Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-624-6491
acmckech@umn.edu

Preparing process of expectant parents after fetal diagnoses
Adaptive work of parents caring for children born with complex health needs

Full bio

Siobhan K. McMahon, PhD, MPH, RN, GNP-BC
Associate Professor

612-625-3225
skmcmaho@umn.edu

Promoting lifestyle behaviors among older adults
Mobile health (mHealth) technology to enhance motivation for physical activity
Interventions to promote motivation for engagement in fall-reducing physical activity

Full bio

Barbara J. McMorris, PhD
Associate Professor

612-624-9909
mcmo0023@umn.edu

Prevention of risky health behaviors in adolescence
Promotion of health among vulnerable populations
Program evaluation, research methods and complex statistical modeling

Full bio

Martin Michalowski, PhD
Assistant Professor

612-625-0992
martinm@umn.edu

Clinical Practice Guideline mitigation using AI to develop treatment plans for multi-morbid patients
Shared decision making
Therapy compliance

Full bio

Karen A. Monsen, PhD, RN, FAMIA, FAAN
Professor

612-624-0490
mons0122@umn.edu

Home visiting intervention effectiveness research
Standardized terminology data research
Data mining, data visualization and machine learning methods

Full bio

Christine A. Mueller, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN
Professor and Sr. Executive Associate Dean for Academic Programs

612-626-4922
cmueller@umn.edu

Quality of care in nursing homes
Long-term care nursing leadership
Geriatric nursing education
Nurse staffing and nursing practice models in long-term care

Full bio

Susan K. O'Conner-Von, PhD, RN
Associate Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

612-624-6647
ocon0025@umn.edu

Pediatric pain and palliative care
Spiritual care
Web-based education for adolescents with cancer

Full bio

Cynthia J. Peden-McAlpine, PhD, ACNS, BC
Associate Professor

612-624-0449
peden001@umn.edu

Qualitative methods
Family/provider communication at end of life in ICUs
Family end-of-life decision making

Full bio

Daniel J. Pesut, PhD, RN, FAAN
Professor

612-626-9443
dpesut@umn.edu

Nursing leadership
Nursing education: creativity, innovation, teaching/learning
Clinical reasoning

Full bio

Barbara L. Peterson, PhD, RN, CNS
Clinical Associate Professor

612-624-0440
pete1389@umn.edu

Psychiatric and mental health problems in children/adolescents
Interprofessional graduate education; integrative psychiatric mental health
Trauma-related nightmares and post-traumatic stress in youth

Full bio

Carolyn M. Porta, PhD, MPH, RN SANE-A, FAAN
Professor, Associate Vice President for Clinical Affairs

612-624-6179
porta@umn.edu

Promoting healthy physical and emotional trajectories into adulthood
Trans-disciplinary eco-health research to advance global health
Use of mHealth and photovoice strategies in health promotion

Full bio

Teddie M. Potter, PhD, RN, FAAN
Clinical Associate Professor

612-626-2881
tmpotter@umn.edu

Partnership-based health care and interprofessional practice
Diversity and inclusivity
Design thinking and innovation

Full bio

Cheryl L. Robertson, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN
Professor

612-626-6450
rober007@umn.edu

Refugee trauma, stress and coping
Community-based coping intervention research
Eco-health strategies in central/eastern Africa

Full bio

Melissa A. Saftner, PhD, CNM, RN
Clinical Professor, Child and Family Health Cooperative

218-726-8934
msaftner@umn.edu

Adolescent sexual risk behavior
American Indian health promotion
Confidence for physiologic birth

Full bio

Erica Schorr, PhD, BSBA, RN
Assistant Professor

612-624-6406
scho0828@umn.edu

Cardiovascular disease and cardiac rehabilitation
Interventions to increase physical activity, improve sleep and enhance quality of life
Mobile health and integrative therapies for health promotion and disease prevention

Full bio

Renee E. Sieving, PhD, RN, FAAN, FSAHM
Professor

612-626-4527
sievi001@umn.edu

Promoting health and healthy development among vulnerable populations of young people
Preventing risky sexual behaviors, violence and school dropout among adolescents
Improving adolescent health services

Full bio