School of Nursing and Health Sciences Advisory Board

John M. Denson ’89, Chair

John is Senior Client Partner in the Healthcare Services practice of Korn Ferry, the world’s leading organization consulting firm.  For over 20 years he has partnered with hospitals and health systems, academic medical centers, and other healthcare providers to recruit and retain top level executive leaders.  As a trusted advisor and partner, John helps healthcare organizations thrive in today’s competitive market for talent. 

John and his wife Erinn `89 are the parents of three Providence College graduates.

Dr. Arthur A. Bert

Dr. Arthur A. Bert is a distinguished anesthesiologist, healthcare leader, and educator with more than four decades of experience in clinical medicine, academic leadership, and health system administration. He served for many years as Anesthesiologist-in-Chief and Chief of Anesthesia at Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital, overseeing one of the region’s largest anesthesiology departments and supporting nearly 60,000 patient encounters annually. He is Clinical Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Surgery at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where he has contributed extensively to medical education, research, and faculty development.

Dr. Bert earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from Brown University and his M.D. from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He completed residency and fellowship training in anesthesiology, cardiac anesthesia, and pediatric anesthesia at Beth Israel Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital. Throughout his career, Dr. Bert has been recognized for his clinical excellence, leadership, and service, receiving numerous honors, including Rhode Island Hospital’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Rhode Island Medical Society’s Dr. Charles L. Hill Award.

He and his wife, Catherine (Little) Bert ’77, divide their time between residences in Florida and Rhode Island.

Amy B. Berning, RN

Amy Berning started her career as a registered nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT after graduating from Boston College School of Nursing. She continued her career as a registered nurse in the NICU across the country at Denver Children’s Hospital, University of California at San Francisco, St. Peter’s Medical Center in Albany, NY and UPMC Magee Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. She has worked as a clinical charge nurse and nurse manager and is an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant. She has devoted much of her adult life to volunteer work in her local schools and parish.

Amy and her husband, Dr. Richard Berning, are the parents of three Providence College graduates.

August Cervini ’90

Gus Cervini is Senior Vice President, Research Administration, at Boston Children’s Hospital. Gus directs the administrative infrastructure that supports a research enterprise consisting of about 1,500 investigators who generate about $310 million in annual expenditures. Prior to this role, he was Senior Director of Administration and Research in the Department of Medicine (DOM) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.  He has also served as Chief of Staff at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Project Manager for Institutional Events at the Whitehead Institute, and as Media Coordinator for the American Psychiatric Association. Gus was selected as one of Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 (2003) for his role in the founding of the Broad Institute. He also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1986-2004 and received his MBA from Regis University. Gus currently resides in Providence, RI.

Tessa Chamberlain, NP ’05

Tessa Chamberlain is the head advanced practice provider for genitourinary (GU) oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she leads clinical care for patients facing prostate, bladder, kidney, and other GU cancers. A 2005 graduate of Providence College, she earned her master’s degree from Columbia University and built her career as a nurse practitioner devoted to oncology. Before stepping into her current role, she served as a research nurse practitioner at the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, where she helped advance individualized, genomically informed approaches to cancer treatment.

Tessa’s years at Providence College remain some of her fondest, and her Friar pride has stayed with her ever since. Tessa currently resides in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two daughters.

Dr. Scott S. De Rossi ’91

Dr. Scott S. De Rossi is Senior Vice President of Innovation and Strategy at Serendequity Partners and Chief Strategy Officer of Nexus Dental Systems. Previously, he served as CEO and Founding Dean of the Workman School of Dental Medicine at High Point University and led the HPU Oral Health Network. He earned his D.M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and completed postdoctoral training in Oral Medicine there. Dr. De Rossi has held leadership roles at the University of Pennsylvania, Augusta University—where he earned his MBA—and as the 8th Dean of the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry.

A resident of Durham, NC, Dr. De Rossi is an accomplished author and educator who co-authored Burket’s Oral Medicine and edited the 2013 Dental Clinics of North America issue on Orofacial Pain. He has published over 100 scientific works across oral medicine topics. Founder of DentAlliance, a global dental school partnership, he is a Past President of the American Board of Dental Specialties and serves as a Commissioner to the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

Timothy P. Flanigan, MD ’16Hon, ’18G

Timothy P. Flanigan, MD, is Professor of Medicine in the Infectious Diseases Division of The Miriam and Rhode Island Hospitals and Brown Medical School.  He received a BA from Dartmouth College and an MD from Cornell University Medical School.  In 1991, he joined Dr. Charles Carpenter to lead the HIV and AIDS program and was subsequently appointed Chief of Infectious Diseases in 1999 until stepping down in 2012.  He spearheaded the HIV Care Program at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections to develop improved treatments for HIV infection and has received NIH and CDC funding for over 30 years.  He received the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leadership Award in 2000.  He also co-directs the new Lifespan Lyme Disease Clinic.

In 2016, Dr. Flanigan received an honorary degree from Providence College for his efforts in public health and service to the Diocese of Providence. In 2018, he completed a graduate degree in theology from PC, which he started while studying to become a deacon.

Father Hyacinth Grubb, O.P.

Fr. Hyacinth Grubb, O.P. was born in the small mountain town of Conifer, Colorado and studied Electrical Engineering at Columbia University before entering the Order of Preachers. He was ordained to the priesthood in May 2020.  Fr. Hyacinth currently serves as the Director of the Dominican Healthcare Ministry which is devoted to promoting the dignity of the human person and the healing ministry of Jesus Christ through pastoral care, education, ethical consultation, and prayer. As a ministry of the Dominican Province of Saint Joseph, collaborating with the Archdiocese of New York, the organization serves the healthcare community in New York City and beyond.

Ann Houston ’92

Ann Houston has worked in the Pharma and Biotech industry for nearly 30 years in scientific and leadership roles at Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Alexion, Inozyme, and Rallybio.  She is currently the SVP of External Research and Corporate Development at a Biotech start-up focused on rare and metabolic diseases. Ann received her graduate degree from Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) with an MA in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.  Ann currently is a member of the CT Executive Women in Bio Steering Committee, champions for greater diversity in the biotech industry and committed to empowering women leaders, a member of the Goodspeed Board of Trustees, and a Mystic Aquarium First Responder Volunteer.  She is a resident of Essex, CT.

Elizabeth “Beth” Huber 

Beth Huber proudly claims her middle-class Rhode Island roots as one of seven children from Pawtucket, RI, as a driving force that has shaped her volunteerism and philanthropy.  Beth and her husband, Michael, PC ’78 are now residents of Sarasota, Florida, returning to summer in Charlestown, RI.

The majority of Beth’s professional career was spent as the Associate Executive Director for Publishing of the Providence, RI, non-profit, the American Mathematical Society leading the Society’s 30-million-dollar publishing program.   

Beth and Michael are committed to using their professional success to support philanthropic causes, especially those that help individuals manage the financial burdens of health challenges. Beth currently serves as Vice Chair of the Rhode Island Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees and as Treasurer and board member of The Joe Andruzzi Foundation, which provides financial assistance to cancer patients and their families.

As she turns into the back nine of life, Beth looks forward to continuing to positively impact the lives of others with her volunteerism and philanthropy.

Meghan Lyon ’89

Meghan Lyon is a dedicated philanthropist and an active member of the PC community. She currently serves as a trustee of Providence College, offering her leadership and insight as a member of both the Academic Affairs Committee and the Development and Alumni Affairs Committee. Meg previously held the role of chair of the College’s National Board of Overseers and was an inaugural member of the Providentia Leadership Committee, which was established to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Women at Providence College. Her continued involvement highlights her strong commitment to advancing the College’s mission and supporting its students.

Beyond her service to Providence College, Meg is actively involved in the broader community. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Morristown Memorial Hospital Foundation and contributes her leadership as co-chair of Duke University’s Parents Committee, in addition to her role on the Pratt Engineering Parents Council. These commitments reflect her deep dedication to higher education, healthcare, and community well-being. Meg and her family reside in New Vernon, New Jersey.

Patrick L. Muldoon ’76

Patrick Muldoon is a retired healthcare executive with more than four decades of leadership experience in hospital administration and healthcare delivery. Most recently, he served as President of UMass Memorial Medical Center, the flagship academic medical center of UMass Memorial Health and primary teaching hospital of UMass Chan Medical School, a position he held until his retirement in 2018. During his tenure, he led significant strategic and operational initiatives, including major capital improvements, clinical advancements, and the implementation of a comprehensive electronic medical record system.

Prior to joining UMass Memorial Medical Center, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthAlliance Hospital and held senior leadership positions with healthcare organizations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Michigan, and Illinois, where he began his professional career following his graduation from Providence College. Patrick also served as Chairman of the Massachusetts Hospital Association.

A Providence College graduate with a degree in Health Services Administration and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago, Patrick and his wife, Eileen ’79, are also the parents of one Friar graduate. They reside in Jamestown, Rhode Island.

Father Columba Thomas, O.P., MD

Father Columba Thomas, O.P., MD, is a Dominican friar and physician specializing in Internal Medicine. Ordained in May 2023, he earned his medical degree from Yale School of Medicine, completed a Primary Care Residency and Chief Residency at Yale, and is board-certified in Internal Medicine. He is the editor of The Art of Dying: A New, Annotated Translation (National Catholic Bioethics Center, 2021). Father Columba recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in bioethics at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University and will continue there as Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine. This year, he completed a master’s degree in Catholic Clinical Ethics, sponsored by Georgetown University and the Catholic University of America. For many years, he has also served as a physician moonlighter at Connecticut Hospice.

Vincent Ursino Jr. ’91

Vincent “Vinnie” Ursino Jr. is President of Vinchem, Inc., a pharmaceutical consulting and business development firm he has led since 1993. A seasoned pharmaceutical executive with more than three decades of industry experience, he has built a distinguished career across sales, marketing, strategic planning, and organizational growth. Throughout his career, he has played a pivotal role in the expansion and successful sale of several small pharmaceutical companies, leveraging deep expertise in business development, market strategy, and strategic partnerships.

In addition to leading Vinchem, Vinnie serves as an advisor to PharmaHub.info and sits on the boards of TopChem Pharmaceuticals in Ireland and Interquim S.A. de C.V. in Mexico. He is also a member of the Overlook Foundation Board, supporting initiatives that advance healthcare and community well‑being at Atlantic Health’s Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ.

A past president of the Providence College Alumni Club of New Jersey, Vinnie was instrumental in establishing the Ursino Family Scholarship, which supports New Jersey students attending Providence College. He and his wife, Susan ’91, reside in Basking Ridge, NJ, and are the proud parents of three Providence College graduates and one current student.