Dean's Advisory Council

Angela began her role as dean of NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing on August 1, 2023. She is a forensic and advanced practice psychiatric nurse and researcher studying sexual and dating violence. Angela joined NYU from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Nursing (UNLV), where she was dean and a tenured professor since 2018. Before her tenure at UNLV, Angela was on the faculty of Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing where she served as an assistant and then associate dean between 2013 and 2017. She developed forensic nursing programs for Emory, Boston College, and Georgetown, establishing a nationwide educational model on forensic nursing for nursing schools. Angela is a widely published author and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. She is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, and a Fellow of the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nursing Education. She earned her BSN and MN from Louisiana State University Medical Center’s School of Nursing and her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.
 

Debra is Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Senior VP for Patient Care Services at NYU Langone. Prior to joining Langone, Debra was CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at University of Chicago Medicine. Prior to University of Chicago Medicine, Debra was at Vanguard Health Systems at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois, where she served as chief nursing officer. She began her career at the Cleveland Clinic Health System, where she took on the roles of chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services at the system’s Fairview Hospital, Euclid Hospital and Main Campus. A graduate of the Johnson & Johnson Wharton Fellow program, Debra holds a master’s in nursing from University of Akron and an MBA from Cleveland State University. 

Gillian is the Senior Vice President, Global Public Health & Scientific Affairs at Colgate Palmolive. Prior to this, she was at the Office of Economic Development for the state of Nevada. Gillian has held executive roles in philanthropy including the position of vice president of the Aetna Foundation and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, where she led impact and research for health programs. At the World Health Organization she was responsible for strengthening health systems in 20 low and middle-income countries, and the CARICOM region. Gillian has taught at the Harvard School of Public Health, the City University of New York, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She holds a doctorate in public health from Harvard University, a master’s in public health from the University of Michigan, a doctorate in dental surgery from the University of Detroit Mercy and completed her residency at New York Hospital. Her undergraduate degree was earned at the University of the West Indies.

Formerly a partner at the law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman. His practice focused on insolvency and restructuring. He is known as an accomplished counselor and advocate in high-profile engagements in insolvency, commercial litigation and health care. Leo has served as chair of the Health Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. Leo was recognized by Lawdragon as one of 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers (2020 – 2023) and one of 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers (2020). He earned his J.D. from Boston University School of Law, and his A.B. from Vassar College.

Mary is Director of Nursing at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and adjunct professor at Adelphi University.  She graduated with a BSN from Hunter College, received her Master’s in Nursing from New York University and DNP from Case Western Reserve University. Her clinical background is pediatrics and women’s health. She was the nurse executive to lead the design, opening and cultural transformation of a new children’s hospital. Throughout her career, she has led improvement initiatives, managed extensive service lines, and facilitated strategic financial initiatives. Quality and safety, the heart of her work, has driven her focus on reducing patient and staff harm credited to harnessing a collective drive for excellence. Mary is a member of the American Nurses Association, Sigma Upsilon and is a board member for Nurses House. Mary is the current president of the NYU Meyers Alumni Association. She has authored publications on the impact of COVID on nurses, community CPR, childhood asthma, nurse leader’s role in construction, pay for performance, and women’s health and research.

Alicia is Chairperson Emerita of the department of nursing at Lehman College. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Seton Hall, a Master of Arts in Community Health Nursing Administration and Supervision from New York University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University in Vermont. She has served as a member of health policy boards, health care delivery boards, professional organizations, governmental boards, and as national volunteer president of AARP. In addition to her service with AARP, Alicia served as the fifth president (and is a lifetime member) of the National Black Nurses Association and is the current president of the National Black Nurses Foundation. Alicia is also a fellow of the NY Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). In 2019, she was named a Living Legend by the AAN. In 2021, Alicia was awarded the Lifetime Legacy Achievement Award from the American Academy of Nursing and was elected as Chair of the National Easter seals board. She also serves on the advisory boards of the National Clinician Scholars program and the Bronx Westchester Area Health Education Center.

Mattia (Tia) Gilmartin is the Senior Advisor to the Dean at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Before this position, Tia was the executive director of NICHE and served as the director of the Center for Continuing Nursing Education, where she oversaw the College’s portfolio of continuing education programs for practicing nurses. She was a leader dedicated to improving healthcare services. She brought 20 years of firsthand experience with organizational and management forces that drove performance improvement. Her background as a clinician, researcher, and teacher made her particularly skilled in analyzing complex problems and translating theory into practice. She favored entrepreneurial approaches and thrived in complex environments that required creative and flexible solutions. Gilmartin holds a PhD degree from the University of Virginia, a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco, and a bachelor's and master's degree in nursing. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Cambridge Judge Business School in organizational improvement and comparative health systems.
 

Lois Kelly received her MA in Early Childhood Education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University and her BSN from Molloy College. Lois worked as a Pediatric Intensive Care Nurse for 5 years at New York Hospital, Cornell Medical Center in NYC caring for critically ill children aged birth to 18 years and then as Pediatric Nursing Educator Clinician, creating and teaching curriculum for nurses working in all areas of pediatrics and facilitating research and education for the institution. She and her husband, Bryan, have resided in Riverside for the past 15 years and have 4 children.  Lois has been extremely active in her community holding various volunteer positions including PTA President of Riverside School and was nominated for the Essence Award for Excellence in Volunteerism. Lois has been involved with Breast Cancer Alliance since 2016 and has been a board member since 2019. She is currently on the Executive Board and is the chair of special events. Lois has been involved with fundraising at Hospital for Special Surgery since 2019 and chairs their Annual Autumn Benefit which has raised over $5 million dollars for research and education. She is also a member of the Pediatric Council helping to raise money to support their meaningful programs and pediatric outreach. Lois also created the HSSPS (Hospital for Special Surgery Partner Society) which is a support network for partners of surgeons and anesthesiologists, hosting bi-annual events to bring the community together, and facilitating a mentor program.

Carl is Editor-in Chief of the American Journal of Nursing. Prior to joining AJN, he was the Chief Nursing Officer at University Hospital in Newark, NJ, the associate editor of the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (JANAC), and the senior associate editor of Annals of LGBT Public & Population Health. Carl is an alumnus of Lehman College, New York University, Case Western University, St. Peter’s University, and is currently completing his PhD at Seton Hall University. He is currently adjunct professor at New York University and Temple University.

Geri is Professor Emerita and was the Bette P. Thomas Distinguished Professor for Innovative Health Care Delivery and the Director of the PhD Program at the University of Texas Health Science Center Cizik School of Nursing until her retirement in September 2023. She has extensive national and international experience mentoring nurses in the development of research. She is also the co-editor and author of Nursing Research Methods & Critical Appraisal for Evidence Based Practice in its 10th Edition and a Co Author and Editor of the first edition of Evidence Based Practice for Nursing & Healthcare Quality Improvement. 

Dr. Lyndon is the Vernice D. Ferguson Professor in Health Equity and Executive Vice Dean at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Her equity work is focused in two areas: maternal health equity and diversifying the nursing science and healthcare workforce. Dr. Lyndon’s maternal health work has focused on patient safety and quality in maternity and neonatal care, including improving communication and teamwork among clinicians; identifying parents’ perspectives on safety during labor, birth, and neonatal care; developing nurse-sensitive outcomes for labor and birth; and research on severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality. Her team has conducted groundbreaking research on differences in clinicians’ and parents’ perspective on speaking up about safety concerns and developing an understanding of how women and parents conceptualize safety during childbirth and neonatal intensive care. Dr. Lyndon co-chaired the development of the CMQCC Obstetric Hemorrhage Toolkit, which became a national and international model for maternal safety bundles and collaborative quality improvement. Dr. Lyndon recently completed a study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality examining relationships between nursing care during labor and patient outcomes. She is currently focused on understanding the experiences of Black and Latinx survivors of severe maternal morbidity to better identify their support needs, research priorities, and community-driven prevention targets for severe maternal morbidity. Dr. Lyndon’s work on diversifying the nursing science and healthcare workforce includes mentoring and sponsorship of historically excluded clinicians and scientists and efforts to build effective pathways programs for historically excluded individuals into nursing, nursing science, and clinical specialties.

Wilhelmina is an experienced executive with deep expertise in health care delivery systems. She has an exemplary track record and is consistently recognized for her unique ability to quickly identify opportunities, develop innovative solutions to complex healthcare issues, and execute operational and strategic objectives. She is a member of the executive leadership team at New York-Presbyterian and leads a workforce of almost 15,000 nurses. While continuing to serve as System Chief Nurse, she has served as COO of Perioperative Services, System Chief Quality Officer, and has also led a 200-bed hospital at NYP as its COO. She has also served on multiple nonprofit boards and notably as the American Nurses Foundation Board President and Vice-President. She led the Board during the pandemic and record fundraising; she supported and led various efforts on diversity, inclusion and belonging and efforts for nursing relief, recovery, and rebuilding. Willie holds a B.S. in Nursing, a Master’s in Nursing Administration, and a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources (Organizational and Executive Coaching) from New York University.

Howard M. Meyers is an industrialist and philanthropist. He is founder and Chairman of Quexco Inc., a diversified metals company that operated in the United States, Europe, and Africa. He is a U.S. Navy Veteran. In addition to the NYU Board of Trustees, he is a member of the NYU Stern Executive Board, Horatio Alger Association Board of Directors, University of Texas MD Anderson Board of Visitors, UT Southwestern President’s Advisory Board, and Southwestern Medical Foundation Board of Trustees. He is also chairman of Burger Boat Corp.

Cynthia is an adjunct associate professor of nursing at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. She has been involved in nursing education for over 25 years, focused on graduate education and the advanced practice role in nursing. Cynthia earned her BSN at the University of Rhode Island and Her MEd and EdD at Columbia University Teachers College. Cynthia is Vice President of the Nurses Educational Funds, a national organization that raises scholarship monies for nurses pursuing graduate degrees. She is President of the American Friends of the Salzburg Easter Festival and is on the boards of the American Austrian Foundation and The Vienna Philharmonic Society. She received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Rhode Island and is on the Development Committee of the University of Rhode Island Foundation. In 2013 Cynthia was elected a member of the Metropolitan Opera Association.

Robin Schafer is a distinguished pediatric and psychiatric nurse practitioner with a Doctor of Nursing Practice from New York University (’21), and Nurse Practitioner degrees from Columbia University and Stony Brook Universities. With extensive clinical experience and over 3.5 years of academic leadership, Robin has made significant contributions to both patient care and nursing education. She feels deeply connected to her patients from across the lifespan and is committed to helping them express their needs and concerns while providing highly focused, individualized care.

As a Clinical Assistant Professor at Pace University, she expertly led classes of 80 students, bringing a dynamic and culturally responsive approach to nursing education. Her commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment ensures that diverse student populations receive the guidance and support necessary for success. Now she brings that expertise to Mercy University as an Assistant Professor in the Family Nurse Practitioner and the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Programs.

Beyond academia, Robin has held key leadership roles in health services at Iona College and Barnard College, where she played an instrumental role in shaping healthcare policies and practices. Her expertise extends to pharmacogenomics (the study of how an individual’s genetic makeup affects their response to medications), holding a graduate certificate in the field, which enhances her approach to evidence-based psychiatric care. 

Robin is passionate about integrating innovative tools into psychiatric practice and nursing education. She looks forward to bringing this expertise and enthusiasm to her students at Rutgers, where she will continue to bridge the gap between research, clinical practice, and education in the ever-evolving field of nursing.

Edward is Executive Vice President at Gallagher Re and is a member of the Financial Advisory team, focused on the placement of prospective structured reinsurance solutions and legacy liability transfers. He was most recently the director of capital markets at PartnerRe, where he developed the company’s ILS and alternative capital strategy.  Prior to that, he was the president & portfolio manager of Baldwin & Lyons Capital Markets, an ILS investment manager.  Formerly, he was a registered principal at Benfield Advisory, where he focused on originating, structuring and distributing insurance linked securities. Edward earned a BS in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and received an MMA in finance from New York University.  He holds the CPCU and ARe designations and is on the Board of Directors for VNS Health, where he chairs the Audit Committee.

Maria is Vice President and Chief of Nursing Practice, Education, Advanced Practice Nursing Credentialing, and Nursing Labor Relations Partnerships for the Mount Sinai Health System. She has been the Chief Nursing Officer/Vice President of Nursing for Mount Sinai Morningside since 2014. Maria holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Geriatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She played a key role in the establishment of Mount Sinai Morningside as the first “Age-Friendly Hospital” within the Health System, an initiative sponsored by the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. In her previous role as Senior Director of Nursing at The Mount Sinai Hospital, Maria was involved in the Hospital’s three Magnet designations and led educational, practice, credentialing, recruitment, and labor management advances. She is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Nurse Executive-Advanced and was an ANCC-certified adult nurse practitioner for 10 years.  Dr. Vezina received her BSN from Hartwick College, and her MA in Nursing Education/Adult Health from New York University. She earned an MEd in Communications and Instructional Technology and an EdD in Nursing from the Teachers College, Columbia University.

Dr. Sharon Wexler is the Amelia A. Gould Endowed Professor for PhD Nursing and Chairperson of the PhD in Nursing in the Lienhard School of Nursing of the College of Health Professions at Pace University.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Simmons College, Boston, MA, and her Masters and PhD in Nursing Research and Theory Development from New York University College of Nursing.  Dr. Wexler is an experienced educator and administrator with over 30 years of experience in clinical practice across the continuum of care and nursing education focusing on gerontological nursing. Dr. Wexler’s program of research focuses on improving functional and cognitive status of older adults, and specifically gerotechnology, the use of technology to improve outcomes in older adults across the continuum of care.

Alicia Volk, formerly Head of Client Services at Christie’s Auction House, is an independent art advisor and former president of The Hermitage Museum Foundation. In addition to supporting NYU Meyers, Mrs. Volk serves as a Board Member for the Connoisseurs Circle Executive Committee at NYU Institute of Fine Arts. Alicia’s late husband, Norman Volk, was chair of the John A. Hartford Foundation for 13 years, during which he helped establish the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at NYU Meyers in 1996. Through Norman and Alicia’s steadfast commitment to aging issues, they have promoted nursing, geriatric nursing and medical advances to benefit older persons. In 2016, NYU Meyers created a Geriatric Lecture Series named in honor of Alicia and Norman held annually each spring.