School of Health Sciences

Faculty and Staff

Leadership

Janet Blum, Sc.D., Interim Dean
Sonal Desai, Assistant Dean of Administration and Finance
Lindsey Carbone, MS’16, Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs

Full-Time Faculty

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Janet Blum
Interim Dean and Professor, School of Health Sciences
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Traci Alberti
Associate Professor, Health Sciences
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Sarah Benes
Associate Clinical Professor, School of Health Sciences
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Leena Bharath
Assistant Professor, Health Sciences
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April Bowling
Assistant Professor, Health Sciences
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Andrew Cannon
Associate Clinical Professor, Health Sciences
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Susan Carroccino, DNP, MSN, RN
Assistant Clinical Professor, Nursing
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Juliana F.W. Cohen
Associate Professor, Health Sciences
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Michael Corcoran
Associate Professor, Nutrition
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Jillian Costa, RN, MSN, cPNP
Clinical Coordinator, Nursing
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Kathleen A. FitzPatrick
Professor Emeritus, Health Sciences
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Dennis Fontaine
Associate Clinical Professor, Health Sciences and Clinical Coordinator, Athletic Training
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Karen Fotino, DNP, RN
Associate Clinical Professor, Nursing
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Carol Glod
Professor, Health Sciences
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Allison Higgins
Lecturer
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Birgid Hopkins
Associate Clinical Professor, Health Sciences and Director, Athletic Training
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Janet Ierardi, Ph.D., RNC, CNE, CNE-CL
Associate Clinical Professor, Nursing
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Meredith Parry
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Exercise and Rehab Sciences
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Jessica Peacock ’12
Assistant Professor, Health Science
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Leah Poloskey
Assistant Clinical Professor, Health Sciences
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Lynne Sheppard, DNP, RN
Executive Director and Associate Clinical Professor of Nursing
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Eleanor Shonkoff
Assistant Clinical Professor
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Tunde Szivak
Assistant Professor, Health Sciences
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Zi Yan
Associate Professor, Health Sciences

Staff

Lindsey Carbone, MS’16
Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, Health Sciences
Sonal Desai
Assistant Dean of Administration & Finance
Libby Johnson
Senior Administrator
Jacquelyn Rudis MacDonald
Experiential Education Manager
Cheryl Marcus
Administrative Assistant, Nursing
Ed Martin
Graduate Fellowship Manager
Sarah O’Connell, MEd’13
Assistant Director of Academic Programs
Christina Soto
Academic Program Manager

<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22693_Leena_Twitter_Web.rev.1621968068.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5082-merrimack-health-sciences-professor-receives-nih"><h3>Merrimack Health Sciences Professor Receives NIH Grant</h3></a> <p>Assistant Professor <a href="/live/profiles/1885-leena-bharath">Leena Bharath</a>, who teaches in the School of Health Sciences, has received $434,000 in grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The awarded R15 grant will stretch over three years and is intended to support the training of undergraduate students. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22693_Leena_Twitter_Web.rev.1621968068.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22693_Leena_Twitter_Web.rev.1621968068.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22693_Leena_Twitter_Web.rev.1621968068.jpg" alt="Assistant Professor Leena Bharath receives $434,000 in a grant from the National Institutes of Health." loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22356_studentswalking.rev.1615482935.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5015-obrien-foundation-invests-12m-to-provide-full"><h3>O’Brien Foundation Invests $1.2M to Provide Full Scholarships to Lynn Students</h3></a> <p>A gift from the James W. O’Brien Foundation will fund full tuition, room and board at Merrimack for Lynn scholars. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22356_studentswalking.rev.1615482935.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22356_studentswalking.rev.1615482935.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22356_studentswalking.rev.1615482935.jpg" alt=" The scholarship program will begin this fall and support a select number of students over a 5-year period. " loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21380_F5_Janet_Ierardi_Twitter.rev.1588791908.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/4921-faculty-fast-five-with-janet-ierardi"><h3>Faculty Fast Five with Janet Ierardi</h3></a> <p>In this week’s edition of “Fast Five: Quick Q&As with Members of the Merrimack Community,” we talk to obstetrics nurse and associate clinical professor of nursing Janet Ierardi who teaches in the <a href="/nursing">nursing program at Merrimack</a>. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21380_F5_Janet_Ierardi_Twitter.rev.1588791908.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21380_F5_Janet_Ierardi_Twitter.rev.1588791908.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21380_F5_Janet_Ierardi_Twitter.rev.1588791908.jpg" alt="The first in her family to attend college, Janet Ierardi has been teaching nursing for more than 15 years and tells her students to "squeeze every drop out of learning."" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22735_Big_Read_Twitter_Web.rev.1623698959.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5098-merrimack-receives-20000-nea-big-read-grant"><h3>Merrimack Receives $20,000 NEA Big Read Grant</h3></a> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Merrimack receives a $20,000 Big Read grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The grant comes from the Presidential Civic and Community Engagement Initiative in collaboration with the Writer’s House and eight community partners in Lawrence, Massachusetts.</span> </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22735_Big_Read_Twitter_Web.rev.1623698959.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22735_Big_Read_Twitter_Web.rev.1623698959.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22735_Big_Read_Twitter_Web.rev.1623698959.jpg" alt="Merrimack will partner with eight local organizations in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to provide arts-based community programming." loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22254_band1.rev.1612985404.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5009-bring-on-the-merrimack-college-marching-band"><h3>Bring on the Merrimack College Marching Band</h3></a> <p>Merrimack has launched its inaugural marching band to accompany the College’s Division I athletic program. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22254_band1.rev.1612985404.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22254_band1.rev.1612985404.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22254_band1.rev.1612985404.jpg" alt="The Merrimack College Marching Band launched with 40 members and plans to grow to around 100 members who will provide entertainment at Merrimack’s Division I sports events." loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21759_MC-logo-only.rev.1599138227.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="https://www.merrimack.edu/about/offices_services/communications/notable-quotable/"><h3>See What Our Talented Faculty Have Been Up To</h3></a> <p>Merrimack professors across all disciplines have been winning awards, publishing papers, participating in academic panels and workshops, and featured in the media. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21759_MC-logo-only.rev.1599138227.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21759_MC-logo-only.rev.1599138227.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21759_MC-logo-only.rev.1599138227.jpg" alt="Merrimack College logo with shield" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21758_rickey-caldwell.rev.1599077275.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/4947-merrimack-college-awarded-nsf-grant-for-machs"><h3>Merrimack College Awarded NSF Grant for MACHS Scholars Program</h3></a> <p>Merrimack secures NSF grant for new STEM program to support high-achieving, low-income students. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21758_rickey-caldwell.rev.1599077275.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21758_rickey-caldwell.rev.1599077275.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21758_rickey-caldwell.rev.1599077275.jpg" alt="Principal Investigator Dr. Rickey Caldwell, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22699_Cummings_Web.rev.1622663512.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5090-merrimack-awarded-50000-annually-through-cummings"><h3>Merrimack Awarded $50,000 Annually through Cummings Grant Program</h3></a> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Merrimack College joins the ranks of 140 Massachusetts organizations as a recipient of the Cummings $25 Million Grant Program. The program awards annual funding to community-facing institutions based in Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk counties.</span> </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22699_Cummings_Web.rev.1622663512.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22699_Cummings_Web.rev.1622663512.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22699_Cummings_Web.rev.1622663512.jpg" alt="Lawrence High School students and Pioneer Scholars meet with President Hopey to celebrate the Cummings Grant." loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2071/ignore_cropper/1/21746_DSC_6585.rev.1598540033.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/4948-merrimack-offers-new-global-pandemics-course-about"><h3>Merrimack Offers New Global Pandemics Course About COVID-19</h3></a> <p>Merrimack’s new course Global Pandemics: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of COVID-19 offers students the opportunity to examine COVID-19 through the lens of multiple fields of study and practice. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2071/ignore_cropper/1/21746_DSC_6585.rev.1598540033.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2071/ignore_cropper/1/21746_DSC_6585.rev.1598540033.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2071/ignore_cropper/1/21746_DSC_6585.rev.1598540033.jpg" alt="Students in Global Pandemics: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of COVID-19 will learn about the economics of pandemics, post-pandemic recoveries and more. " loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21675_LM-FF.rev.1594916487.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/4940-alumni-fast-five-with-nurse-lauren-maher-16"><h3>Alumni Fast Five with Nurse Lauren Maher ’16</h3></a> <p>In this week’s edition of “Fast Five: Quick Q&As with Members of the Merrimack Community,” we talk to alumnus Lauren Maher ’16. Lauren shares her path to becoming a nurse, how Merrimack influenced her career choice and how she’d like to come back and share her knowledge with current nursing students. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21675_LM-FF.rev.1594916487.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21675_LM-FF.rev.1594916487.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21675_LM-FF.rev.1594916487.jpg" alt="Merrimack alumnus and nurse Lauren Maher '16 advises students to know they don't have to have it all figured out while they are in college." loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22085_mclogoone.rev.1605810788.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5096-merrimack-college-announces-2021-pioneer-obrien"><h3>Merrimack College Announces 2021 Pioneer, O’Brien Scholars</h3></a> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Merrimack College will award full tuition, room and board, comprehensive fees and book stipends to 12 students – 10 under the Pioneer Scholarship Program and two under the recently expanded O’Brien Scholarship Program.</span> </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22085_mclogoone.rev.1605810788.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22085_mclogoone.rev.1605810788.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22085_mclogoone.rev.1605810788.jpg" alt="Merrimack awards full tuition, room and board, comprehensive fees and book stipends to the 2021 Pioneer and O’Brien Scholars." loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22567_Be_the_CAUSE_Web_Twitter.rev.1619615967.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5045-new-partnership-brings-dei-to-high-school-students"><h3>New Partnership Brings DEI to High School Students</h3></a> <p>Be the CAUSE (Catalyst for Advocacy and Unified Student Empowerment) is a new community partnership between Merrimack and Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts which aims to bring diversity awareness training to high school students. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22567_Be_the_CAUSE_Web_Twitter.rev.1619615967.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22567_Be_the_CAUSE_Web_Twitter.rev.1619615967.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22567_Be_the_CAUSE_Web_Twitter.rev.1619615967.jpg" alt="The first workshop of Be the CAUSE shared resources, interactive exercises and focused on broadening student awareness by stressing intersectionality." loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div></div></div></div></div></section>

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