Carol Gabriele, DNP, Director of Nursing Programs
Prior to her appointment at Anna Maria College as the Director of Nursing Programs, Dr. Carol Gabriele was a nurse leader and educator for more than 25 years and most recently served as Director for Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing in Connecticut. She has extensive experience in nursing education including curriculum development, program evaluation, and enrollment management. Dr. Gabriele was a long standing member of the Connecticut League for Nursing, Council of Deans and Directors where she was involved in many initiatives to support nursing education and the educational mobility for nurses. She served on the advisory boards for Housatonic Community College and St. Vincent's College of Nursing in Connecticut. Dr. Gabriele earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Bridgeport, a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Fairfield University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Clinical Leadership from Case Western Reserve University. Certified as an operating room nurse for 25 years, Dr. Gabriele practiced in leading health care institutions such as M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Yale New Haven Hospital and Lahey Clinic. She is a Certified Nurse Educator and maintains her current areas of expertise in nursing education and leadership. She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society. Her current interests include initiatives to support local and global service learning in undergraduate nursing education and articulation models for nursing education mobility.

Paulette Remijan, RN, MS, APN-BC
Professor Remijan has over 30 years' experience as a Registered Nurse and has practiced as a Nurse Practitioner for the last decade. She is an experienced educator in nursing, teaching full-time across the curriculum for the Associate of Science in Nursing program and the RN-BSN program at Anna Maria College since 2002.

Professor Remijan is a graduate of Anna Maria College with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and received her Master of Science in Nursing with a sub-specialty in Cardiac Nursing from the University of Massachusetts. She is a board member for the Iota-at-Large Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society and a gubernatorial appointment to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. Her special interest is in the development of professional nursing at all levels of nursing.

Karin L. Ciance, MS, RN
Karin Ciance has more than 28 years of experience in Medical-Surgical, Rehabilitation, Urgent Care, Management, and Women’s Health Nursing. She received her Diploma in Nursing from Worcester City Hospital School of Nursing, her BS in Nursing from Worcester State College, and her MS in Community Health Nursing from Worcester State College. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at Walden University. Karin has served in the role of preceptor and Clinical Adjunct Faculty for Worcester State University, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Atlantic Union College. She is currently a Nursing Instructor for Anna Maria College and is the Executive Director for Greenwood Street Medical Clinic in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her current area of interest is in fall prevention and simulation in nursing practice.

Dr. Patricia J. Bartzak
Dr. Bartzak, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Anna Maria College, has a strong clinical background in critical care nursing and continues her practice at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston on the Burn/Trauma Unit. She maintains certifications in Trauma Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and telemetry. Dr. Bartzak earned her Associate of Science in Nursing from Laboure College, Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Emmanuel College, Master of Science in Nursing from Saint Joseph's College of Maine and Doctor of Nursing Practice from Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Bartzak maintains an active program of research in patient safety with a focus on the role of the bedside nurse. She is the recipient of the Mary Fay Award at Brigham and Women's Hospital (2011) and received the 2010 Professional Issues Writer's Award from the MedSurg Nursing Journal. Dr. Bartzak is a member of Sigma Theta Tau and serves as Vice-President of the Pi Epsilon Chapter. She actively serves on the Clinical Practice Committee of the Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses and on the Board of Directors at the Society of Rogerian Scholars. She is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and the American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety.

Dr. Brian Skirvin-Leclair
Nationally certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Brian Skirvin-Leclair has taught for many years in the faculty role while continuing to practice at University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester on the Pediatric Intensive Care and Acute Care Adult/Pediatric units. He has an Associate’s degree in Nursing from Quinsigamond Community College, a Bachelors in Nursing from Fitchburg State College, a Masters in Nursing from Simmons College, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Post Masters Certificate in Nursing Education from Regis College. He maintains affiliations with the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and the Intercultural Nursing Society. His research interests include minority populations, children with special care needs, and health disparities.

Kathleen Brule, MS, RN
An Assistant Professor of Nursing at Anna Maria College, Kathleen Brule graduated with honors from University of Massachusetts Lowell with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing and from University of Massachusetts Worcester with a Master’s of Science in Nursing. Kathleen’s primary area of clinical expertise is in acute care pediatric nursing. Other areas of clinical practice include pediatric hematology/oncology, trauma, medical/ surgical and general family-centered nursing care. Kathleen served as Clinical Educator for the pediatric unit at University of Massachusetts Medical Center where she was awarded the “Excellence in Pediatric Nursing and Education Award”. In her role as liaison for nursing programs, Kathleen encouraged interdisciplinary and collaborative care as evidenced by her establishment of the Interdisciplinary Pediatric Pain Management Group, TLC program. She also serves as a preceptor for UMass Worcester Graduate School of Nursing and was awarded the UMass GSN “Community Faculty Award for Preceptors”. Since 2007, Kathleen worked as full-time faculty in the Associate of Science in Nursing program teaching theory and practice in both pediatric and adult medical-surgical nursing. She is a member of the Massachusetts/Rhode Island League of Nursing and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Her current interests include evidence-based nursing education, community-based service-learning and holistic nursing.

Dr. Andrea Wallen
Dr. Wallen was appointed as nursing professor in the Department of Nursing at Anna Maria College in July 2012, following her 29 year tenure as Chairperson/faculty of the Nursing Department at Fitchburg State University (FSU) and most recently, for the past five years, as Nursing Chair at Worcester State University. In addition to her extensive role administratively and organizationally, She has expertise in psychiatric nursing, curriculum development, accreditation evaluation and mediation strategies. Dr. Wallen has been recognized for co-developing and inaugurating the Master’s program in Forensic Nursing at Fitchburg State University. While at FSU, she taught several nursing classes at Moscow Medical Academy in Russia. Dr. Wallen earned the rank of Colonel in the United States Army Reserves where she was Chief Nursing Officer for the 309th Combat Support Hospital. She was subsequently appointed Medical Educator for the 804th Medical Brigade at Fort Devens. The army awarded her The Legion of Merit “FOR exceptionally meritorious service in positions of increasing responsibility, culminating a 28-year career…outstanding competence, professionalism and superb management style.” Presently, Dr. Wallen concurrently serves as a consultant for her co-authored grants from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and Greater Worcester Community/Fairlawn Foundation. These grants are for developing and implementing an accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing for Licensed Practical Nurses. She continues as chapter president for the local Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International the Nursing Honor Society. She currently serves a community member for the Middlesex County Citizens Advisory Board, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. Educationally and professionally, Dr. Wallen’s interests continue to be in the field of Forensic Nursing, developing professional nurses and assisting in the establishment of culturally diverse nursing curriculum.

Margaret A. Yoder 
Margaret Yoder is a nurse educator with an extensive background in clinical leadership and education as well as pharmacology. Margaret received her Associate of Science Degree in Nursing from Quinsigamond Community College; a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing from University of Massachusetts Amherst, a Master’s of Health Administration from Suffolk University, and a Master’s of Science in Nursing Education from Walden University. Ms. Yoder is also a LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) Fellow. As a long standing member of the Massachusetts/Rhode Island League for Nursing, she currently holds a board position. She has served as an NLN Ambassador and has been invited to become an Accreditation visitor for the NLNAC. Ms. Yoder currently serves on the advisory boards of Assabet Valley and Blackstone Valley Technical Schools. She is a member of the Worcester Nursing Pipeline Consortium where she serves as a new faculty mentor. She is a Certified Nurse Educator and maintains her current areas of expertise in nursing education, leadership and pharmacology. She is currently a member and the President Elect for the Phi Nu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society. As a staunch supporter of upward mobility for nursing education, she serves on the Massachusetts Nurse of the Future Committee. Ms. Yoder maintains her clinical expertise by working at a local community hospital as a medical/surgical nurse.

Find out more about the faculty members teaching in Anna Maria College's online RN-BSN program. Fill out our Information Request Form or call (877) 265-3201 to speak with an Admissions Advisor.