VCU Nursing Welcomes New Faculty and Staff
The VCU School of Nursing recently welcomed the following new faculty and staff:
Mary Lynn Davis-Ajami, Ph.D., M.B.A., M.S., NP-C, RN, has joined as an assistant professor in the Department of Adult Health and Nursing Systems. She most recently served as an assistant professor in the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health in the program of Health Services Leadership and Management at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She earned a diploma in nursing from West Suburban Hospital, a B.S.N. from the University of Evansville School of Nursing, an M.S. (Family Nurse Practitioner concentration) from the University of Southern Indiana, an M.B.A. from Wake Forest University, and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy with a concentration in Health Outcomes Research from the Pharmaceutical Administration program.
Piotr “Peter” Dybas, B.S., has joined as the post-award and business manager. He most recently served as the senior financial analyst in the Family Medicine and Population Health Department of the Division of Epidemiology. Dybas earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from VCU.
Katherine Haydon, B.A., has joined as the senior director of development. She most recently owned a specialty store in Richmond and formerly served as executive director of the Benedictine Educational Foundation at the Benedictine College Preparatory. Haydon earned a bachelor’s degree in policy studies from Dickinson College.
Beth Hopkins, D.N.P., FNP, CORLN, has joined as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Health Nursing. She most recently served as a family nurse practitioner – ENT, Asthma/Allergy and Sleep Medicine at Gregory G. Carnevale, M.D., LLC and the Finger Lakes Allergy Clinic in Geneva, N.Y. Hopkins earned an associate’s degree in nursing from Jamestown Community College in Jamestown, N.Y., an adult nurse practitioner certificate from the University of Virginia, a nurse practitioner in family health certificate from Community General Hospital of Greater Syracuse, and both a B.S. in nursing and a D.N.P. from St. John Fisher College.
Demmie Pennix has joined as the new human resources administrator, responsible for time keeping, adjunct hiring, and student and hourly hiring. She most recently served as the department human resources analyst at VCUHS Treatment Center for Children.
Meredith Sittman has joined as the new senior administrative assistant for both the Langston Center for Quality, Safety and Innovation and the Office of Business Administration. Prior to VCU, Sittman worked as a freelance editor/copy editor for Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in New York City. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Simmons College in Boston, Mass., as well as a master’s degree in children’s literature. More recently, she is working on a post-graduate certificate in paralegal studies at the University of Richmond.
Shelly P. Smith, D.N.P., APRN-BC (M.S. ’01/N), has joined as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Adult Health and Nursing Systems. She most recently served as an adjunct at the VCU School of Nursing and at the University of Virginia School of Nursing. She has spent the last 13 years as a nurse practitioner in Richmond, most recently at Bon Secours. Smith earned a B.S. in nursing from the University of Virginia, a master’s in nursing from VCU and a D.N.P. from UVA.
Categories Faculty and Staff, Uncategorized