Announcing the 2023 Lauder Fellows

PHILADELPHIA (August 24, 2023) – The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) has named its second cohort of Fellows for the Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program (LLCCNPP), and the group is comprised of nursing professionals from across the country who will begin full-time studies towards becoming a primary care nurse practitioner this fall. The Fellows will use this unique opportunity to further their education and clinical experience to help solve the challenges they see in their chosen field.

“There is a critical need for extraordinary Nurse Practitioners, particularly those with a passion for working with underserved communities to increase access to care and improve health equity,” says Penn Nursing Dean Antonia M. Villarruel. “Penn Nursing is committed to developing a nursing workforce ready to transform health by innovating solutions to today’s biggest health care challenges. The newest Lauder Fellows will become tomorrow’s bold nursing leaders. I remain grateful to Leonard Lauder for his vision and generosity.”

Our 2023 Lauder Fellows are:

• Mahnoor Allawala, BSN, RN: Karachi, Pakistan (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)
• Hannah Dario, BS, BSN, RN: Burtonsville, Maryland (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)
• Erica Foltz, BSN, RN: Lititz, Pennsylvania (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)
• Emma Forman Gilliam, BSN, RN: Plainfield, New Hampshire (Women’s Health Gender-Related)
• Sophia Geffen, MPH, MSN, RN: Brookline, Massachusetts (Family Nurse Practitioner)
• Taylor Giambrone, MPH, BSN, RN, CCRN: Lancaster, Pennsylvania (Family Nurse Practitioner)
• Sophie Henderson, BSN, RN: Gladstone, New Jersey (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)
• Sherry Huang, BSN, RN: Brooklyn, New York (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)
• Hason Jafrey, RT(R), RN: Wilmington, Delaware (Primary Care Adult/Gerontology)
• Lily Keohane, BSN, RN: Norwell, Massachusetts (Pediatric Primary Care)
• Dianne Jane Lansangan Garcia, BSN, RN: Manilla, Philippines & San Francisco, California (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)
• Aimee Mamich, MSN, RN: Livingston, Texas (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)
• Greta Morrissette, BSN, RN: Scarborough, Maine (Family Nurse Practitioner)
• Nicole Rivera-Rodriguez, BS, BSN, RN: Connecticut and Puerto Rico (Family Nurse Practitioner)
• Melissa Rudolph, BSN, RN, CCRN, SANE-A: Ambler, Pennsylvania (Family Nurse Practitioner)
• Kufre Samuel, BSN, RN: Providence, Rhode Island (Midwifery/Women’s Health Gender-Related)
• Janelle Scruggs, BSN, RN: Norristown, Pennsylvania (Pediatric Primary Care)
• NyAsia White, BSN, RN-OBC: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Midwifery/Women’s Health)         

The Leonard A. Lauder program at Penn Nursing supports individuals who are admitted to a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program. It was borne of a $125 million gift—the largest ever to an American nursing school—by Penn alumnus Leonard A. Lauder, Chairman Emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies. This pioneering, tuition-free program is dedicated to building a nurse practitioner workforce committed to working in and with underserved communities, both rural and urban.

Each Fellow will complete at least 50 percent of their clinical education at community partner sites and/or comparable sites that provide direct patient care, an invaluable experience that will prepare Fellows to meet the complex needs of patients and families. In addition to preparing individuals to be nurse practitioners, additional learning experiences prepare students to address social determinants at the point of care and develop skills for intersectoral leadership. Every Fellow will be expected to commit to practice or service in an underserved community for two years after graduation.

We are currently accepting applications for the 2024 cohort of Lauder Fellows. Please visit the program website for more information.

# # #

About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world’s leading schools of nursing. For the eighth year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University. For the second year in a row, our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is ranked # 1 in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. Penn Nursing is also consistently ranked highly in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of best graduate schools and is ranked as one of the top schools of nursing in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through innovation in research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, & Instagram.