Members of the Nursing Education Committee are nurse educators who meet monthly to discuss current trends and issues in nursing education. Committee members are also encouraged to submit their own, colleagues’, or students’ work for articles in our quarterly magazine. Join this committee if you are a nurse educator, either in higher education or in clinical settings.
The 2025 members of the Nursing Education Committee are:
Chair – Joanne Lapidus-Graham, EdD, RN, CPNP, CNE
Joanne Lapidus-Graham is a nursing professor at Farmingdale State College since 1990 and is a lead faculty for the health promotion/patient education course. Her other specialties have included pediatrics and women’s health/obstetrical nursing. Dr. Graham was elected 12 years ago to the first board of ANA-NY, first serving two terms as a Director, and 2 terms as Vice-President, and was appointed in October 2018 as the ANA-NY Consultant to NSANYS.
Dr. Graham’s other professional services have included faculty counselor to the Chi Gamma Chapter of Sigma at Farmingdale State College, Vice President, former committee member who formed the chapter, President-Elect, and currently as the President. She also is the Faculty Advisor to the FSC Student Nurses Association for almost 34 years. Her past offices include: President (4 years) and Board of Directors (4 years) for the Nurses Association of the Counties of Long Island (NACLI), Chair of the Parent/Child Clinical Practice Unit, and Council on Nursing Education of NYSNA.
Dr. Graham’s involvement in professional nursing organizations and giving back to the nursing profession has been her lifelong passion. During her leadership on the nursing education committee, nursing faculty have been actively involved in providing and disseminating information to enhance and to influence, the practice of nursing education in New York State. The committee completed two white papers: one on nurse residency programs for new nursing graduates and the other topic was Dedicated Educational Units as an Intervention to Decrease the Nursing Shortage.
RN, CNE
Kady Hoistion, MS, RN, CNE
Kady is the Director of Nursing at Jefferson Community College, her alma mater, in Watertown, NY. She graduated with her nursing degree in 2013 and worked as an RN at a local hospital and in private cardiology practice following graduation. After several years, she decided to pursue her graduate degree in nursing, graduating from Excelsior College in 2017 with a master’s degree in nursing. She has worked at Jefferson Community College for the past 8 years, teaching and in leadership roles within the nursing department. She loves what she does and has enjoyed being a member of the ANA-NY Nursing Education Committee for the past few years.
PhD, RN
Jessica Varghese, PhD, RN
Dr. Varghese is an Associate Professor of Nursing at the New York Institute of Technology, where she has served in various academic and leadership roles since 2019, including as Director of the RN to BS Program. She holds a Ph.D. in Nursing from the University at Buffalo and brings over 20 years of experience across clinical, academic, and healthcare leadership settings.
Dr. Varghese’s research and scholarly interests include professional identity formation, trauma-informed education, health equity, global outreach, and environmental health. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and frequently presents at national and international conferences on topics ranging from nursing advocacy to interprofessional collaboration and inclusive pedagogy.
She has been recognized with numerous awards, including NYIT’s Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year (2025) and the Christa Koffel Inspiring New Leader Award. She currently serves as a Membership Assembly representative & the Climate and Health SIG co-chair for ANA-NY. Dr. Varghese is actively involved in national nursing organizations and is committed to advancing inclusive, evidence-based nursing education that prepares the next generation of nurse leaders.
Marciano, PhD, RN
Tara Zacharzuk-Marciano, PhD, RN
Tara L. Zacharzuk-Marciano is the founder and owner of a legal nurse consulting firm in Highland, N.Y. She holds a Ph.D. in nursing education from Capella University and an M.A. in nursing education from Pace University. Before starting her own firm, Tara served as a lead surgical services nurse educator at Nuvance Health and an assistant professor of nursing at SUNY Ulster. She has more than 20 years of clinical experience across various disciplines, including surgical services, patient advocacy, and clinical instruction, and is passionate about providing high-quality services to attorneys and law firms in need of medical case assistance.
Nancy Maggio, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC
Dr. Nancy Maggio is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Farmingdale State College on Long Island, NY and is a board-certified Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. She has been a nurse for 44 years with experience in critical care, telemetry nursing, med-surg, management, and education. Dr. Maggio’s experience in nursing education spans over 30 years in both the academic and hospital settings. She currently enjoys teaching simulation, and health assessment to undergraduate nursing students and is co-advisor to the Farmingdale State College Student Nurses Association. Dr. Maggio is also an American Heart Association Basic Life Support instructor and is actively involved in a summer nurse extern program at a medical center in her community. Dr. Maggio received her DNP in 2017 from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. She received her BSN from Adelphi University, Garden City, NY in 1984 and her MSN from Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY in 1989. Research interests include heart failure education, use of evidence-based practice guidelines in long term care settings and writing in the disciplines (especially nursing). Dr. Maggio was recently the proud recipient of the 2022-2023 State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service in recognition of outstanding and sustained service and significant contribution to institutional quality. She enjoys time with family and friends and spending time on the North Fork of Long Island and in the Catskills, NY. Hobbies include bicycling, walks on the beach and in the mountains, reading, needlepoint and listening to music.
Norris, PhD, RN, NPD-BC
Christina Bierling-Norris, PhD, RN, NPD-BC
Dr. Bierling-Norris has been a nurse for 20 years. She started her career as an associate degree nurse in med-surg and transitioned to neuroscience/critical care. She became a nurse manager and a nurse director and worked in nursing operations. During that time, she pursued her education, obtaining a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree as a clinical nurse leader and eventually a PhD in nursing education. She is currently the regional director of nursing professional development for a large health system with oversite of all aspects of nursing education. She is very lucky to be able to spend her time working with nurses to improve patient care and to help nurses grow in the profession.
When she is not working, she loves to cook and travel. Her favorite animals are great white sharks, and she is a member of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. She is planning a trip in 2026 to the Farallon Islands with her daughter to cage dive with the great whites and hopefully see one up close and personal!
Marcella Mulligan, MSN, RN, CNE, NPD-BC
Marcella Mulligan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nursing at Mercy University, where she specializes in pre-licensure nursing education. With extensive experience in both clinical nursing and education, Professor Mulligan is dedicated to preparing the next generation of nurses through evidence-based teaching practices and compassionate mentorship.
Certified as a Nurse Educator (CNE), Professor Mulligan brings many years of clinical expertise and numerous years of experience in nursing education to her role. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes student-centered learning, active engagement, and the integration of real-world clinical experiences to foster the development of competent, compassionate, and confident nursing professionals.
Professor Mulligan’s research interests include transition to practice and end-of-life care, and she is committed to advancing nursing education through innovative approaches to curriculum design, assessment, and student success.
Suzanne Soltysik, DNP, RN-BC, NPD-BC, CNE
Suzanne Soltysik is a Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing at St. Bonaventure University and residency coordinator at Olean General Hospital.
Veronica Valazza, DNP, MBA, RN, CNE, NE-BC
Dr. Valazza is a seasoned registered nurse with over four decades of experience, bringing extensive expertise in healthcare leadership and education. Since 1983, she has made significant contributions to nursing, transitioning into nursing education in 2017. She currently serves as an associate professor and chair of the nursing department at Daemen University and previously held the role of 1+2+1 director. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a commitment to quality improvement and leadership within the nursing profession, bridging practical healthcare experience with academic excellence.
Tshaye Scarlett, MSN, RN, WCC
Tshaye Scarlett is an accomplished nurse leader, educator, and clinician with over a decade of experience in nursing. Her career spans bedside care in medical-surgical and telemetry units to academic and leadership roles, including Adjunct Clinical Faculty and Nurse Educator positions in acute care settings. In these roles, she has been instrumental in promoting clinical competence and professional development among both novice and seasoned nurses.
Tshaye holds dual Master of Science in Nursing degrees in Nurse Executive Leadership and Nurse Education from Chamberlain University. In addition, she is a Wound Care Certified Nurse and a certified Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor.
Tshaye currently serves as Nurse Manager of Patient Care Services at Northwell Health – LIJ Valley Stream. In this role, she oversees nursing operations, ensures regulatory compliance, staff development, and implementation of quality improvement initiatives.
Deeply committed to cultivating a positive work environment, Tshaye is passionate about supporting staff development, fostering clinical excellence, and advancing patient care outcomes. She is an active member of the American Nurses Association–New York (ANA-NY) and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).
Suzanne Elie, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNE, SANE-A
Suzanne Elie is a dedicated nurse educator with over a decade of experience teaching in Registered Nurse (RN) programs. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing and is nationally certified in critical care (CCRN), nursing education (CNE), and sexual assault nursing (SANE-A). Suzanne is passionate about preparing the next generation of nurses through evidence-based instruction and mentorship. Her research interests focus on nursing ethics and innovative approaches in nursing education. Suzanne is dedicated to advancing the nursing profession through academic excellence, professional development, and promoting ethical practice in both clinical and educational settings.
Sarah Marshall, DNP, MSN, RN
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Samantha McCarthy
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Megan Guay
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Arlene Travis
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Board Liaison – Giselle Gerardi, PhD, RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM
Dr. Giselle Gerardi is an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University School of Nursing. She received her PhD from The CUNY Graduate Center, MSN in Community and Public Health Nursing from the University of Hartford, BA in Spanish Language and Literature from Stony Brook University, and AAS in Nursing from Suffolk County Community College. Dr. Gerardi’s research interests include health equity, health promotion, disease prevention, and perinatal health care. She is a Director-at-Large for ANA-NY and serves as the Nursing Education Committee liaison.
Board Liaison – Alison Simpson, PhD, RN
Alison Simpson is currently serving as an Associate Professor and the undergraduate chair of the Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher University. Her comprehensive academic background began with a Bachelor of Science in Management from St. John Fisher College in 1993, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the same institution in 1996. She furthered her nursing education with a Master of Science from the University at Buffalo in 2000 and later earned her Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Rochester in 2019. She has worked as a staff nurse in maternal-child health and as a women’s health nurse practitioner. In her leadership role, Dr. Simpson plays a pivotal part in shaping the curriculum and guiding the academic journey of aspiring nursing professionals. She is dedicated to ensuring students receive a high-quality education, preparing them to excel in modern healthcare. Dr. Simpson currently serves as president of the Genesee Valley Nurses Association and is a member of the ANA-NY Board of Directors.
