Faculty

Dr. Horton-Deutsch has led in academic and practice settings for over 30 years as an advanced practice psychiatric/mental health nurse, educator, consultant, program director, caring science endowed chair, coach, and academic/practice partnerships director. She is currently the Director of the University of San Francisco/Kaiser Permanente Partnership (KP) and Program Director for the RN-MSN for KP Scholars Academy. Throughout her educational and practice career, she has contributed to developing...

Dr. Silvinia Gonzalez Cuizon is a nurse leader, educator, and researcher whose scholarship centers on health equity, patient experience, and communication with culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Her PhD research explored the care experiences of Spanish-speaking patients with chronic illness, contributing to a deeper understanding of structural barriers and culturally responsive care.

She serves as Program Director and faculty in the RN-MSN Clinical Nurse Leader program at the...

Dr. Ann Lawani received her PhD in nursing from the University of San Diego. Her unique professional background includes small business accounting, clinical nursing practice and leadership. She is a practicing registered nurse; her clinical experience entails adult cardio-pulmonary, stroke, Cystic Fibrosis and orthopedic patient populations across multiple health care settings, including acute care and hospice facilities. A scholar and life-long learner, Dr. Lawani’s area of research includes...

Dr. Kaddoura PhD, CAGS, MSN, APRN, NP-C, CNE, has over 25 years of experience in nursing education and clinical practice. He currently teaches graduate Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and Medical Surgical courses in the Master and Doctorate programs.

Prior to joining USF, Dr. Kaddoura taught both graduate and undergraduate courses at Duke University and MCPHS University (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences). His expertise in using technology and designing innovative...

Kim Bellone RN, MSN, PHN, CNL received her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of San Francisco in 2007. Her personal experience bearing witness to her father’s long-term, debilitating neurologic illness profoundly shaped her commitment to nursing and inspired her advocacy for vulnerable populations. Dedicating her career to public service, Kim has worked on the front lines, serving the diverse communities of the City and County of San Francisco. She considers it a privilege to...

Lynda entered nursing because of her passion for experiencing diverse cultures and her interest in global health. Through summer internships during her BSN program — first with Crossroads Africa and then in Harlan, Kentucky — she gained experience serving communities with rich histories and cultures. She found her calling.

Early in her career, she worked with the International Rescue Committee in Thailand, assisting Cambodian refugees, a life-changing experience. At the San Francisco Unified...

Gary Michael Lose Cheshire, MBA, BSN, RN, CMSRN, is an experienced nurse educator and healthcare leader with expertise in medical-surgical, telemetry, progressive care, psychiatry, public health, day surgery, and community-based nursing. He began his nursing career after earning his Associate of Science in Nursing from the University of Alaska Anchorage (2016), followed by a BSN (2019) and MBA (2021) from Western Governors University. He is pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing with an...

Timothy S. Godfrey, S.J., DNP, RN, PHN is a Jesuit priest and has been on the faculty of the School of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of San Francisco since 2012. Dr. Godfrey received his doctoral degree at The Catholic University of America, and he holds advanced degrees in theology from The Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, as well as an MSW from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Fr. Godfrey has taught community health nursing, ethics, and social...

Scout Hebinck has been an adjunct professor in the School of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of San Francisco for the past 10 years. Having spent her early years in the emergency department, she then moved on to focus on maternal and pediatric care. While Scout developed a keen interest in educating nurses throughout her career, she saw the importance of empowering them to understand their direct effect on patient outcomes. 

Her key areas of work and research focus on...

Cynthia Huff is a graduate of the MSN and DNP programs at the University of San Francisco. Her career spans more than 44 years in nursing, with a focus on Oncology and Infusion Nursing across inpatient, ambulatory, and home health care settings. After graduating from USF, Cynthia's focus has been on improving the lives of cancer patients through the development of an electronic application for oral chemotherapy administration and other electronic methods to enhance patient outcomes and...

Dr. Pierson is a doctorate-prepared nurse with over 20 years of experience in obstetrics, including labor and delivery, postpartum, and maternal newborn care. Her professional work is grounded in evidence based practice, patient advocacy, and the advancement of safe, equitable maternal and newborn outcomes. Dr. Pierson remains committed to advancing maternal health through eduction, leadership, and compassionate clinical practice.