Nursing Staff & Faculty
Prelicensure Nursing Program
Prof. Cecilia DeCotes MS, RN, CNE
Assistant Dean/Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, & Science
607-746-4464
Cecilia DeCotes is an alumna from both SUNY Sullivan and SUNY Delhi, where she first
received her Associates in Applies Science in nursing in 2000 and worked primarily
as an RN in a dialysis center. She later completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing
in 2013 and Master of Science in Nurse Education in 2017 at SUNY Delhi. Mrs. DeCotes
started teaching pre-licensure nursing students in 2017 at SUNY Sullivan and later
transferred to SUNY Delhi in Fall 2018. She has instructed Medical-Surgical, Lab,
and clinical courses for four years at SUNY Delhi before taking on her current position
as the Assistant Dean of the pre-licensure nursing program. Mrs. DeCotes enjoys spending
time outdoors, visiting family and friends, and traveling.
Prof. Brigid Finn-Maguire MS, RN
Professor of Nursing
School of Nursing, Arts, & Science
607-746-4471
Brigid has been a member of the SUNY Delhi Nursing faculty since 1997. Her nursing
education started at Utica College of Syracuse University where she obtained her BSN.
She then completed her Master’s degree in Community Health Nursing from SUNY Binghamton
in 1991. Prior to coming to SUNY Delhi Brigid worked as a Clinical Nurse specialist
in the Binghamton, and then the Capital District area of New York. Currently her
specialty in teaching includes Maternal Newborn nursing, teaching both the lecture
and clinical Maternity portion of the SUNY Delhi Nursing curriculum. She also teaches
general nursing principles in both the 1st year and 2nd year practicum lab courses.
Brigid is a long-time resident of Delaware County, residing in Walton NY. She enjoys
her work here at SUNY Delhi, teaching alongside a group of amazing dedicated faculty
and staff. Ultimately it is Brigid’s work with the students that has kept her dedicated
to SUNY Delhi, knowing that she is educating future nurses that are bound to change
the world.
Prof. Jennifer Gerster MS, RN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, & Science
607-746-4809
I grew up in the Delaware county area and received my AAS in Nursing from SUNY Delhi
in 2004. I worked at Bassett Medical Center on the inpatient surgical unit until
2015 when I began working at SUNY Delhi as a nursing adjunct clinical instructor.
I received my BSN in nursing from SUNY Delhi in 2017 and then my masters in nursing
education in 2022.
I am currently an associate professor teaching NURS 200 and NURS 210 nursing III and
IV medical-surgical nursing, NURS 125 freshman lab and NURS 230 senior lab, as well
as NURS 230 senior nursing clinical.
Janice Hall
Administrative Assistant 2
School of Nursing, Arts, & Science
607-746-4491
Janice holds the position of Administrative Assistant II within the School of Nursing,
Arts & Sciences and has over 18 years of campus service. As the main administrative
support staff for the nursing division, she strives for exemplary customer service
to students, staff, and other visitors. With a friendly manner, she is dedicated,
organized, creative, and flexible within a large department that requires continuous
multi-tasking at all levels.
In 2018-2019, Janice was the recipient of the State University of New York Chancellor’s
Award for Excellence in Classified Service. This award gives recognition to classified
staff who provide outstanding and sustained service and significant contribution to
institutional quality.
Contact Janice and receive a friendly welcome and assistance with a variety of department
or campus wide questions you may have.
Prof. Maja Krzyston MS, RN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, & Science
607-746-4485
Maja Krzyston, a dedicated and passionate individual who has been an integral part
of the nursing program since 2005. With her extensive experience and knowledge, Maja
has made a lasting impact on countless aspiring nurses, shaping them into competent
and compassionate healthcare professionals. With an educational background that includes
an associate and baccalaureate nursing degrees from SUNY Delhi, as well as a Master
of Nursing Education from SUNY Poly and Masters of Nursing Administration from SUNY
Delhi, she brings a wealth of experience to her teaching role.
Maja’s multifaceted role as a nursing professor, clinical coordinator, and advisor
to the nursing club allows her to make a difference both inside and outside the classroom.
In her role as a clinical coordinator, Maja bridges the gap between theory and practice
by organizing hands-on training sessions in various healthcare settings. She tirelessly
works to secure valuable clinical placements for students, ensuring they gain practical
experience and develop crucial skills required in the field.
Beyond her teaching responsibilities, Maja dedicates her time as an advisor to the
nursing club, fostering a sense of camaraderie and community among the nursing students.
She helps the club organize various events to enrich their learning experience and
provide them with a platform to network and grow both personally and professionally.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Maja remains an active nurse, working on the
front lines of patient care. This firsthand experience allows her to continuously
bring real-world scenarios and practical insights into her teaching, making her an
invaluable resource for her students
Prof. Valerie H. Maddalone, MS, FNP-C, BSN, RN
Assistant Professor of Nursing
School of Nursing, Arts, & Science
607-746-4487
Valerie Maddalone has been teaching at SUNY Delhi since Fall 2018. She received her
BSN from Binghamton University in 2010 and MSN as a Family Nurse Practitioner from
Binghamton University in 2013. She most recently completed her MSN in Nursing Education
at SUNY Delhi in 2022. She is currently teaching in-person Nursing I and Nursing II
courses at SUNY Delhi and nursing clinical courses on campus and in regional long-term
and acute care settings. Mrs. Maddalone also works as a family nurse practitioner
at Bassett Healthcare as the clinician in the Cancer Treatment Center. She focuses
primarily in cancer treatment and cancer survivorship. In her spare time, Mrs. Maddalone
enjoys travelling and spending time with her two young children and family.
Prof. Laura Meckel, MS, RN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, & Science
607-746-4367
I have been working at SUNY Delhi as a registered nurse since 2015 when I started
in Health and Counseling Services. In 2020 I began teaching in the School of Nursing.
I currently teach nursing lab classes where we learn and practice assessment and
nursing skills. I also run open lab for students to come and further practice skills
learned in lab class. I am interested in finding new ways to incorporate the use
of clinical judgement into skills-based scenarios in the lab setting.
Kelley J. Quarino
Practicum Assistant
School of Nursing, Arts, & Science
607-746-4819
Kelley Quarino has been an Instructional Support Technician at SUNY Delhi since 2015.
She came to Delhi with over 12 years’ experience in the financial sector, managing
operations and staff for over 15 different locations for a financial institution.
She works between both the Pre-Licensure and BSN/MSN programs, assisting the on-ground
faculty in the nursing labs and the online practicum coordinators with student’s health
and preceptor requirements. She is also a registered New York State notary public.
BSN program (Exclusive)
Prof. Tammy Chandler
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, and Sciences (Virtual, RN-BSN program)
607-746-4806
Professor Chandler is an Assistant Professor in the RN to BSN program teaching full-time
since Spring, 2020. I am a graduate of SUNY Delhi’s RN-to-BSN program and proud to
have been in the first graduating class of SUNY Delhi’s Masters in Nursing Education.
My courses include Healthcare Ethics, Teaching and Learning in Nursing and Healthcare,
and Health Assessment.
I co-authored Meeting AACN’s Essentials for Competency-Based Education with Hands-Free
Video Recorded Skills Assessment and was recently published with Teaching Online Pedagogical
Repository on Creating Weekly Introduction Videos to Facilitate Successful Navigation
of Course. Volunteer efforts include medical missions in Belize, Bolivia, and Florida.
I enjoy travel, scuba diving, gardening both in NY and Florida, and photography, especially
birds and blooms.
Prof. Lori Ciafardoni
Associate Professor
School of Nursing Arts, and Sciences (Virtual, RN-BSN Program)
607-746-4814
Lori is an Associate Professor of Nursing in the online RN-BSN program teaching courses
including Nursing Research, Intro to RN-BSN online, Population and Community Health,
Ethics, Health Promotion, Pathophysiology and Teaching and Learning. Course Coordinator
for Statistics and Research Methods, Population and Community Health Nursing, and
Pathophysiology. Current service includes Nursing Faculty Renewal Committee, College
Professional Development Committee, Co-Chair Chancellor’s Award for Excellence Executive
Committee, Open SUNY Exemplar Coach and Mentor, At-Large member college Senate, University
Faculty Senate Alternate Senator.
Lori is a family health nurse practitioner with a specialty in OBGYN /women’s health
and an additional specialty in LGBTQ+ healthcare. She and her partner live in the
Capital District with their two daughters, four cats, and a French bulldog.
Prof. Rebecca Norman-Eck
Professor
School of Nursing and Arts and Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
607-746-4816
Professor Eck earned a BA in Psychology from Western Connecticut State University,
a BSN from the University of South Carolina, and an MSN from Duke University. Joining
SUNY Delhi in 2010, she was formerly faculty at Midlands Technical College in Columbia,
SC for over 10 years and remains there as a clinical adjunct.
Professor Eck has extensive nursing experience in high-risk antepartum obstetrics,
forensics, psychiatry, and many years as a nurse educator. Her scholarship expertise
includes forensic nursing and educational best practice interventions for transitioning
nursing students to the online learning environment, and is an international speaker
in forensic nursing and a national speaker on nursing education topics.
Prof. Marguerite Goulet
Associate Professor
School of Nursing and Arts and Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
614-371-3726
Marguerite Goulet, MSN, RN, is an Associate Professor at SUNY Delhi with 14 years
of experience teaching in their online RN to BSN program. She has over 47 years of
experience as a nurse in oncology, cancer genetics, and women’s health. Her specialties
are Epidemiology and Health Care Policy with a focus on public health. She has published
contributions about nursing education during the pandemic with perspectives of students
and faculty using a holistic model to promote student success and retention with several
of her colleagues.
Marguerite also works with individuals who are homeless, have substance abuse disorders,
and are victims of human trafficking and has presented on these topics regionally
and nationally. In 2022, she earned the Volunteer Scholarship Award from the Chi Tau
Chapter of Sigma. She and her husband Henri have been married for 46 years, and have
2 children and 5 grandchildren. Marguerite enjoys distance walking, reading, listening
to music, and gardening.
Prof. Professor Elizabeth Pratt
Associate Professor
School of Nursing and Arts and Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
607-746-4804
Elizabeth Pratt earned a BSN from Grambling State University in 1993 and an MSN from
Walden University in 2007. Professor Pratt joined SUNY Delhi in 2009 after serving
as a faculty member at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, AR for over 9 years.
Professor Pratt has many years of experience in obstetrical and neonatal nursing, camp nursing, and as a nurse educator. Her certifications include Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) through the National League for Nursing (since 2013) and Registered Nurse Certified-OB (Inpatient Obstetric Nurse) through the National Certification Corporation (since 1995). Professional memberships include American Nurses Association, National League for Nursing, and Sigma International including the Chi Tau at-Large Chapter founded at SUNY Delhi. She is a national speaker on nursing education topics, a contributing author for numerous texts and NCLEX review guides, and has served as a panel member for the National Council States Boards of Nursing RN Item Writing for the NCLEX exam.
BSN Shared (BSN + MS in Nursing)
Dr. Beth Boyd
Associate Professor
Online Faculty
Dr. Beth Boyd is an Associate Professor of Nursing. She teaches in both the RN-to-BSN
and MS Administration programs at SUNY Delhi. She received her doctoral degree from
Quinnipiac University (Leadership Track), MSN from the University of Hartford (Education
Track), BSN from Fairfield University and is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) through
the National League of Nursing (NLN). Dr. Boyd is a practitioner-educator with experience
as an Administrative Manager/Educator in acute care, Director of Simulation as well
as teaching both on campus and online. She has published as well as provided presentations
and poster exhibitions. Dr. Boyd has received the Jane E. Murdock CT Life-Long Learning
Excellence in Nursing Award and the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. She
is a member of the CT Honor Guard of Nursing. Dr. Boyd is passionate about the profession
of nursing.
Dr. Barbara Ann D’Anna
Professor
School of Nursing and Arts and Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN and MS in Nursing Programs)
843-836-1160
Dr. D’Anna has been full-time faculty since 2009 teaching in the RN-BSN and MS Administration
programs. Her degrees are from Wagner College (BSN), The Catholic University of America
(MSN), and Regent University (DSL). Dr. D’Anna has been a nurse for over 40 years.
Her clinical background is in the care of adults with a specialty in peri-operative
nursing to include first assisting. In addition to faculty, she has held the position
of clinician, consultant, and nurse executive. Her research interests include adaptive
and maladaptive perfectionism as it relates to leadership and the perceptions of leadership
roles and competencies.
Dr. Kirsty Digger
Professor
School of Nursing and Arts and Sciences (Virtual, MS in Nursing Programs)
607-746-4817
Dr. Kirsty Digger has been teaching for the SUNY system for 20 years, the last 12
of those at SUNY Delhi. She earned her Doctorate in Nursing Science from the Sage
Colleges in Albany in 2012. Dr. Digger teaches with the graduate nursing program,
preparing students for roles in nursing education. In addition to her teaching, Dr.
Digger is a family nurse practitioner who works in the urgent care setting. Research
interests focus on integrating technology into nursing education. She has been the
recipient of several grants for technology-based research, and has presented on this
topic at numerous nursing and education conferences across the United States. When
not teaching or seeing patients, Dr. Digger spends her time on numerous outdoor pursuits
in the mountains of Colorado.
Dr. Cheryle Levitt
Associate Dean, Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, and Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BS and MS in Nursing programs)
215-687-4716
Cheryle Levitt is the Assistant Dean (since 2018) and Professor in the online RN-to-BSN
and MS in Nursing programs. She has been involved in online nursing education for
over 20 years, having earned her BSN from Temple U, MSN from Villanova U, and PhD
from Duquesne U. Dr. Levitt joined Delhi’s faculty in 2008 when the RN-BSN online
program began, has taught in both BSN and MS in Nursing programs, and co-developed
the MS in Nursing Education program. She was the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award
for Faculty Service in 2015. Dr. Levitt has been a nurse for over 45 years, with clinical
experiences in pediatrics, neonatal, and community health. Research interests are
in maternal-child health, online pedagogy, technology in learning, program assessment,
and she has received grants and conducted funded research. Dr. Levitt has published,
presented at numerous international and national conferences, and reviews manuscripts
for several nursing journals.
Dr. Jamie Murphy
Associate Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, & Sciences (Virtual, MS in Nursing Programs)
607-746-4808
Dr. Murphy is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing teaching in the Nursing
Education track of their graduate program. Her academic focus includes Development
of the Nurse Educator Role, Global Health, and Rural Health. She earned her master’s
degree in nursing education from SUNY Poly and her PhD in Rural Nursing from Binghamton
University. She has an extensive background in the areas of nursing education, community
and population health, psychiatric nursing and has held ANCC certification in Psychiatric
Nursing.
In addition to being an Open SUNY fellow, Dr. Murphy authored an open textbook, Transitions
to Professional Nursing Practice, for Delhi’s online RN-to-BSN program. She is the
recipient of the 2021 MERLOT Classics Award for Exemplary Online Learning Resources,
holds a certificate in Creative Commons licensing, and is the open education resource
liaison for SUNY Delhi’s Nursing programs. Research interests include investigation
of the learning gains with open textbooks, the use of 3D video technology in online
education, student and faculty perspectives of teaching and learning during the pandemic
and heart failure readmission in the home health setting. She has presented her research
at national conferences and SUNY webinars.
Dr. Nancy Winters
Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, & Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN and MS in Nursing Programs)
607-746-4813
Dr. Winters has been teaching at SUNY Delhi since Fall 2016. She received her PhD
in Nursing Education from Adelphi University in 2012. She has been a Registered Nurse
for 20+ years and holds certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Dr. Winters
has been nominated for the Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching and for
Excellence in Scholarship. Nancy’s overall teaching philosophy is based on the belief
that learning needs to be student-centered and that facilitators of learning must
show true presence. Of utmost importance to Dr. Winters is the facilitation of activities
which are student-centered and promote a learning environment which is both structured
and conductive to learning.
Dr. Megan Wolfe
Associate Professor
School of Nursing, Arts, & Sciences (Virtual, MS in Nursing Programs)
607-746-4818
Adjunct Faculty
Prof. Karen Driskill
Adjunct Faculty
School of Nursing, Arts, & Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
845-747-0905
Karen Driskill, MS, RN has practiced nursing for 20+ years and specialized in the
care of the adult oncology population prior to transitioning to nursing education.
Karen has held an adjunct faculty position at the State University of New York (SUNY)
at Delhi since 2019, and is also a full-time instructor in the School of Nursing at
SUNY Orange. For many years she has had a professional interest in improving patient
outcomes in cholangiocarcinoma (biliary cancer) as well as substance use disorders
using a harm reduction approach. She has extensive experience in the non-profit sector
previously serving as a national patient research advocate, member and co-chair of
the nursing advisory board for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, board member of
the Catskills Pathways to Recovery, and involvement with other community organizations.
Karen continues to be engaged in rural health and health law and policy education
and initiatives, encouraging nursing and healthcare professionals to take the lead
and be change-makers in their own communities.
Prof. Jami Everett
Adjunct Faculty
School of Nursing, Arts, & Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
607-746-4000
Jami is a two-time alumnus of Suny Delhi’s Nursing Programs, including a BSN and an
MS in Nursing Education. She has vast medical experience working within multiple departments
at her local hospitals. Jami has also worked in long-term care as an Inservice Coordinator,
Infection Control Nurse, Wound Nurse, and in Employee Health. Currently, she is also
working as a Procedure RN in an Endoscopy Suite. She enjoys spending time with her
family, which includes another Delhi alumni, and caring for several pets.
Prof. Jennifer Mix
Adjunct Faculty
School of Nursing, Arts, and Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
607-832-7988
Jennifer received her first degree in Health and Human Services at the University
at Buffalo. She continued on to receive her BSN from Utica College’s Accelerated Program.
Jennifer’s work experience includes the medical ICU, the electrophysiology lab, the
Nurse Residency Program Coordinator, and the Retention and Recognition Program Coordinator.
She earned her MS in Nursing Education from SUNY Delhi in 2021, and began as an adjunct
instructor for the RN-to-BSN program later that year. In her free time, she enjoys
watching the Bills play, hiking in the Adirondacks, and spending time with her 10
nieces and nephews.
Prof. Emily O’Hern
Adjunct Faculty
School of Nursing, Arts, and Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
607-832-7987
Emily grew up in Syracuse, NY where she attended St. Joseph’s College of Nursing and
immediately joined the work force as a bedside nurse in the trauma ICU. Twelve years
later she attended SUNY Brockport for my BSN and SUNY Delhi for my MS in Nursing Education.
In addition to being an adjunct professor at Delhi, she also works full time at SUNY
Upstate Medical University as a cardiac device clinic coordinator in outpatient cardiology.
She enjoys teaching Ethics in Healthcare and is active on Upstate’s Ethics Committee,
as well as the Heart Rhythm Society’s Ethics Committee.
In her spare time she enjoys attending her children’s activities and school events,
gardening, camping, and spoiling the family dogs.
Prof. Landa Palmer
Adjunct Faculty
School of Nursing, Arts, & Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
845-746-5516
Landa Palmer, RN, MSN, CEN is an Online Adjunct Professor for the RN-to-BSN program,
where she has taught since 2014, after teaching in the Associate Degree program since
2010. She obtained her Master of Science, Nursing-Education, SUNY Institute of Technology;
BSN from Keuka College; and Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) through the National League
of Nursing (NLN). Her experiences in nursing include Intensive Care Nursing, Hospice
and Palliative Care Nursing, and roles in nursing leadership. She has published and
presented research and is a Facilitator for Lumen Learning, leading other educators
in Belonging and Inclusive Teaching educational practices.
Prof. Linda Siegrist
Adjunct Faculty
School of Nursing, Arts, & Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
Linda Siegrist received her associate’s degree from Cypress College in California,
her bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University in North Carolina and her master’s
degree in nursing from College Misericordia in Pennsylvania. She has been an adjunct
instructor with SUNY Delhi for the past 6 years teaching in the online RN- to-BSN
program. Linda has worked in a variety of locations as well as a variety of clinical
areas including medical surgical nursing, obstetrical nursing, Intensive care nursing,
emergency nursing, occupational health nursing, home health nursing and camp nursing
for a YMCA camp in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.
After retirement from Passaic County Community College in NJ, where she taught in
a face-to-face environment for 25 years, Linda relocated to Colorado where there are
many opportunities for adventure including hiking, biking, fishing, skiing, and pickleball.
Dr. Susan Siebold-Simpson
Adjunct Faculty
School of Nursing, Arts, & Sciences (Virtual, RN-to-BSN Program)
607-759-3755
Dr. Seibold-Simpson earned her BS, Major in Nursing (1983) and MS, Major in Family
Nursing (1988) from Binghamton University, her Master's in Public Health from SUNY
Albany (2010), and her PhD in Health Practice Research from the University of Rochester
School of Nursing (2009). She has been a family nurse practitioner for 35 years and
currently focuses on sexual and reproductive healthcare. She has been a nursing faculty
member at Binghamton University, SUNY Polytechnic, and SUNY Broome Community College,
where she was also the chair of the Nursing Department.
Dr. Seibold-Simpson's research area is sexual and reproductive health and nursing
education. She is a site visitor for the Accreditation Commission for Education in
Nursing (ACEN), serves on the editorial board of Teaching and Learning in Nursing,
and as the part-time Research Specialist for the Center of Nursing Research located
at the Center for Nursing at the Foundation of New York State Nurses, Inc.