Meet Nursing Faculty

Leadership & Staff

Dr. Lana Watson, DNP, RN, CNE

Chair
Associate Professor
swatson04@spalding.edu

Dr. Watson is an experienced faculty and academic leader with 15 years of experience in Nursing Education. Prior to her appointment with Spalding University, Dr. Watson served as a Director of Traditional and Accelerated BSN Program at IUPUC where she developed and implemented Clinical Homes Model (CHM) of clinical placement and Nurse Preceptor development. Dr. Watson’s research focus is on Nurse Graduate retention within rural communities and Opiate Use Disorder (OUD) among rural America. Dr. Watson’s education focus is on student success, early identification of at-risk students, and international nursing education development. Dr. Watson is a proud Alumna of Indiana Wesleyan University. She is a member of Indiana Association for Nursing Leadership and is past president of South East Indiana chapter.

Missy Hawes, DNP, APRN, FNP, IBCLC

Director, MSN-Family Nurse Practitioner Program
Assistant Professor
mhawes@spalding.edu

Dr. Hawes received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Spalding University, a Master of Science in Nursing from Spalding University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisville. She holds certification as an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She is an assistant professor and the program coordinator for the Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner Program.

Rebekah Knauer, EdD, MSN, RN, CCFP

Director, Bailen Health Sciences Simulation Learning Center
Associate Professor
rknauer@spalding.edu

Dr. Rebekah Knauer earned her EdD from Spalding University, a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Walden University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from IUPUI. Dr. Knauer is interested in compassion fatigue, promotion of resilience skills and strategies, and professionalism. Dr. Knauer is experienced in various forms of simulation, such as computerized manikins, virtual simulation, case-based simulation, and standardized patients. Dr. Knauer has assisted in planning and implementing disaster simulation (tornado and bomb threat/aftermath) and has participated in simulation activities at local clinical partner hospitals in which students worked with experienced healthcare staff during the simulation. Dr. Knauer has a strong interest in interprofessional education (IPE) within the healthcare system. She has assisted in planning and participated in IPE case studies which involved undergraduate and graduate nursing students, along with other graduate healthcare professionals (mental health counseling, athletic training, and physician assistant programs). The IPE events included partnering with another college nearby and was facilitated by an organization that promotes healthcare careers and training within local communities, especially rural and underserved communities, to foster better health within the communities.

Tara Schickel, PhD, MPH, RN, NPD-BC

Interim Graduate Programs Director
Assistant Professor
tschickel@spalding.edu

Tara Schickel, PhD, MPH, RN, NPD-BC serves as Interim Graduate Programs Director and an Assistant Professor in the MSN-Online and DNP programs at Spalding University. She earned her PhD in Nursing from University of Phoenix in 2017 with a research focus on anxiety in post-operative patients. Dr. Schickel received her master’s in public health from California College for Health Sciences in 2008 and her BSN from Indiana University Southeast in 1998. She currently holds a board certification in nursing professional development. She has many years of experience in nursing professional development, unit-level clinical leadership, and bedside care. Dr. Schickel maintains memberships in ANPD, GLA-ANPD, IONL, and ANA.

Farrah Thornsberry, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Director, PMHNP Program
fthornsberry@spalding.edu

Dr. Thornsberry received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Kentucky, a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix, a Post-Master Certification in Gerontological Health Care, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Spalding University. She is an ANCC Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and has over 20 years in psychiatric and mental health care. Dr. Thornsberry is an assistant professor and the program director for the Master of Science in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program.

Renee Campbell, DNP, MSN, APRN, CNM

SON Clinical Coordinator
Assistant Professor
rcampbell01@spalding.edu

Dr. Renee Campbell earned both her Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Science in Nurse Midwifery from Frontier Nursing University as well as a post-graduate certificate in women’s health. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Spalding University. Dr. Campbell serves as clinical coordinator and assistant professor and is a practicing nurse midwife.

Cibi Papu John-Sripathi

Nursing Department Coordinator
cpapujohnsripathi@spalding.edu

Cibi joined the Nursing Department in December 2023 as the Department Coordinator. Currently working on her bachelor’s in business administration with a minor in marketing, she is also actively working on her private pilot’s license. Before switching her major, she had actively contributed and worked as a research assistant for three years in the Department of Urology, UofL. Her research contribution gave her authorship on a research paper published in a reputed journal funded by the NIH. She was also selected to participate in a cancer education program at the Center for Clinical Translation Research, University of Louisville. She has volunteered as a nurse assistant in the Emergency Department at UofL as well as a Catechist in her church. To her credit, she is fluent in four languages, and has earned certificate courses in different disciplines including Scuba diving, Certified Basic Life Support + CPR + Oxygen, and other computer courses. Her hobbies include Scuba diving, flying, and going on adventures with her friends. She is passionate about working with the nursing department and is excited about what the future may hold.

Faculty

Dakeisha (Dee) Cook, MSN, RN

Assistant Professor
dcampbell04@spalding.edu

Professor Cook is an experienced acute care clinician with 17 years of acute care experience. She completed Associated Degree in Nursing at Jefferson Community and Technical College and her Baccalaureate degree in Nursing and Master’s degree in Nursing Education at Indiana Wesleyan University. Professor Cook has been a Nurse of the Year finalist in 2016 and 2020 for Norton Healthcare and a recipient of “Good Catch of the Year” Award. Professor Cook has experience as a clinical and didactic faculty and is currently a lead faculty for Nursing III course. Professor Cook is committed to student success.

Christie Cooper, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Academic Success Coordinator
Assistant Professor
ccooper02@spalding.edu

Mrs. Christie Cooper is an Advanced Practice Nurse, who received her Master of Nursing (2019) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (2007) from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Mrs. Cooper has more than 13 years of nursing experience and over 2 years in academic nursing education. Christie is especially dedicated to a life of service to the profession and community at large as an active member of several professional nursing and medical organizations, and health-related or faith-based community organizations including American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American Diabetes Association (ADA) and Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners (LANP). Mrs. Cooper is an active member of National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Mrs. Cooper has professional experience in Nursing Education, Diabetes Education, Quality Management, Step Down/ICU, and Medical Surgical as a Registered Nurse. Her Nurse Practitioner experience includes Family Heath where she serves as a Clinical Resource Person, Diabetic Educator, and Lead Provider. She previously served the community through family practice in a Rural Community in Baton Rouge, LA known as Open Health Community Clinic. “As a leader in nursing, I strategically evaluate and engage all my nursing practices on the belief that ‘Nursing is not just a practice; but an attempt to provide holistic care to patients, students, and the community, while bringing them to optimal health as an individual.’”

Collan J. Darnall, DNP, APRN, FNP, ENP

Assistant Professor
cdarnall@spalding.edu

Dr. Darnall received a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Frontier University. He earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nursing from Spalding University. Darnall holds certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-C) as well as Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP-C). Dr. Darnall is an assistant professor in the Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner Program.

Trayce Dixon, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Assistant Professor
tdixon01@spalding.edu

Trayce earned Post-Masters Certification as Family Nurse Practitioner from Northern Kentucky University and is a two-time graduate of the University of Southern Indiana earning both MSN – Nursing Education and BSN degrees. Trayce teaches in our pre-licensure BSN program currently teaching Med Surg I and Pharmacology. She comes to us from UofL Primary Care as an FNP and JCTC as Asst. Professor. Trayce also recently completed certification of the Essentials of Clinical Simulations Across the Health Professions.

Hannah Huckleby MSN, RN

Assistant Professor
hhuckleby@spalding.edu

I am Hannah Huckleby MSN, RN. I am an assistant professor here at Spalding and previously instructed med-surg clinicals for Spalding. I have been a nurse since 2016 with a background in medical-surgical and cardiac ICU nursing. I started at Ivy Tech earning my LPN and then transitioned to my ASN there as well. I completed my BSN at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Indiana and earned my Master of Science in Nursing from IUS in 2022.