Nursing Faculty
Michelle Edmonds
Professor & Director | Nursing
michelle.edmonds@unf.edu
Dr. Edmonds earned both her BSN and MSN from UNF and her Ph.D. from Barry University. Her experience includes adult and pediatric emergency care, service as a family nurse practitioner, and 19 years of nursing education and administration at Jacksonville University.
Julie Baker-Townsend
Associate Clinical Professor
jabaker@unf.edu
Dr. Julie Baker-Townsend earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and is a dual board-certified nurse practitioner specializing in Women’s Health (WHNP-BC) and Family Practice (FNP-BC) studies, with graduate degrees from the University of Florida and the University of North Florida. With over 20 years of nursing education experience, she is dedicated to women's health education to support the unique health needs and challenges that women face throughout their lives. She is a full-time educator at the Brooks College of Health School of Nursing and works clinically at UNF Student Health Services as a nurse practitioner, providing women’s health and primary care services to the college population. She is a student advocate who is dedicated to educating the nurses of tomorrow by fostering mutual respect in the classroom and in the clinical setting. Her research interests include evidence-based practice changes and women’s health issues. Personally, she enjoys sports and water-based activities.
Cora Evensen
Instructor
cora.evensen@unf.edu
With a strong background in pediatric nursing as a staff nurse, Cora Evensen, MSN, RN, CPN (Certified Pediatric Nurse) brings a wealth of experience to the field of nurse education. Having served as a preceptor and adjunct clinical instructor, she has a proven track record of guiding and mentoring students and new nurses, fostering their development in the fundamentals of nursing – a cornerstone of quality patient care. Motivated by a desire to address the growing need for qualified nurse educators, Cora Evensen possesses a genuine passion for supporting nursing students on their academic journey. Witnessing their transformation and success as they become the future of the profession is a source of immense personal satisfaction. The opportunity to educate at the university level in the Fundamentals and Pediatrics courses of the School of Nursing has been particularly rewarding, allowing her to share knowledge and experience with a wider audience.Cora also enjoys connecting nursing students to their community through the community engagement experiences scaffolded throughout the curriculum. When she is not helping students, this Jacksonville native enjoys getting outside with her family.
Sarah Firmin
Clinical Assistant Professor
n00204774@unf.edu
Sarah Firmin, DNP, RN, Clinical Associate Professor, is an educator, clinician, and an advocate for healthcare equity and excellence. She has over a decade of clinical practice and multiple nationally recognized board certifications in nursing. Dr. Firmin is passionate about continual professional development and providing education regarding pathophysiology, health promotion, and the aging process. In her clinical practice, she advocates for and works with underserved patient populations. In the classroom setting, she incorporates simulation and case studies based on real-world events to empower students with the tools needed to be successful during their transition to practice. Her dedication to student success is evident in her unwavering support and mentorship, ensuring that each student feels confident transitioning into professional nursing practice.
Abby Hammack
Clinical Assistant Professor
n01547837@unf.edu
Dr. Hammack is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Brooks College of Health School of Nursing at the University of North Florida. Dr. Hammack began her career at a small community hospital in Ohio. She worked in med-surg, hospice/palliative care, admissions, pediatrics, endoscopy, education, and as a clinical nurse leader in the years she was there. After 13 years, she accepted a position as a nurse education specialist at a children's hospital. She got to work closely with 16 outpatient subspecialty clinics including HIV, genetics, and neurology just to name a few. Searching for sunshine and warmer weather, she moved to Florida and worked as a nurse navigator and an ICU nurse until transitioning to academia in 2017. She currently works in the undergraduate nursing program, loves her family, spending time at the beach searching for shark teeth, and her fur babies.
Lisa Jacquet
Clinical Assistant Professor
lisa.jaquet@unf.edu
Dr. Lisa Hopper Jacquet is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing Brooks College of Health. She is a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner since 2006, currently working in UNF Student Health Services. Dr. Jacquet has lived and worked all over the country and for the US Armed forces as a civilian. She currently works in the graduate program with the DNP students.
Sarah Knowles
Instructor
n01529980@unf.edu
Lillia (Li) Loriz
Professor
lloriz@unf.edu
Dr Loriz is a tenured Professor at the Brooks College of Health, School of Nursing (SON). She is a certified Geriatric Nurse Practitioner. Dr Loriz began her career in Washington DC where she worked with HIV patients in the early days. After earning her PhD in Nursing Administration she moved to Jacksonville and UNF. She was the Director for the SON for 17 years. During her tenure as Director, she introduced many programs in the SON including, Nurse Anesthesiology (NAP), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Accelerated Nursing (APL), and Freshman Admissions to Nursing (FAN). Currently, Dr. Loriz teaches in the DNP programs and thoroughly enjoys working with students completing their doctoral projects. She is available as a mentor to junior faculty. In her free time, Dr. Loriz enjoys being active outdoors.
Katrina Magyar
Instructor
katrina.magyar@unf.edu
Elizabeth (E) Jane McCarthy
Professor
jane.mccarthy@unf.edu
E Jane McCarthy CRNA, PhD, FAAN is a nurse anesthetist and pulmonary physiologist and has been in academia doing research, teaching and administration for over 20 years. As a member of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps for 24 years she served as a regulatory scientist at FDA. She developed the congressionally mandated nurse anesthesia program for the Uniformed Services University and the University of Maryland. She was one of the first nurse anesthetists to be recognized as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 1994 and has been a member of the AANA Board of Directors. Dr. McCarthy is a Professor here at the University of North Florida where she does primarily on-line education in Healthcare Policy and Evidence-Based Practice for doctoral nursing students.
Bridgette C. McQuaig
Assistant Professor
B.McQuaig@unf.edu
Dr. Bridgette McQuaig is an Assistant Professor in the Brooks College of Health, School of Nursing. She is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Emergency Nurse. She is dedicated to the development of the nursing profession and to educating future generations in nursing. She brings expansive clinical experience that helps enhance students’ education for both undergraduate and graduate students. She is a former UNF Osprey, graduating from the Family Nurse Practitioner program in 2011. She obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Florida in 2013.
Rachel McMahan Thomas
Assistant Instructor
n00619641@unf.edu
Brittany E. Nettles
Assistant Professor
brittany.nettles@unf.edu
Dr. Brittany Nettles is a dynamic nursing professional dedicated to advancing nursing education, research, and practice. She is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC) and Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE), bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as a tenure-track Assistant Professor and Assistant Director in the Brooks College of Health, School of Nursing. Dr. Nettles is committed to the development of the next generation of nursing leaders and scholars. She has created, adapted, and implemented innovative teaching strategies to engage students in active learning and critical thinking, fostering the development of competent and compassionate nurses. Her achievements in teaching were recognized in 2023 when she earned the University of North Florida Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award. Dr. Nettles is passionate about creating a supportive learning environment that empowers students to succeed, taking an active role in education-focused initiatives, including curriculum development, program evaluation, and student mentoring. She is honored to be a part of the esteemed faculty at the University of North Florida and is committed to carrying out the school’s mission of igniting a passion for learning and discovery through transformational education.
Jonathan L. Pabalate
Instructor
jonathan.pabalate@unf.edu
Patricia Richards
Assistant Professor
p.richards@unf.edu
Dr. Patricia Richards began her nursing career at the St. Vincent's Hospital School of Nursing in Jacksonville. After receiving her BSN and Emergency Nurse Practitioner certificate from University of Virginia, she also earned her MEd from UF in Gainesville and later her MSN from University of Phoenix. She earned both her post-master's FNP certificate and her DNP from UNF. She has worked in a variety of nursing positions, but primarily in the Emergency Department, Critical Care and briefly in L&D. She trained the nurses who began the Nightengale helicopter progran at UFHealth in Gainesville. She has been an educator both in the hospital and in academia. She has worked at UNF since 2013, both as faculty and as a nurse practitioner in Student Health Services. She has worked as a nurse practitioner for many years in the E.D, community private practices, in a preoperative clinic, and currently in Student Health. Her goals have always to provide safe and quality care to patients in her clinical experiences, with kindness and understanding of individual patient needs and goals. In the classroom and clinical settings, she has delivered evidence-based information and education to students at all levels of learning. She has taught all semesters of NP clinical courses and developed and is teaching a core distance learning Pharmacology and Health Assessment course to the new MSN students.
Sandra Shapiro
Assistant Professor
n00445501@unf.edu
Dr. Sandra Shapiro is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the Brooks College of Health School of Nursing at the University of North Florida, a board-certified Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) and a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She has worked in multiple unique settings with various populations across the continuum of care. After receiving her BSN from the University of Florida, she began work as an RN in intensive care units, telemetry, med-surg, and ambulatory care and was a travel nurse for several years, mostly with the adult population. Born and raised in Jacksonville, she returned to her community to attain three advanced nursing degrees at UNF. As a CNL, she was instrumental in improving patient outcomes while being fiscally responsible in a large community hospital. She began her career as an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner working in pediatric forensics at the Child Protection Team, where she assists law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families with their investigations. During the school year, Dr. Shapiro continues to provide her services to both the hospital as a Case Manager, assisting patients with discharge planning, and as an APRN for the Child Protection Team. During the summers, she works as a camp nurse in North Carolina. Her research focus is centered around her passions for community nursing, nursing education and nursing theory.
Bethanie Simmons-Becil
Assistant Professor
n00860923@unf.edu
Bethanie Simmons-Becil is a dedicated Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and graduate educator. She has over fourteen years’ experience with providing evidence-based, holistically focused mental health care to multiple patient populations. Bethanie is an Assistant Professor with the University of North Florida with specialty in psychopharmacology and neuroanatomy. Her university research foci include integration of evidence based holistic interventions in nursing education, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy implementation in depressive symptom remission, and use of combinatorial pharmacogenetics in advanced neuropsychiatry. In the classroom, Bethanie is an engaging and dynamic educator. She engages students through humor and exuberance through complex neuroanatomy, neuropsychiatry, and mental health diagnostician concepts. Her ultimate desire is to provide her patients, students, and peers with research based, holistically focused, psychiatric management education and strategies for improving the mental health community.
Marie Smith-East
Assistant Professor
m.smith.east@unf.edu
Dr. Marie Smith-East is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the Brooks College of Health School of Nursing at the University of North Florida, a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and nurse scientist. Her research focuses on geographic access to health care utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), particularly for individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. You can read more about Dr. Smith-East.
Amy Suralis
Clinical Assistant Professor
amy.suralis@unf.edu
Dr. Amy Suralis is a dedicated Nurse Anesthesiologist working in all areas of surgery including private independent practice, office based anesthesia, and regional trauma centers. She has served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Nurse Anesthesiology doctoral program since 2021. She is passionate about student success through the program. Her main focus in the nurse anesthesiology program is board preparation and holistic test prep and success.
Dawn Turk
Clinical Assistant Professor
dawn.turk@unf.edu
Dr. Dawn Turk is a dedicated healthcare professional and educator with a rich background in nursing and pediatric care. Early in her career, she gained diverse experience across various disciplines including mother/baby, high-risk antepartum, newborn nursery, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) areas. As a mother herself, her interest in pediatrics deepened, leading her to pursue a specialization in pediatric care. With over 19 years of experience as a certified Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Turk has demonstrated her commitment to providing high-quality care to children and their families. Recognizing the increasing need for mental health services in pediatric populations, she obtained certification as a Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist in 2021, further enhancing her ability to address the holistic needs of her patients. Driven by her passion for teaching, Dr. Turk pursued further advanced education, culminating in the completion of her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2021. This academic achievement reflects her dedication to shaping the next generation of healthcare providers, particularly Family Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Turk employs a range of innovative teaching methods, including the use of humor, to engage her students and foster their development as caring and competent professionals. In addition to her academic commitments, Dr. Turk remains actively involved in clinical practice, working with Pediatric Associates to deliver evidence-based and personalized care to her patients. In summary, Dr. Dawn Turk stands as a compassionate healthcare provider, educator, and advocate for pediatric health. Through her clinical expertise, educational endeavors, and unwavering dedication, she continues to make a significant impact on the healthcare landscape in North Florida and beyond.
Wendy White
Instructor
wendy.white@unf.edu
Wendy White, MSN, RN is a Nursing Instructor at the Brooks College of Health, School of Nursing. She attended Cornell University and received her first Bachelor of Science but decided to return to school to become a nurse because she loved caring for older adults. After completing her nursing degree at Midway University, she worked in med/surg and telemetry units before finding her home as an ICU nurse. In 2019 she received her MSN from Western Governor’s University and became a full-time nursing instructor. She has taught nursing students in the first and last semesters including in the classroom, lab, simulation, and clinical experiences. When she is not teaching, she loves spending time at the beach and with her family and cats.