Nursing Faculty
Karen Rousseau, MSN - Director and Associate Professor of Nursing. Karen Rousseau earned her baccalaureate degree in nursing at the College of Our Lady of the Elms, in Chicopee, Massachusetts and her master's degree in nursing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She has nearly 30 years of experience as a practicing nurse, including 21 years as a nurse educator. She is currently pursuing a PhD in nursing at Duquesne University with a focus on families with chronically ill children. Her areas of expertise include maternal/newborn and pediatric nursing as well as nursing management. She has held a variety of nursing roles in maternal child care, as well as in nursing management prior to coming to American International College.
Prior to assuming the role of Director of the Division of Nursing, she taught in both the undergraduate and RN to BSN programs. Currently, Professor Rousseau serves as the president of Beta Zeta at Large of Sigma Theta Tau International. She is also a member of a number of nursing organizations including the Organization of Nurse Leaders, Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses, and the Massachusetts/Rhode Island League of Nursing. Additionally she represents the Division of Nursing at the Massachusetts Association of Colleges of Nursing as well as the Western Massachusetts Nursing Collaborative.
Anne Marie Buonocore, PhD, CNE - Associate Director for Graduate Nursing Programs & Assistant Professor. Dr. Buonocore has an earned PhD from the College of Nursing at the University of Connecticut where her doctoral studies focused on experiential learning, adult education and the philosophy of nursing education. Anne Marie Buonocore also earned an MS from the College of Nursing at Syracuse University as a maternity clinical nurse specialist. Recently, Dr. Buonocore was employed at the University of Hartford where she taught both MSN and RN-BSN courses. She is active in Sigma Theta Tau as President of the Iota Upsilon Chapter. Professor Buonocore believes that adult graduate education should practical, pleasurable and relevant to each individual's career goals and experience. Dr. Buonocore welcomes and invites visitors to her office to discuss advanced educational options and goals for nurses.
Ellen Furman, PhD, MS, RN - Assistant Professor of Nursing. Ellen has practiced nursing across the continuum of care as a direct care provider as well as a nursing administrator. Dr. Furman's population of interest is older adults and her area of research is malnutrition in older adults. She has presented her research on The Theory of Compromised Eating Behavior at local, regional, and international conferences. Dr. Furman is a member of the Gerontological Society of America, Eastern Nurses Research Society, and the Beta Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. She teaches Nursing Fundamentals, Nursing Research, and Pharmacology. Dr. Furman received her diploma in nursing from the Worcester City Hospital School of Nursing, and BS, MS. (Gerontological clinical nurse specialist) and PhD in Nursing from UMASS-Amherst.
Cynthia A. Gaudet, MSN, RN - Assistant Professor of Nursing. She earned an Associate's Degree in Nursing at Holyoke Community College in 1979, a Bachelor's in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 2001 and a Master�s Degree in Nursing with a concentration in nursing education in 2005 from the University of Hartford. Currently, she is working towards a PhD in nursing at the University of Massachusetts, Worcester, with a focus in healthcare informatics.
After 16 years of providing medical-surgical care, which included 7 years of intensive care nursing at Holyoke Medical Center and 6 years of public health nursing for the City of Northampton, Assistant Professor Gaudet began working in academia in 2003. She was formerly the coordinator of a Practical Nursing program at Holyoke Community College, and has been with American International College since 2005. She has taught pharmacology and nutrition, and currently teaches fundamentals of nursing and adult medical surgical nursing.
In 1998, she received the Public Health Nurse Award from the Massachusetts Health Officers Association for outstanding leadership and service in promoting the growth of Public Health Nursing in Massachusetts. She is an active member in the Beta Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.
Elizabeth George, MSN, RN - Assistant Professor of Nursing. Elizabeth earned a double major in psychology and sociology from Clark University in Worcester MA; a B.S.N. from Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn N.Y., and an MSN, with a concentration in psychiatric-mental health nursing from Boston University. Prof. George coordinates the mental health nursing course and clinical experiences and has responsibilities in other areas of the BSN curriculum.
She has traveled extensively to participate in scientific projects in developing countries, such as, Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, China, Viet Nam, Thailand, and the Amazon River. She also assisted another nursing faculty, Prof. Ayesha Ali, with the establishment of the Haiti/AIC nursing schools connection and made two trips to Haiti to help grow that alliance. During the last trip, they were accompanied by two senior level nursing students. Prof. George assisted in fund raising that resulted in the purchase of $900 worth of nursing text books for the Haitian nursing program.
In addition to her professional interests, Prof. George holds a black belt in karate and is the owner and operator of a karate school that teaches martial arts to children.
Moira O'Shea MSN, RN - Associate Professor of Nursing. Professor O'Shea holds a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Nursing from Salve Regina University, Newport, RI and a Masters in Nursing degree from Anna Maria College, Paxton, MA. Her area of concentration is Adult Medical- Surgical Nursing with clinical practice focus in the care of the oncology patient and older adult. Additional areas of practice have been caring for patients and families across the life span in ambulatory care and school health settings. Professor O'Shea began her teaching career at the LPN level and gained further experience educating Associate and Bachelor degree students in the laboratory and clinical areas. She joined the American International College faculty in 2004. She serves as course coordinator for both introductory level nursing courses as well as co-coordinator for the Adult Medical -Surgical course. Her responsibilities include extensive classroom, and laboratory education as well as management of clinical faculty and student clinical placement. Her passion and dedication remain focused on educating caring, competent and compassionate future nurses.
Professor O'Shea continues to serve as faculty advisor to the Student Liaison Committee and is Co-Chair of the Curriculum and Evaluation Committee within the Division of Nursing. She is actively involved in various AIC college-wide committees including the Admission and Student Aid and the newly formed Cultural Activities Committees as well as the Freshman Student Summer Orientation Program. She is a member of the Beta-Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and holds professional licensure in the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Donna Polverini, MS, RN, CNE - Associate Professor of Nursing. Donna earned her undergraduate degree in nursing at St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH and her MS in nursing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She recently received her certification as a nurse educator. She has extensive clinical experience in medical-surgical, intensive care and home care nursing and over 15 years in academia at all levels of nursing education. She has published in nursing textbooks and co-authored a Spanish for Nurses pocket manual.
Donna started her career at AIC in 1997. She lectures extensively in the junior level medical-surgical nursing course and the senior level complex medical-surgical, leadership and senior seminar nursing courses. She also works closely with the seniors to prepare them for their state board licensing examination and guest lectures on time management, study skills and test taking strategies.
Carolyn Szafranski, MSN, RN - Assistant Professor of Nursing. Carolyn is an Assistant Professor of Nursing in the undergraduate nursing program. She has an earned Master of Science Nursing degree from the University of Hartford and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts. Professor Szafranski was employed as a parent educator, staff nurse and nursing director in Maternal-Child Nursing. She is an advocate for women and families and believes providing care is an honor and a privilege. Professor Szafranski is an active member of the Beta Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. She welcomes students to meet with her during office hours and by appointment.
Ayesha Ali, BS, MS - Associate Professor, Division of Nursing. Prof. Ali has been on the faculty in the Division of Nursing since 1991 and is a tenured, associate professor. Prof. Ali was born and raised in New York, New York where she married and had 3 three children. Although her early college education began in New York, it was after her move with her family to Massachusetts that her health care education began. After earning a Baccalaureate of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she practiced briefly in a hospital, but pursued her interest in community and public health nursing.
Prof. Ali also earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Massachusetts with a specialization in gerontological nursing and conducted research focusing on social supports for older African American women living with chronic illness. She is continuing her research interest in African American women and focusing on their multi-generational provision of social support for those living with diabetes as part of the requirements for a Ph.D in nursing. Additionally, Prof. Ali is committed to assisting nursing students towards being culturally competent and aware of the social determinants of health for clients who are members of families that are a part of a community.
External to her work commitment, she has served with many organizations within her community, such as: a founder and 2-term president of Western Massachusetts Black Nurses Assoc., member and treasurer of advisory board of Western Mass. Committee on Occupational Safety and Health and currently, member and treasurer on the Executive Board of Caring Health Center. Ayesha received a Commitment to Excellence Health Advocate award for advocacy and community service.
M. Rose MacKinnon, Med. RN - Associate Professor of Nursing.Professor MacKinnon earned a Bachelor�s of Science in Nursing degree from St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada, a Master�s in Education degree from Springfield College, Springfield, MA. Her area of specialization is adult medical-surgical nursing in acute care, ambulatory and long term care settings. Professor MacKinnon has been actively involved in educating students for nursing careers for 25 years.
Professor MacKinnon joined the AIC faculty in 1998. She serves as course coordinator of the junior Adult Medical Surgical course and the senior Nursing Leadership course. She coordinates and manages clinical faculty as well as clinical placements for student learning experiences in these courses. Professor MacKinnon lectures extensively and provides laboratory learning experiences in the junior level medical-surgical nursing course and the senior level complex medical-surgical and leadership courses. She works closely with students to help them achieve their goals and prepare them for careers in nursing.
Professor MacKinnon has a special interest in curriculum design and evaluation and continues to serve as chairman of the Curriculum and Evaluation Committee. She is a member of the Beta- Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau.
Stephanie A. Griggs, MSN, RN - Assistant Professor of Nursing. Professor Griggs earned a Bachelor�s of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Master�s in Nursing Education degree from American International College. Her area of expertise is pediatric nursing in acute care. She has prior experience as both a staff nurse and a clinical nurse educator in the area of pediatric nursing.
Professor Griggs joined the AIC faculty in January of 2012. She serves as co-course coordinator of the junior Family Centered Nursing course. She coordinates and manages clinical faculty in the pediatric clinical setting. She assists the course coordinator in the Adult Medical Surgical Course and plans/coordinates lab simulations.
Professor Griggs lectures on pediatric and medical/surgical content. She also provides laboratory learning/simulation experiences for the junior level family-centered nursing as well as the junior level medical-surgical courses.
She holds a certification in APHON: Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nursing. She is also certified in PALS: Pediatric Advanced Life Support. She was a member of the Sigma Theta Tau honor society during her master�s studies.
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