Karen Rousseau, PhD, RN

Dean of the School of Health Sciences

Biography

Karen Rousseau earned her baccalaureate degree in nursing at the College of Our Lady of the Elms, in Chicopee, Massachusetts; her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and a PhD in nursing at Duquesne University, with a focus on families with chronically ill children. She has forty years of experience as a practicing registered nurse, including more than thirty years as a nurse educator. 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 childcare, as well as in nursing management before coming to American International College.

Prior to assuming the role of Dean of the School of Health Sciences, she served as AIC’s Director of the Division of Nursing and taught in both the undergraduate and RN to BSN programs. Currently, 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 Beta Zeta at Large of Sigma Theta Tau, the Organization of Nurse Leaders, ACAD for Academic Leaders, the Healthcare Partnership for Western Mass, and the Pioneer Valley Interprofessional Education Collaborative. She has served the Western Mass Nursing Collaborative as a co-chair in the past and worked to create seamless educational pathways for nursing.

Rousseau is a dedicated member of her community, serving on the board of directors for Chicopee’s RiverMills Senior Center, as well as a member of both the Comprehensive Plan for Chicopee 2040 and the Chicopee Charter Review Commission, and is a past member of the School Wellness Committee.

Office

Room: 108 Courniotes Hall