8 faculty join the school
September 7, 2023
The University of Minnesota School of Nursing is welcoming eight new faculty to the school this fall, including two full professors. Additionally, two faculty are transitioning from clinical faculty to tenure-track faculty. Their specialties range from HIV, Indigenous health and cardiovascular care to substance use disorders and planetary health.
Margaret Moss, PhD, JD, RN, FAAN, an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, joins the school as a professor and associate dean for Nursing and Health Policy. She has extensive expertise at the intersection of older adult health, Indigenous health, and health law and policy. She is a fellow and board member of the American Academy of Nursing and serves on the Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. She earned a PhD in nursing from University of Texas, a JD in law from Hamline University, a master’s degree from University of Phoenix, and a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University.
Brian Goodroad, DNP, APRN, CNP, FAANP, joins the school as a clinical professor with expertise in the area of HIV and APRN practice. He is an adult nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner. He served as president of the Minnesota APRN Coalition and was a Minnesota state representative for the American Association of Nurse Practitioner. He is a clinical adviser for the Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center. He earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Metropolitan State University, a master’s degree from University of California San Francisco, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Kristin Sandau, PhD, RN, CNE, FAHA, FAAN, joins the school as an associate professor with 30 years of clinical experience and leadership in acute care, cardiovascular care and critical care nursing. Her research focuses on technology use in cardiovascular patients for in-hospital ECG monitoring and health-related quality of life among patients with a left-ventricular assist device. She earned a PhD in nursing and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Bethel University.
Kristin Elgersma, PhD, joins the school as an assistant professor. Her research focuses on human milk feeding and direct breast/chestfeeding for infants with critical congenital heart disease. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Dordt University, a master’s degree and Doctor of Music degree from Northwestern University, and a master’s degree and PhD in nursing from the University of Minnesota.
Seol Ju (Esther) Moon, PhD, RN, joins the school as an assistant professor with health promotion expertise in substance use disorders and mental health problems. She aims to prevent relapse and promote recovery by using wearable technology to improve symptom monitoring, self-management, and treatment adherence in individuals with substance use disorders. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Hope College, a master’s degree in nursing from Younsei University in South Korea, and a PhD in nursing from University of Pittsburgh.
Erin Armstrong, DNP, RN, CNE, joins the school as a clinical assistant professor with more than six years of experience as a nurse educator, teaching students with diverse needs. Armstrong earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Winona State University, a master’s degree in nursing from Grand Canyon University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from St. Catherine’s University.
Angelica Walton, DNP, RN, joins the school as a clinical assistant professor. She/they utilized integrative health and healing approaches as a critical care nurse, traveling crisis response nurse and with death and dying in-home hospice and palliative care. She/they earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in the integrative health and healing specialty from the University of Minnesota and bachelor’s degree from University of Holy Cross.
Ryne Wilson, DNP, RN, OCN, joins the school as a clinical assistant professor. He has practiced in both academic and community health care organizations, including medical oncology and hospice settings. His scholarship interests include oncology nursing practice, health policy and advocacy, and planetary health. He earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Western Kentucky University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree in the Health Innovation and Leadership specialty from the University of Minnesota.
Two faculty transitioned from clinical faculty to tenure track faculty.
Erica Timko Olson, PhD, RN, is now serving as an assistant professor. Her area of research is focused on integrative nursing and wellbeing with a particular interest in the role of nature and forest therapy on the psychosocial wellbeing of college students and adolescent/young adult cancer survivors and the role of mindfulness, spirituality and resilience. Timko Olson earned a PhD from the University of Arizona, a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Benedict.
Sripriya Rajamani, PhD, MBBS, MPH, FAMIA, is now serving as an associate professor. Her research interests are in using health information technology to improve public and population health with focus on electronic data exchanges. She earned a MBBS from Madras Medical University, a master’s degree in public health and PhD in health informatics from the University of Minnesota.
Earlier this summer, Susan Gross Forneris joined the school as professor and associate dean for Academic Programs.
Susan Gross Forneris, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE-A, FAAN has been a nurse educator for more than 20 years. As a former director for Innovation in Education Excellence at the National League for Nursing, she has been working in the field of simulation education since 2003. She earned bachelor’s degree in nursing from the College of St. Scholastica and master’s and PhD degrees in nursing at the University of Minnesota.