New Faculty
Since we established the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, we have been honored to bring on board faculty members who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. These professionals are committed to embodying the mission and vision of the SNHS and Providence College, including our shared pursuit of truth. Their contributions are crucial in cultivating an environment that promotes academic achievement, fosters innovation, and supports the growth of our students and the wider community. Through their work, they are helping to build a strong culture of learning and discovery, where high standards of education are maintained and new ideas can thrive.
Department of Nursing
Nilufer Turan Dural, MSc, PhD is an assistant professor of nursing. She completed her Ph.D. and Master`s degree in Pharmacology, at Gazi University, Graduate School of Health Sciences, in 2002 and 1996, respectively. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy in the Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, 1993.
For 23 years, Nilufer served as a teaching professor in the Pharmacology Department at the Pharmacy Faculty of Gazi University. During this time, she conducted extensive research in pharmaceutical R&D and actively collaborated with interdisciplinary teams during discovery and preclinical studies.
Since 2014, she has worked as a research scientist at the Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, and as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine at Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University. She specializes in expertly developing innovative treatment methods and agents for preclinical and clinical candidates to target and address a range of cardiovascular diseases, including age and genetic-dependent arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, inflammation, and oxidative stress disorders.
Nilufer has three best-poster/oral presentation awards, three international research scholarships, two book chapters, and over 30 peer-reviewed high-impact publications in academic journals.
Dr. Turan will be teaching the Pathopharmacology courses and providing support for developing the nursing research capstone and related courses.
Jennifer Livesley, RN, MSN, PMHNP-BC ’10 is an assistant clinical professor of nursing. Jennifer completed her Bachelor of Science in health policy and management from Providence College in 2010, Bachelor of Science in nursing from Simmons University in 2013, and her Master of Science in nursing from Boston College in 2018.
Jennifer is an experienced nurse educator with 4 years of classroom and clinical instruction. She has taught courses in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Health Assessment, Fundamentals of Nursing, and Community Health Nursing.
Jennifer is also an experienced registered nurse who has worked on many units including urology/plastic surgery, medicine and neurology/neurosurgery. She continues to work as a staff nurse at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital where she has been since 2013. In addition to teaching, Jennifer will serve as an advisor to students and assist with curriculum development.
Rachel Lyons, PhD, DNP, CPNP-PC/AC, DCC, CEN is an assistant professor of nursing and is a distinguished pediatric nurse practitioner and researcher with extensive experience in pediatric care and nursing education.
Dr. Lyons received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Rhode Island in 1997 and a Master of Science in Nursing from Boston College in 2002. As a dedicated learner and clinician, Dr. Lyons received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Columbia University in 2007 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from Duquesne University in 2022.
For over two and a half decades, Dr. Lyons has imparted her wealth of knowledge to undergraduate and graduate nursing students at various academic centers. Before joining the faculty at Providence College, Dr. Lyons was an Associate Professor at Montclair State University School of Nursing and was actively involved in the School of Nursing’s curricular development and faculty assembly across the nursing program. Dr. Lyons has also served as the Director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program at Rutgers University and as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Columbia University.
Dr. Lyons combines her clinical expertise with a deep commitment to advancing pediatric nursing practice through research and education. She has extensively published and presented on the international, national, and regional levels and has served within many national, state, and local professional agencies. As an advocate of pediatric health and well-being, Dr. Lyons research interests are centered on the intersection of urban green space and adolescent health. As a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in acute and primary care, Dr. Lyons maintains her scholarly practice at Hasbro Children’s Emergency Department in Providence, RI.
Department of Health Sciences
Kimberley Chula-Maguire, PhD is a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Regis College, her M.A. in Health Psychology from Connecticut College, and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Rhode Island. Her work experience includes treating adults in various physical therapy settings, counseling overweight adults on lifestyle behavior change for weight loss, and research and data management.
Hannah Gavin, PhD is an assistant professor in the department of health sciences at Providence College. She earned her PhD in Life Sciences from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and has held academic and research positions at MIT, Harvard University, and Tufts University. Her research focuses on bacteriophages, microbial genetics, and phage-host interactions. Dr. Gavin has a strong background in STEM education and has been recognized with several teaching awards. She brings a passion for the synergistic interplay of research and teaching to her role at Providence College.
