Nursing Faculty and Staff

School of Professional Studies

Division of Nursing Faculty and Staff

Dr. Leslie Collins, Chair

Dr. Leslie CollinsLeslie Collins, DNP, MS, RN
Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing Chair
Associate Professor of Nursing

  • Office Carter Hall Nursing Administration Office- Alva 
  • Phone 580-327-8489
  • lncollins@nwosu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • Bachelors of Science in Nursing- NWOSU 2008
  • Masters of Science with an emphasis in Nursing Education- The University of Oklahoma 2012
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice- Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit 2015

LICENSURE:

  • RN in the State of Oklahoma since 2008

 First came to NWOSU:  Summer of 2010

 

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Introduction to Nursing Care and Skills
  • Skills laboratory for Adult Health I
  • Nursing Care of the Family
  • Research Utilization 
  • Professional Issues in Nursing
  • Nursing Leadership-RN to BSN program
  • Research Utilization- RN to BSN program

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Incivility in Nursing and Nursing Education
  • Simulation in Nursing Education

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • John Barton for Distinguished Teaching and Service award recipient- 2016
  • Northwestern Greatest Student Involvement Service Award- 2015
  • Served on the American Nurses Association Professional Panel- 2014-2015
  • Faculty Champion in Obstetrics from the University of Oklahoma- 2014 

Heidi Ritchie, BSN Program Director

Heidi RitchieHeidi Ritchie, MS, RN
BSN Program Director
Instructor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • MS with Emphasis in Nursing Education - University of Northern Colorado, 2003
  • BSN –Nebraska Wesleyan University, 1998
  • Diploma in Nursing – Bryan Memorial Hospital, 1996

LICENSURE:

  • Registered Nurse (RN) – Oklahoma
  • BLS & ACLS Current
  • Maintains a clinical practice as a RN in Cardiac Rehab

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Returned to teaching Full-Time at NWOSU Fall 2018
  • Adult Health I, II, III
  • Pathophysiology
  • Dysrhythmias

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Use of Technology in the Classroom
  • Cardiac Nursing
  • Leadership
  • Mentoring of New Nurses and Faculty

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Outstanding Faculty- Enid Campus – Northwestern Oklahoma State University 2007-08
  • Graduate Dean’s Citation for Excellence- University of Northern Colorado 2003
  • Phyllis Drennan Award for Outstanding Graduate Student:  Nursing Education – University of Northern Colorado 2003 

Dr. Shelly Wells, RN-to-BSN Program Director

Dr. Shelly WellsShelly Wells, Ph.D, MBA, MS, APRN-CNS, ANEF
RN-to-BSN Program Director
Professor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • Ph.D in Nursing - University of MO- Kansas City
  • MBA - University of MO- Kansas City
  • MS in Nursing - University of MO- Kansas City
  • BS in Nursing - Graceland College - Lamoni, IA

LICENSURE:  

  •  Registered Professional Nurse (RN) - Missouri
  •  Registered Nurse (RN) - Oklahoma
  •  Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) - Oklahoma

 First came to NWOSU: July  of 2012

 TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • 30+ years of teaching experience in Nursing at BSN, MSN, and DNP/PhD levels as well as Staff Development in acute care facilities. 
  • ​20+ years of experience in Distance Education  including online teaching. Specialty areas include Adult Nursing, Leadership, Health Policy and Ethics, Health Care and Labor Economics, and Role Specialization. 

 RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Health Policy and Health Care Workforce issues 

 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Introducing hundreds of students to the rewarding profession of Nursing.
  • Receiving the Nightingale Award of Nursing Excellence from the Oklahoma Nurses Association
  • Induction as a Fellow in the NLN Academy of Nursing Education
  • Governor's appointment to the Health Care Workforce Subcommittee of the Economic Development Council

Dr. Hazle Courtney Ballina, DNP Program Director

Courtney BallinaHazle Courtney Ballina, DNP, APRN-CNP, FNP-C
Wisdom Family Foundation Doctoral Program for Rural Nursing Practice Program Director
Associate Professor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae

 EDUCATION:

  • 2017  D.N.P., Samford University, Nursing Administration and Education Concentration
  • 2012  M.S.N., Metropolitan State University, Family Nurse Practitioner
  • 2004  B.S. in Nursing, University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire

CERTIFICATES

  • Family Nurse Practitioner- AANP exp. 2022
  • Coach Approach to Management- University of St. Thomas, 2016
  • Mini-MBA- University of St. Thomas, 2016
  • Mini-Masters of Project Management- University of St. Thomas, 2016

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATIONS:

  • RN: Minnesota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin
  • APRN: Minnesota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Online course development

  • Clinical competency training

  • RN to NP transition to practice

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

Publications and Presentations

INTERESTS

  • Operational efficiencies
  • Patient engagement
  • Standardization of clinical guidelines

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

  • Received the Unsung Hero award from the Convenience Care Association
  • Participates in a variety of both professional and community volunteer boards
  • Opened a clinic in her home town of New Richmond, WI to serve uninsured and underinsured in the area

Dr. KeEra Byrd

KeEra BusseKeEra Byrd, DNP, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor of Nursing

  • Office Carter Hall 102-Alva/Office 137-Woodward Campuses
  • Phone 580-327-8498
  • kmbyrd@nwosu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • 2022 DNP, Walden University 
  • 2018 MSN in Nursing Education, West Governors University 
  • 2015 BSN, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX

LICENSURE:

  • Registered Nurse (RN) - Oklahoma
  • Certifications: BLS, ACLS, CALS

First Came to NWOSU: August 2020

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Medical Surgical
  • Women's Health

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Student Engagement
  • Simulation in Nursing Education
  • Recruitment and Retention

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Sigma Theta Tau International, 2015

Denise Floyd

Denise FloydDenise Floyd, MSN
Instructor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • 2018  MSN, Grand Canyon University
  • 2015  BSN, Oklahoma Panhandle State University

LICENSURE:

  • Registered Nurse (RN) – Oklahoma

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Adult Health III
  • Critical Care Nursing

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Methods of Early Mobilization in the Critical Care Patient
  • Use of technology to Provide Education and Care to Rural Communities

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Critical Care bedside nursing at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center
  • Critical Care Director at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center
  • Service Excellence award 
  • Member of PICC line team
  • Member of Open Heart Recovery Team

Crystal Gillett

Crystal GillettCrystal Gillett, RN
Instructor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • Master of Science with an emphasis in Nursing Education- Northeastern State University, Expected 2023.
  • 2017  BSN, Northwestern Oklahoma State University
  • 2014 Associates Degree in Nursing, Northern Oklahom College
  • 2012 Associates Degree in Applied Science, Surgical Technology, Northern Oklahoma College, 2012

LICENSURE:

  • Registered Nurse (RN)- Oklahoma 2014
  • Certification: BLS, ACLS, PALS, NIHSS, TEAM

First Came to NWOSU: August 2022

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Critical Care Nursing
  • Medical-Surgical Nursing

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Developing confidence in new nurses
  • Simulation in Nursing

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Critical Care Nursing

Esmeralda Herrera

Esmeralda HerreraEsmeralda Herrera, RN
Instructor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • Associates of Science in Pre-Baccalaureate Nursing May 2008
  • Bachelors of Science in Nursing-NWOSU 2011
  • Masters of Science in Nursing Education-SWOSU Expected May 2023

LICENSURE:

  • RN in the State of Oklahoma since 2011

First Came to NWOSU: Fall 2023

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTEREST:

  • Transforming Clinical Teaching
  • Holistic Assessment
  • Succeeding as a Nursing Student

 

 

Dr. Gwyneth Holderby

Gwyneth HolderbyGwyneth Holderby, DNP, APRN-CNP
Assistant Professor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • 2014  DNP,  Oklahoma City University
  • 2011 BSN, Oklahoma City University

LICENSURE:

  • RN in state of Oklahoma-2009
  • APRN in state of Oklahoma-2014

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Nursing Care in the Community
  • Over 1,000 hours of precepting DNP students

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Holderby, G. (2014) Overcoming Barriers to Wellness: The Experience of the Obese Adult in a Rural Community

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Serving rural Oklahomans as a Family Care APRN for the past nine years 

 

 

Dr. Jennifer Mahieu

Dr. Jennifer MahieuJennifer Mahieu, DNP, MSN, RN
Associate Professor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • 2015: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Duquesne University
  • 2004: Masters of Science in Nursing, University of Phoenix
  • 1996: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, NWOSU

LICENSURE:

  • 1996: Registered Nurse ~ Oklahoma

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Began my career as a nurse educator at NWOSU fall 1998 and have coordinated and/or taught many courses throughout the curriculum over these years.

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Student Success in Nursing

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Making a difference in nursing education
  • Becoming the Student Success Advisor at NWOSU
  • Joining the Oklahoma Board of Nursing NCLEX Pass Rate Task Force
  • Being inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing
  • Induction to the Northwest Oklahoma Honor Society of Nursing
  • Joining The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

Dr. Latesha Reed

Latesha Reed, MSN, MBA, PMHNP, FNP
Assistant Professor  of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae 

EDUCATION:

  • DNP(Doctor of Nursing Practice)- University of New Hampshire
  • MBA- CSU Dominguez Hills
  • Post Masters PMHNP- Regis College
  • MS in Nursing- Samual Merritt University
  • BA in Spanish Arts

LICENSURE:

  • Registered Nurse (RN)- California, Oklahoma, Arizona, New York, Tennessee, Florida, Nevada, Minnesota, New Jersey
  • Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)- California, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington, Arizona, Tennessee, New Jersey, Florida, Washington, Nevada, Minnesota

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • 7+ years of teaching experience in Nursing at graduate and undergraduate levels as well as Staff Development in telehealth organizations.
  • Experience in Distance Education inlcuding online teaching.  Speciality areas include community health, leadership, health policy and ethics, psychiatric medication and substance abuse.

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Expanding the scope of the primary care clinician
  • Increasing access to medical care for underserved areas

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Introducing hundreds of students to the rewarding profession of Nursing.
  • Recipient of the Nurse Corps scholarship
  • Recipient of the Northeast Health Care Quality Foundation/Robert A. Aurilio Scholarship
  • Recipient of the Dolores Jones RN Scholarship

Dr. Krista Tilley

Krista TilleyDr. Krista Tilley, DNP, MS, RN
Assistant Professor of Nursing

Curriculum Vitae 

EDUCATION:

  • 2017: DNP, Samford University
  • 2013 MS, University of Oklahoma
  • 1997 ADN, Wenatchee Valley College
  • 1995 BS, Eastern Washington University

LICENSURE:

  • Registered Nurse, Mutlistate
  • Basic Life Support (BLS), American Heart Association

TEACHING COMPETENCIES:

  • Nursing Care in the Community
  • Nursing Care in Mental Health
  • Role Transition
  • Concepts in Nursing
  • Fundamentals in Nursing
  • Med/Surge Nursing

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • May 2017- Transition-to-practice nurse ressidency program: A gap analysis. Poster Presentation. DNP Poster Presentation, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Nominated for John Barton Distiguished Teaching and Service Award, 2019
  • Outsanding Student Association Award, University of Oklahoma, 2013
  • Academic Achievement Award, University of Oklahoma, 2013

Jean Wahlgren

Jean WahlgrenJean Wahlgren, MSNE, RN
Ketterman Lab Coordinator

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

  • 2009: Master of Science in Nursing Education, Southern Nazarene University
  • 1973: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Nebraska

LICENSURE and CERTIFICATION:

  • Registered Nurse, State of Oklahoma, Active
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor, American Heart Association, December 2015, Active

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

  • Ketterman Lab Coordinator, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Enid Campus, August 2015-Present
  • Full-time Sophomore Nursing Instructor, Northern Oklahoma College, Enid Campus, August 2008-July 2015
  • Adjunct Sophomore Nursing Instructor, Northern Oklahoma College, Enid Campus, September 2001-July 2008
  • RN Supervisor/MDS Coordinator/CNA Instructor, The Carmen Home, Carmen, OK 1995-2001

RESEARCH/SCHOLARLY INTERESTS:

  • Research November 2009 “Number of Simulations nursing Students Need to Progress One Level on the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric”
  • Simulation conferences and webinars provide current insight for structuring activities and events in the Ketterman Lab.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Sigma Theta Tau International, December 2009
  • Honor Society of Nursing, Southern Nazarene University, December 2009
  • Distinguished Achievement, Southern Nazarene University, December 2009
  • Distinguished Adjunct Faculty, Northern Oklahoma College, 2005
  • Appreciation for Dedicated and Devoted Service, The Carmen Home, 2001

Pam Hess

Pam HessPam Hess
Charles Morton Share Trust Divison of Nursing Administrative Assistant

EDUCATION:

  • Associate of Arts Degree-Dodge City Community College

HOBBIES:

  • Attending athletic events
  • Entertaining family
  • Going to movies 

FAMILY:

  • Husband - Tony Hess
  • Sons - Lane and Dalton

UNIVERSITY SERVICE:

  • Staff Council
  • Athletic Advisory Council

Melissa Brown

Melissa Brown, M.Ed
Wisdom Family Foundation Doctoral Program for Rural Nursing Practice Administrative Assistant

EDUCATION

  • Currently pursuing Ed.D of Leadership and Higher Education, St. Edwards University
  • 2019: M.Ed. Adult Education Management & Administration , Northwestern Oklahoma State University
  • 2017:  B.A. History, Northwestern Oklahoma State University

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

  • Brown, M., Brown, R. S., & Nandedkar, A. (2019). Transformational Leadership Theory and  Exploring the Perceptions of Diversity Management in Higher Education. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 19(7), 1-10.
  • Brown, M., Brown, R. S., & Nandedkar, A. (2019, April 11-14 ). Transformational Leadership Theory and Exploring the Perceptions of Diversity Management in Higher Education Presentation.  International Academy of Business and Public Administration Disciplines Conference, Dallas, Texas.

UNIVERSITY SERVICE (committees, clubs, etc.)

  • Pearson Test Administrator
  • ACT Test Administrator
  • Phi Alpha Theta 

HOBBIES

  • I enjoy reading, movies, traveling, zoos, baseball, basketball, soccer, spending time with family and my dogs.

FAMILY 

  • Married to Dr. Roger S. Brown; One fur baby Shadow. 
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