Post-Baccalaureate Nursing
Faculty
Bachelor of Science
Our professors are distinguished scholars, active researchers, published writers, and faithful Christians who demonstrate what it means to be both Christ-followers and leaders in their academic fields. As mentors and role models, they play a huge role in the integration of faith and learning at Bethel.
Dean of Nursing
Julie De Haan, EdD, RN
Associate Dean of Nursing and Public and Community Health, Chief Nursing Administrator | j-de-haan@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2011
Julie has a wide range of nursing experience including PICU, adult medical ICU, outpatient services, private duty, clinic nursing, and telemetry. Research interests include collaborative testing, use of exam item best practices, improving exam items to develop clinical judgment.
Program directors and lead faculty
Kristi Gustafson, MA, RN-BC
Program Director of Post Baccalaureate Nursing and Assistant Instructor of Nursing | kristina-gustafson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2012
Program director for Post-Baccalaureate Nursing. Practice expertise in pediatric nursing. Special interests in simulation, holistic admissions, promoting student success, and supporting transition to practice.
Faculty
Tara Cheath, MSN, RN
Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing | tac64455@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2018
Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing
Cassie Clabaugh, MSN, RNC-OB
Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing | c-clabaugh@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2020
Cassie has 8 years of nursing experience in telemetry, labor & delivery, high-risk antepartum, and postpartum. Her interests include instructional design, simulation, and developing lasting relationships with students!
Teresa Emenecker, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor of Nursing | t-emenecker@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2023
Teri has over 16 years of experience working as a staff RN on mother/baby units. Additional experience as a Family Nurse Practitioner in a pediatric urgent care and pediatric neurology setting. Her interests include clinical, skills, and using simulation in nursing education.
Tori Furlong, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor of Nursing | v-furlong@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2020
Tori has 5 years of experience in cardiac and medsurg nursing, and currently works as a birth assistant at a free-standing birth center. Her interests include the development of fundamental skills, nursing simulation in education, curriculum development and active learning methods, and nurse mentorship.
David Muhovich, M.P.H, M.S., RN
Associate Professor of Nursing | d-muhovich@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1995
Dissertation research on models in advocacy nursing, to give voice to African nurses in the Twin Cities, Uganda, and Nigeria; exploring personal and system barriers to the advancement of nursing.
Sara Nylin, DNP, RNC
Associate Professor of Nursing | s-nylin@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2015
Sara has twenty years of experience in OB nursing, primarily Labor & Delivery and High Risk OB. Her interests include cultural variations in the childbirth experience, the use of simulation in nursing education, and the needs of multilingual learners in nursing.
Debbie Solomon, DNP, FNP-C, PHN
Clinical Professor of Nursing | debra-solomon@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1998
When not teaching at Bethel, Debbie works as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Practice and Educational interests include: public health nursing, community health, health education/health promotion, care coordination, community-based care, elder care, end of life care, diversity, and international health
Wendy Thompson, DNP, MPH, PHN, RN
Associate Professor of Nursing | wendy-thompson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1998
Dr. Thompson is the Program Director for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program that launched in spring, 2019. She is thrilled to be a part of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and has taught at Bethel University since 1998. Wendy has over 30 years of experience in public health nursing and healthcare administration. Her interests include nursing leadership, population-focused health care, community engagement, health equity, and healthcare finance. She also has experience in curriculu. . . read more.
Heather Vedders
Assistant Professor of Nursing | heather-vedders@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2023
Heather has twenty+ years of experience in pediatric nursing, primarily inpatient med/surg, neuroscience, behavioral health, hematology/oncology and school nursing.
Amy Witt, PhD, RN, CNE
Professor of Nursing | a-witt@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2007
Amy has a wide range of nursing experience, including surgical intensive care and trauma, medical surgical nursing, and forensic nursing as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. She completed her Ph.D. in Nursing with the dissertation focus on the cultural competence of Baccalaureate nursing students. She previously served on the Minnesota Board of Nursing. Her current research interests include Collaborative Testing, Next Generation NCLEX item writing, and preparing students for safe practice . . . read more.
Adjunct faculty
Candy Hanson-Yerigan
Adjunct Instructor of Nursing | c-hanson-yerigan@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2025
Adjunct Instructor of Nursing
Alicia Murphy, DNP, RN
Adjunct Instructor of Nursing | alicia-murphy@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2020
Alicia is a registered nurse teaching in the post-baccalaureate nursing program. I have been a nurse for over twenty years and have worked in various clinical settings. I have taught in both BSN and MSN programs in the traditional and online classrooms. My primary teaching focus is nursing assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, public health and leadership.
Grace Olakunie
Adjunct Instructor of Nursing | gro47647@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2026
Adjunct Instructor of Nursing
Peyton Olsen
Adjunct Instructor of Nursing | pew38935@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2025
Peyton has specialized in adult oncology as an RN (BSN) since her graduation from Bethel in 2017. She is ONS/ONCC certified and enjoys keeping up to date with the newest cancer research. She has been a nursing instructor at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA and has experience teaching on many different specialty floors. The "aha!" moment that students experience is what keeps her coming back to teach nursing. In the past, she has also worked at Fidocure - helping to pave the way for dog. . . read more.
Janelle Shearer, MA, RN, PHN, CPHQ
Adjunct Instructor of Nursing | janelle-shearer@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2010
Janelle's clinical experience includes work in home health, hospice, critical care units, medical-surgical, and obstetrics. Extensive experience leading quality improvement programs related to hospital, home health care, patient safety, and palliative care.
Linda Shell, DNP, RN, DNS-CT
Adjunct Instructor of Nursing | linda-shell@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2008
Linda has served over 25 years in the field of aging in a variety of roles including staff nurse, director of nursing, corporate education, leadership, clinical consultant, and quality improvement. She worked five years at HCMC in surgical trauma but left to return back to her true love of senior care. She currently travels the country speaking on the topic of leadership and facilitating leadership programs for senior care providers and non-profits. She developed her DNP project into a lead. . . read more.
Emeritus/emerita faculty
Linda Anderson
Professor of Nursing Emerita | l-anderson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1990
Public health nursing, pediatrics, evidence-based practice, and health assessment. Special interest in preceptor development for public health nurses including school and faith community nurses.
Kimberley Meyer
Associate Professor of Nursing Emerita | k-meyer@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1997
Dr. Meyer has been teaching since 1989 in nursing theory, fundamentals of nursing, ethics, psychiatric mental health nursing in the undergraduate program; theory and nurse educator courses in the MSN program, theory in the DNP program, and psychopathology in the marriage and family therapy master's program at Bethel Seminary. Areas of specific interest include: theory, ethics, mental health and mental illness in society and the church, women's issues, and innovations in nursing education.. . . read more.
Bernita Missal
Professor of Nursing Emerita | b-missal@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2002
Cultural diversity, Cross-cultural childbearing and child-rearing families, Evidence-based practice, obstetrics, mentoring students for international experiences, cross-cultural research, research especially qualitative.
Jone Tiffany
Professor of Nursing Emerita | tifjon@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2001
Dr. Tiffany is a Professor of Nursing, Healthcare Education Consultant, and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. In her academic role, she is involved in designing and implementing simulations in the lab and in virtual settings; the use educational technology; and teaches Innovations in Nursing Education and Nursing Informatics. She also chairs the Credentialing and Privileging sub-committee of the Board of Directors for the Fairview Care system in Minneapolis, MN. Dr. Tiffany has presented n. . . read more.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Bethel University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Find out whether this program meets the licensure requirements for your state here.