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Melissa D. Cole, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, CENP is currently the Dean of the College of Health at ����ֱ�� (JCU). She is also Associate Faculty at JCU and will oversee the recently announced Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and the expansion of ����ֱ��’s academic healthcare portfolio.

Prior to coming to JCU, Dr. Cole served in a variety of leadership capacities at University Hospitals Health System (UHHS). Dr. Cole has been a registered nurse for 20 years and has practiced as an Adult Nurse Practitioner in Emergency Medicine since 2012.

She earned a BSN (Ursuline College, 2003), an MSN (University of Tampa, 2012), and a DNP (Case Western Reserve University, 2022) and is a certified adult nurse practitioner and certified in executive nursing practice. 

Dr. Cole is passionate about the community she serves and is committed to breaking down barriers for women in leadership roles and the stigmas that exist for the mental health and addiction population. She is currently on the board of directors at New Directions and Crossroads Health, which serves as the local mental health and drug rehabilitation centers throughout Northeast Ohio. Dr. Cole is a role model for others and enhances the patient services in her communities she serves.

Meliss Cole, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, CENP

With over two decades of experience in nursing and higher education, Dawn has dedicated her career to advancing healthcare and education. She began her journey in nursing in 1998, bringing compassion and expertise to her patients and colleagues. Dawn holds a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Walden University and a Doctor of Education (EdD) from Maryville University, underscoring her commitment to lifelong learning and academic excellence.

Dawn has joined ����ֱ�� as the Director of Nursing. In this role, she aims to leverage her extensive experience to lead and innovate within the nursing program, fostering a new generation of healthcare professionals.

Prior to this, Dawn served as the Dean of Health Programs for a community college district in Iowa, where she played a pivotal role in curriculum development, faculty mentorship, and program accreditation. Her leadership has been marked by a dedication to student success and the continuous improvement of educational standards.

As an authentic servant leader, Dawn is dedicated to serving and leading others holistically to ensure professional and personal achievement. She thrives on establishing trust and rapport within her team and creating an environment based on transparency, honesty, and integrity. Her leadership values include mutual respect, flexibility, drive, and humility, which together foster innovation, collaboration, and positive change.

Outside of her professional achievements, Dawn enjoys immersing herself in music, singing, and art, which provide a creative balance to her scientific and administrative pursuits. She loves spending time with her husband, her two children, her three cats, and her tri-paw dog Lena.

Feel free to connect with Dawn to discuss nursing education, healthcare leadership, or shared interests in the arts.

Dawn Boettcher, EdD, RN-MSN

Our first faculty hire for our Bachelor of Science Nursing program, Dr. Botos has been a nurse for 21 years. She joins us from Cleveland Clinic where for the last 7 years she has been practicing as an acute care pediatric nurse practitioner in pediatric hospitalist medicine. Some of her leadership roles include serving as chair of the Cleveland Clinic Enterprise APRN Council and as a fellow for the Johnson & Johnson Nursing Leadership program at Duke University. Dr. Botos received her Doctor in Nursing Practice from The Ohio State University in 2020. She is passionate about advocating for the profession of nursing and pioneering programs that improve the work environment of nurses and patients. Prior to coming to ����ֱ��, Dr. Botos was part-time faculty at Case Western Reserve University, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing where she improved the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program, increasing the pass rate for the national certification exam to >80% per year. Please help us in welcoming Dr. Shanna Botos ‘00 back to ����ֱ��.

Shanna was just named the  Assistant Professor at JCU.

Read more about Medical Mutual's investment

Shanna Botos, DNP, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC/PC

Helen is a visiting professor in the nursing department in the College of Health at ����ֱ��. She is also a registered nurse at The Cleveland Clinic where she is ​a BLS and ACLS instructor and is on the Cleveland Clinic Simulation ​Team facilitating ​resuscitation ​simulations at Main Campus and family health centers throughout Northeast Ohio.

Prior to joining the JCU nursing team, Helen has served in a variety of registered nursing and management positions at The Cleveland Clinic on Medical/Surgical units, Observations unit and as an imaging nurse in the Interventional Radiology department at main campus. She served as an item and exam question developer for the National Committee for Revision of Radiologic Nurses. She is the recipient of three Cleveland Clinic Excellence awards.

At her previous university, she served as the Mission Director of Mission and Inclusion, Cleveland Academic Community Champion, Laboratory Director and Simulation Coordinator. In 2022​, she received the coveted Ignatian Educator of Distinction award. She has served in a variety of roles as a nurse educator from lecturer to clinical instructor over the past 20 years.

She earned a BSN (Malone University) and MSN (Walden University) and is a certified Radiologic RN  and hold​s a national Wound Care Certification. The certification that she​'s most passionate about is her Certified HealthCare Simulation Educator. She is very excited about developing and expanding the lab and the Nader Family Foundation Nursing Simulation​ Center.

She is committed to academic excellence in a holistic educational environment that can be fulfilling to students, faculty, and staff. She believes in a learning atmosphere that promotes curiosity, innovation and professional growth through creative and clever curriculum based on a solid foundation in the arts and sciences. She hopes to provide her students with experiences that provide them with lifelong skills that allow them to be holistic, ethical nurses while being good stewards serving and engaging in the world around them.

Helen Tagliaferro, MSN, RN, CHSE, CRN, WCC

Mary is currently a tenure-track faculty in the nursing program. She is currently completing her dissertation study on the phenomenon of moral distress in hospital-based registered nurse case managers. She is expected to graduate with her PhD in Nursing Education in 2025. Mary joins the nursing program in 2024 from New York City where she practiced as a Registered Nurse Care Manager at New York University Medical Center. 

Mary has been a Registered Nurse for 27 years. She has extensive experience in critical care nursing, emergency nursing, nursing leadership, case management, nursing education, and is a certified adult critical care nurse. She received her BSN from Kent State University in 1997 and her MSN-Leadership in Health Care Systems from Grand Canyon University in 2013. Additionally, Mary has wide ranging experience in pre-licensure nursing education both as a lecturer and clinical nurse faculty. 

Mary Leas is dedicated to preparing nurses to thrive both personally and professionally. She is also passionate about diversity in nursing, inclusion, and blending nursing with arts and science knowledge. As a native of Northeast Ohio, she is dedicated to supporting nursing’s leadership role in combating the negative effects of the social determinants of health for individuals and communities. Her research interests include nursing case management, nursing leadership, healthy work environments, faculty approachability, nursing ethics, holistic nursing, end-of-life issues, geriatrics, spirituality, and culturally competent nursing care.

Mary Leas, MSN-L, RN, CCRN, PhD(c), ABD

Lisa recently joined the Department of Nursing in a pivotal role where she will be responsible for overseeing clinical placements, assisting with program accreditation, and providing other administrative and operational support to the department. She comes to the department with over a decade of experience in higher education.

Lisa began her academic journey at Michigan State University followed by Kent State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Education.  She went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Education, specializing in reading, and became a literacy specialist.  Lisa channeled her passion for education by teaching in Perry Local Schools before transitioning into high education.

In 2009, Lisa joined ����ֱ�� as the Field Placement Coordinator where she managed student placements and worked to build a robust network of clinical affiliations.  With her strong work ethic and tenure as a Field Placement Coordinator, Lisa was promoted to Coordinator of Student Records and Field Placements in 2019.

Lisa has joined the Department of Nursing with experience and knowledge of the education landscape.  Her knowledge and passion for education make her a valuable asset to the department. 

Lisa Sugar, M.Ed.

ALUMNI STORIES

It’s important to remember that nursing is not a “job”, it’s a profession. Your career possibilities are endless. Research, entrepreneurship, policy, administration. I took my two loves - chemistry and nursing - and put them together to become a Nurse Anesthetist. Technology is changing everything. The electronic health record allows data to drive better patient care. It can be as global as how hospitals manage bed flow and as granular as matching a patient’s anesthetic plan to a genetic profile. Clinical competence and technology will only become more and more synonymous.

John Escano ‘13
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

KEY ALUMNI

My education at JCU taught me how to think freely and critically, and these skills have allowed me to analyze my patient's conditions and see them as a whole person. The critical thinking skills I learned at JCU have aided in my ability to think quickly in the ER and develop delicate safety plans for my patients who have been victims of crime

Kathryn Hoepfner ‘18
Forensic Nurse Examiner

KEY ALUMNI

I would encourage anyone who is considering being a nurse to not be intimidated and go for it.  I was lucky enough to start in the ICU and really enjoy it, but there are so many different specialties. Be diligent during clinical and find out what you can see yourself doing. Be sure to make care of yourself outside of work. The physical and emotional stress we endure as nurses can’t be compared to other fields, so sleep well, drink water, and eat healthy. Ask a lot of questions and know that we’re all looking out for you!

Corey Large ‘18
Intensive Care RN, BSN