My name is Alex Scarfone and I am a NICU nurse at GCH, currently non-matriculated but in the process of matriculating to the PNP program this Fall. I have been at GCH for almost 2 years and worked on an oncology/women's services unit prior to moving back to Rochester after completing my undergraduate work in Syracuse. This will be my third non-matriculated course in the program, so I am looking forward to continuing navigating being an online learner. I am not entirely sure what I would like to do with this degree, but I have an interest in developmental pediatrics, seeing the clinics that ex-NICU patients follow-up with after discharge. A fun fact about me is that I have a twin sister who just moved to NYC!

My name is Kathryn Grieb and I am enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Rochester! This is my second semester taking classes for the FNP program. I grew up in Rochester, NY and went to nursing school in Pittsburgh, PA. I currently work at Strong GCH in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and have been here for about a year and a half. Prior to that, I worked at Highland Hospital in the medical ICU for about a year. I am not sure where I want to work when I graduate with this degree, but I do have in interest in women's health! A fun fact about me is that I know how to waterski, wakeboard, and kneeboard!

I am looking forward to taking this course with everyone!

My name is Loretta Brzac and I am half way through the FMHNP program. I live and work in Albany, NY and have been a RN for 20+ years. My spent the first 9 years in cardiology and spent the next 9 years trying to find my niche, having tried visiting nursing, school nursing, and working with patients with physical and mental disabilities. I found my passion when I became the clinic lead of a brand new TMS clinic for patients with MDD which has caused the last 3 years to fly by. I have always loved ethics and am looking forward to the give and take that I am sure this course will offer us.

An interesting fact about me is I love cats, specifically black ones and currently have 5 that help keep me company during the long hours of doing school work.

Looking forward to working with you all.

Loretta

My name is Sean Olin. I'm originally from about an hour south of Rochester near Letchworth State Park. I got my first undergrad degree from UR, my Nursing degree from UR, and now looking to complete the set with my masters from the UR FNP program. Currently, I'm an RN in Strong Emergency Department where I have worked the entirety of my 3+ years as a nurse.

My fun fact is I like to train for and compete in triathlons for fun. I've done up to a Half-Ironman and have a goal to do a full in the next 3 years.

My name is Emily Pierson. This is my second semester of the FNP program and I have been thoroughly enjoying being back in school! I am a nerd who loves to learn and explore different viewpoints, so I believe I will find this class very exciting! I currently work in the OR at AOC Marketplace. My previous nursing experience includes pediatrics and dermatology. I have a passion for holistic medicine and wellness, and rarely view things as black and white. A fun fact about me is that I am originally from Vermont, and grew up with a passion for all things outdoors (hiking, skiing, and gardening!). I look forward to getting to know everyone more and learning together!

A fun fact about me is I was born and raised in Canada, we didn't move to the US until I was in middle school. I now have dual citizenship and am bilingual in French & English!

Looking forward to getting to know everyone this semester!

My fun fact is that I could speak 4 languages (English, Bangla, Hindi, Urdu). I also used to be able to get by pretty well in Spanish, but I have been out of practice ever since I moved up here, and definitely not as confident in Spanish as I once was haha. I could also read and write in Arabic :)

Looking forward to working with you all!

My name is Briana and I am currently enrolled in the PMHNP program. I have been in the program a little over a year now and plan to graduate in May of '26.

I have been a nurse for 8 years working in various specialties, med-surg, OR and now mental health. Currently I work in the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program known as CPEP. This is an area where people come when they are experiencing a mental health crisis.

One interesting fact about me is that I am training for a Mammoth March, which is a 20 mile hike in less than 8 hours at Letchworth State Park (aka the "Grand Canyon of the East"). This will be my second year doing it and I look forward to completing it in August.

A fun fact about me is that I have family all over the place, from Arizona to England to East Africa to name a few. 

I am really looking forward to starting this course and getting to know all of you! 

My name is Tessy Michael. I'm enrolled in Family Nurse Practitioner program and this is my second semester. I started my nursing career in critical care before moving to inpatient cardiology at Strong Memorial Hospital.

One fun fact about me is that I like to cook.

I looking forward to getting to know you all.

Tessy~

My name is Carly Pelow. I am enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner program and am currently in my second semester. I grew up in Rochester and attended St. John Fisher for my bachelors degree. Since graduating in 2021, I have been working as a nurse in the Pediatric Cardiac ICU at Golisano Children's Hospital. One fun fact about me is that I have a Morkie named Ellie! I also like to read and spend time outside when I can. I look forward to getting to know you all this semester!

My name is Abby Zornow and I’m in my first year of the Adult Gerontology Acute Care program. I went to nursing school in Pittsburgh, PA but returned home to Rochester to start my nursing career. I have spent the majority of my career in the Cardiac ICU at Strong and still pick up there but just made a switch to Ambulatory Cardiology in April! I eventually want to work in Advanced Heart Failure as an NP.

One fun fact about me is that I’m an avid reader and I’ve already read 30 books so far this year! I’m looking forward to this course and getting to know you all.

My name is Tessa Rivers, this will be my 3rd semester of the FNP program. I graduated the UR APNN program in 2020 and clinically have worked as an Emergency Department RN but have also worked as an oncology research nurse and medical device educator for a biotech company (I like to try new things!).

A fun fact about me is that I moved to FL with my husband last year and have been enjoying the sunshine since! I am sure we will have have an amazing summer semester!

My name is Kayla. I have two semesters remaining after this summer and then will be graduating from the PMHNP program, how exciting! I currently practice as a home health care and infusion RN after finishing up a recent contract as a critical care travel RN. I previously graduated from UAlbany double majoring in psychology and biology (pre-med track) with the intent to pursue a degree in clinical psychology. After graduating, I changed gears because I knew that providing holistic patient care was very important to me... and what better way to do this than as a registered nurse?! This led me to obtain my ABSN through Utica College and then enroll in U of R PMHNP program.

One "fun" fact about me is that I am a dog mom. I have three Dachshunds; Louis, Chip, and Theo. They are an absolute riot and keep me entertained and sane!

My name is Britt. This is my fifth semester in the FNP program. I graduated from the APNN program at the U of R in 2020.

I am now a clinic nurse at the UR Memory Care Program, where I work with patients diagnosed with various types of dementia.

I am originally from Michigan and would love to eventually return to my home state and practice as an NP in either geriatrics or hospice care.

A fun fact is that I love to bake and enjoy trying my hand at challenging dishes, such as croissants. My ultimate, bucket list bake is a croquembouche: a tower of cream puffs held together by caramel.

I am looking forward to learning with you all this semester!

My names Brandon, I am a PMHNP student who currently works as a vascular access nurse at strong. My first job as a nurse was working in the NICU something I thoroughly enjoyed but was limited due to the schedule. Before nursing I was a paramedic and active volunteer fireman. After spending time working with critically ill patients, I began discovering the impact this work has on a provider and patient which led me to my current goal of becoming a PMHNP.

I currently live in Pittsford with my wife, golden retriever (Maisy) and cat (Pugsley). One fun fact is I am not quite a year out from a major motorcycle accident that required me to receive 11 units of blood within 3 hours! During this accident I broke my femur and ruptured several solid organs. I am happy to be alive and made it back to work in under six months! While I no longer ride motorcycles, I am still an adrenaline junky and love all things outdoors from gardening to skiing.

I look forward to working with all of you,

Brandon

My name is Melani. I am a student in the FNP-DNP program. I have been taking classes for the programs since last summer. I currently work at the Ambulatory Orthopaedic Center at Marketplace in the pre/post surgical areas. Previously, I have also worked in med/surg and Infection Prevention. I have an interest in ethics and did a cluster in undergrad in healthcare ethics. I'm looking forward to thinking about this information in a new way after having experience working in healthcare for the last several years, which I did not have before!

I am not entirely sure where I would like to work once I complete the program. I am looking forward to a wide range of experiences throughout the program that will hopefully help me navigate to my new destination!

One fact that I always like to share about myself is that I grew up with six siblings! It's been a lot of fun!

I'll talk with you all soon!

Melani

A fun fact about me is that I am originally from Nigeria and lived there for 16 years before moving to the US in 2012. I have dual citizenship and speak Yoruba and English. I love singing.

I currently work in an outpatient primary/urgent care, autonomously managing various acute health concerns and preventive care for patients from culturally diverse backgrounds. I have a very strong professional passion in women's health/midwifery/reproductive care particularly in developing countries. My passion stemmed from my time living in Cambodia and participating in medical missions to provide medical care and surgeries to underserved populations. This experience along with working as a nurse in Rochester cemented my passion to address the substantial knowledge gaps and disparities in women's reproductive and maternal health.

Fun fact, I practiced as a Speech Language Pathologist before becoming a nurse and I raced competitively as a downhill skier!!

My name is Annalise Boyer. I am currently a non-matriculated student with plans to apply to the Family or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program in the future. I currently work on the pediatric hematology/oncology unit at Golisano Children's Hospital. I have worked on the unit almost 3 years now since graduating with my BSN from the University at Buffalo.

One fun fact about me is that I grew up about 10 minutes from Allegany State Park. While I miss living so close to such a beautiful area, I don't mind that a Wegmans is only 5 minutes down the road compared to 40 minutes away since living in Rochester.

My name is Natalie Russo. I am in the Adult Gerontology Primary Care program and will graduate in May 2026.

I earned my Master’s in Leadership in Health Care Systems from the University of Rochester two years ago and have been a nurse for 19 years.

I started my career on 8-1200 Bone Marrow Transplant at Strong. Since then, I have worked in radiation oncology, home care, infusion therapy, urgent and primary care.

I am currently practicing in an administrative/clinic role at a multi-specialty clinic. Here I work in Hem/Onc, Primary Care, Urology, and Allergy, sometimes all in one day!

I am passionate about preventative and primary care and transformational leadership. I love to advocate for my fellow nurses and staff, as well as my patients!

A fun fact about me is that I placed second in an WNBF/INBF amateur pro bodybuilding championship a few years ago. I am working towards competing again next year.

Good luck to everyone!

Natalie

My name is Nate. This is my second semester in the FNP program. I moved to Rochester from Fort Collins, CO to attend the UR APNN program and was a direct entry student into the FNP program. I currently work as a nurse on 5-3400 at Strong. It is an orthopedic surgery floor.

I am originally from Nebraska and served five years in the Marine Corps before moving to Colorado where I attended Colorado State and earned a degree in health and exercise science. I find orthopedics very interesting and I like the patient population I work with. I am most passionate about preventative medicine and would like to focus on being proactive with health instead of reactive as much as possible.

Fun fact: I consider myself an amateur photographer and love traveling to beautiful nature destinations because of that. I am currently working on making it to all the National Parks in the US. About half way to my goal.

Looking forward to learning with you all,

Nate

My name is Kittrella. Currently, this is my third semester into the PMHNP program. I look forward to this summer session with you all. I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. I enjoy spending time with friends and family, traveling, being a foodie, and a hugeeeee Bills fan!

I am a medical surgical/tele & renal transplant nurse at ECMC, the #1 trauma hospital in NYS. In addition, I have done years of travel nursing and now I am also working at a psych center. I became interested in mental health after working on a Covid Unit during the pandemic.

I look forward to working closely with you all this summer session!

Best,

Kittrella

My name is Lymarilys (Lee-ma-dee-lees) Jackson. I reside in Buffalo, Ny and this is my third semester in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program at U of R. I practice as a local travel nurse in a med/surge telemetry unit, which has given me valuable hands-on experience in the field. I have a master's Degree in Health Care Administration, which I believe will complement my studies in this program. Before traveling, I dabbled in management and spent a few years managing an ED and ICU, which provided me with a solid foundation in healthcare management. 

I feel both nervous and excited about this course. I find exploring ethical issues like informed consent and resource allocation interesting. I am eager to learn from the diverse perspectives of my classmates and instructors, which I believe will deepen my understanding. However, I am also nervous about the complexities and the need for rigorous analysis. Yet, this nervous energy will drive me to engage deeply and strive for excellence.

Fun Fact: I am a foster parent with Child & Family Services and also volunteer and foster with 716Paws. I love to travel, spend time with my family, and engage in activities that enhance my mental health (hot yoga, reading, spinning, and facials). My interest in mental health peaked after we started fostering. Our family fosters sibling sets under the age of 4, and we noticed the need for more resources available to children whose first language is not English. I am determined to bridge the gap and provide trauma-informed care to the foster care population while also bridging the language barrier.

I look forward to engaging and learning from all of you!

LJ

My name is Brigid Moore. This is my third semester in the PMHNP Program. I am currently a critical care nurse in the Medical ICU at Strong Hospital in Rochester. I have been a nurse for six years working only in critical care. I grew up in the Rochester area and love living here.

Fun Fact: I recently moved in with a co-worker and now “share custody” of her 80lb Golder Retriever, Tucker. I previously have had dogs but never this big! He does not understand personal space but is always making me laugh.

I look forward to this semester and learning with all of you!