Celebrating Years of Service and New Employees
As summer comes to a close and we get ready for the fall semester to begin, we wish to acknowledge the full-time faculty and staff that have joined the SON since May. We are excited to have you all join our SON family!
- UMMC Telehealth/SON Educator RN II Missy Ainsworth
- Galloway Patient Services Coordinator Madalyn Martin
- Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Oxford Instructional Site Dr. Leigh Holley
- Associate Professor and Director of DNP Program Dr. Linda Upchurch
- Undergraduate Instructors Sarah McGraw and Stephanie Tullos
- UMMC Telehealth/SON Educator RN IIs Jolie E. D'Antonio and Shanda Walenta
- Bower Grant Student Success Coordinator Jinny Bailey
- Student Affairs Education Administrator Taylor Smith
- PhD in Nursing Education Administrator Sarah Thomas
Welcome to Dr. Linda Upchurch as the DNP Program director
Dr. Linda Upchurch, recently an associate professor of nursing and director of the Nursing/RN-BSN Bridge Program at East Georgia State College in Swainsboro, Georgian, has joined the Medical Center as an associate professor of nursing in the School of Nursing and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program.
She is an Advance Practice Registered Nurse and is board-certified as an Adult Nurse Practitioner. She most recently worked for Hospice Savannah Inc. in Savannah, Georgia.
Upchurch earned her BSN at Georgia Southern University School of Nursing in Statesboro, in 2003, Her MSN with an Adult Nurse Practitioner/palliative care focus at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in 2007, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice at Georgia Southern University in 2011.
Her clinical experience in Georgia includes positions as a Registered Nurse or Adult Nurse Practitioner for East Georgia Regional Medical Center; Ogeechee Area Hospice in Statesboro; the Center for Health and Wellness; Total Health; and Hospice Savannah Inc.
She has also served on the faculty of Georgia Southern University, teaching in the pre-licensure BSN, Masters and DNP programs.
Upchurch, who has earned several awards for academic achievement, is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She is also a member of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. She has also received training as an end-of-life educator through the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC).
Both academic organizations she has served are part of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.
Upchurch has been a guest lecturer numerous times, particularly on the subject of hospice/palliative care, and has delivered a variety of poster and podium presentations. She is the author and co-author of several journal articles, book chapters and study modules.
SON faculty and staff service recognition
Thank you to all of the following SON faculty and staff for their combined over 300 years of service!
- 25 years:
- Dr. Laree Hiser, associate professor
- Dr. Deborah Konkle-Parker, professor and Harriet G. Williamson Chair of Population Health Nursing
- 20 years:
- Dr. Keyshawnna 'Nikki' Lee, assistant professor and director of the Traditional BSN program
- Dr. Eloise Lopez-Lambert, assistant professor
- Dr. Anne Norwood, professor and associate dean for practice and partnerships
- Dr. Eva Tatum, associate professor
- 15 years:
- Dr. Katie Hall, associate professor
- Dr. Jennifer Hargett, assistant professor
- Dr. Michelle Palokas, associate professor and assistant dean for accreditation and evaluation
- Tara Rushing, project manager, admission counselor
- 10 years:
- Dr. Jeanne Calcote, assistant professor and nursing/healthcare administrator track director
- Marlie Farrar, assistant professor
- Tammy Fordham-Bell, educator-health professionals II, Mercy Delta clinics
- Sherri Franklin, assistant professor and director of RN-BSN program
- Jeremy LeMere, project manager II, research and scholarship
- Dr. Robyn MacSorley, assistant professor and director of clinical skills and simulation labs
- Dr. Kathleen Rhodes, associate professor
- Johnlyn Rogers, project manager I, academic affairs
- Monica White, assistant professor
- 5 years:
- Latasha Cox, project manager I, practice and partnerships
- Dr. Candon Garbo, assistant professor
- Marla Gray, project manager I, research and scholarship
- Sherida Hicks, manager, business operations
- Jessica Morgan, medical assistant, Jackson Public School clinics
- Tanya Perry, education administrator, graduate programs
- Dr. Amanda Weeks, assistant professor