RN to BSN Degree Completion Program

Heather has been a registered nurse since 2006 and has a background in medical/surgical nursing, telemetry, and wound care. She attended the University of Utah where she obtained a master’s degree in Teaching Nursing, and has board certification for Advanced Holistic Nursing. Heather is currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in Advanced Leadership in Health Care Specialization. Heather has worked for Ameritech College of Healthcare since 2009.

Dr. Robinson has been in the health care for over 35 years and knew early on in her career that she would continue her educational journey by going back to school to get her BSN in 1991. In 1994, she completed her Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration. Dr. Robinson is in a position of administration requiring leadership, mentoring, and scholarly performance. She completed her doctoral degree (PHD in Higher Education Administration) in December 2016. Her dissertation outcome involved nursing students successfully passing the BRN’s NCLEX-RN examination using standardized testing during enrollment. Dr. Robinson has served in clinical roles, nursing management positions of patient care, Director of Quality Management, and is currently the Director of a Nursing Program of a community college in California. She has taught nursing courses for various nursing programs with more than two years at Ameritech College of Healthcare.

Ann Spence earned a BSN from Michigan State University and a MSN in Parent Child Nursing from the University of Michigan. A DNP was obtained from Duquesne University. Dr. Spence is an Assistant Professor in Carlow graduate nursing leadership and DNP programs, with primary teaching responsibilities in evidence-based practice, research and leadership courses. Her experience includes positions as a neonatal clinical nurse specialist, quality specialist, and director. She has been responsible for operations in multiple critical care units and oncology and bone marrow transplant units, as well as general medical acute care pediatrics. She has led professional development programs from bedside nurses, initiated a hospital-based nursing bone marrow transplant fellowship program, and has served as a chair for the hospital based central line committee, monitor task force, and Magnet advisor. Dr. Spence was elected as the local chapter president for the Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses in 2014 and currently is a member of the awards committee as well as a member of the board for the Society of Pediatric Nurses. Her research interests include medication safety, central line infection prevention, and self-care for nurses.

Gail Maier has been a nurse for more than 40 years. She began her career caring for burn patients and found a love for teaching as she precepted many student nurses and new nurses. Dr. Maier began teaching nursing in a diploma program in 1975 and since then, have been able to teach many students and staff in various organizations. Currently, Dr. Maier is the Associate Director at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. She has taught in the RN-BSN program at Ameritech College of Healthcare since 2014. She volunteers for a no-kill cat shelter in Columbus when her schedule allows and is involved in various church activities as well as being an avid cyclist.

Catherine Hiler is an Associate Professor of nursing at Jefferson College of Health Sciences (JCHS) in Roanoke Virginia. She earned an Associate in Applied Science Nursing (AAS) from Dabney S Lancaster Community College, a Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) from the College of Health Sciences, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Jefferson College of Health Sciences and her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.
Her nursing background is critical care where she worked for eleven years prior to accepting an Assistant Professor position at Jefferson College of Health Sciences. She holds CCRN certification. She is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses where she has served on the Beacon review panel, cardiac medicine certification review panel and currently serves as an Ambassador. She held the position of President of the Greater Roanoke Valley Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses from 2010-2011 and served as a board member from 2011-2012. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau and the Tau Phi Chapter where she serves as a board member. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and the Virginian Nurses Association. She has been a poster presenter at the National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition in 2011, 2012 and 2016. In 2016 her research poster was granted the research award and was presented as a podium presentation. In 2012, she completed a Nursing Research Fellowship at Carilion Clinic which focused on increasing nurse confidence levels to facilitate family presence at the bedside during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Her most recent research encompassed the Impact of Moral Distress on Perceptions of Work Environment and Quality Care.
Her research interests include moral distress among critical care nurses, healthy work environments and innovative pedagogy in Nursing Education.

Brenda has been a nurse for 33 years. Her background is in perioperative nursing both as a staff nurse, team leader, and Director of Surgical Services where she worked for 24 years. She has been a CNOR (certified nurse in the operating room) for 22 years. For the past 10 years Brenda has been teaching both online, and in a brick and mortar school. While teaching as an online adjunct faculty, Brenda worked in the arena of quality performance and improvement.
Brenda attended Iowa Wesleyan College for her BSN degree and received her MSN from Walden University with a specialization in online nursing education. She also holds a Master of Health Care Administration degree from Des Moines University.

Dr. Amanda Curtsinger earned her LPN from ATA College, her BSN from Bellarmine University, and studied for her graduate degree at Capella University. Her experience includes working with geriatric and special needs individuals, where she acted as the Floor Nurse Manager, as well as working on a medical-surgical unit. Currently, she teaches leadership training classes to administrative members within a suburban hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. At this organization, she recently conducted a research project for leadership training that led to the publication of Improving Teamwork and Communication through the use of TeamSTEPPS. Along with teaching at Ameritech College of Healthcare, Dr. Curtsinger is an Assistant Professor for Northern Kentucky University within the DNP and MSN programs. Her primary teaching responsibilities focus on theory and research for evidence-based practice, theoretical foundations for nursing, and leadership classes.

Caren completed her BSN at the University of Barcelona and her Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in nursing and health care education from the University of Phoenix. Her nursing passion is in hospice and currently works as a home health and hospice Case Manager as well as a clinical instructor at Ameritech College. Caren’s other professional passions reside in quality improvement, cost-effective healthcare and evidence-based practice.

Before changing to hospice and education, Caren gained experience in orthopedics, post-operative acute care and neuromuscular routine care and research at the University of Utah. Her experience in muscular dystrophy research along with her clinical skills and commitment to quality care led her to the development of standards of practice for the clinical care of the major muscular dystrophies seen at the Muscular Dystrophy clinic at the University of Utah. This involvement and dedication led to the creation of a management role that supervised the Muscular Dystrophy clinic and their interdisciplinary team.

Dr. Scholar has been a nurse since 1992. She completed her RN at Hostos Community College and her BSN from the College of New Rochelle. She has a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of St. Francis. Dr. Scholar holds two doctorate degrees. A PhD in Education, with a specialization in Post-Secondary and Adult Education and a DNP from Capella University. Her experience includes nearly 15-years of acute care experience, community healthcare, and hospice, with a focus in holistic care and evidence-based practice.

Tara Saucier has been a registered nurse since 2001 and has a background in neuroscience, public health, and plastic surgery. She received her PhD in Nursing Education and Administration from William Carey University in November 2018. She received her MSN in Forensic Nursing from Duquesne University and her BSN from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Saucier has over 13 years’ experience in online higher education. She has developed and taught a variety of courses in nursing and medical assisting programs at several colleges and universities. She also has extensive experience in the clinical placement of nursing students. Dr. Saucier joined Ameritech College of Healthcare as adjunct faculty in May 2019.