Faculty and Staff

La Tonya L. Rafe is a seasoned nurse educator hailing from Chicago, Illinois, with an impressive 20-year background in critical care nursing. Her journey in healthcare began with practicing critical care nursing in the heart of Chicago, providing her with invaluable experience and insights. Currently serving as a full-time Lecturer in the School of Nursing […]

Dr. Sheeler has been a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing for the last 4 years. Areas of Research Emergency nursing; Elderly nursing; Alcohol abuse on college campuses Education BS, 1999, East Carolina University, Communications ADN, 2005, Queens University of Charlotte MSN/ FNP, 2009, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill DNP, […]

Dr. Katherine Shue-McGuffin has been a faculty member in the School of Nursing since 2017 as the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Coordinator and a Clinical Associate Professor. Her scholarship is focused on primary prevention of disease. Dr. Shue-McGuffin has authored and co-authored publications in nursing and health-related journals based on her scholarship. She serves […]

Amanda Smith, MSN, CCRN has served as a nurse for 9 years. She works in adult medical surgical for two years and the other 7 years has been in pediatrics working with children born with congenital heart defects. For the last 6 years, Smith has been working at Levine Children’s Hospital in the CVICU. She […]

Christopher (Chris) M. Smith, PhD, MSN, RN, GCQM is an Assistant Professor in the College of Health and Human Services, School of Nursing. He is a first-generation college student who earned a PhD in Nursing Science from East Carolina University. During Dr. Smith’s doctoral studies, he earned a post-master’s certificate in Quantitative Methods for Social […]

Dr. Sossoman has been a nurse for more than 30 years and a nurse practitioner for 23 years. She is the Faculty Specialist for the AG-ACNP program, a collaboration between Atrium Health and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has been a nurse practitioner in multiple cardiovascular specialties. Currently, she practices in advanced […]

Suzanne Trotter MSN, BSN graduated with her BSN from Gardner-Webb University in 2001 and MSN from Appalachian State University in 2022.  She has worked as a medical surgical nurse, family practice nurse, pediatric nurse and a school nurse prior to coming to UNC Charlotte.  Suzanne is passionate about the role nurses have in advocating and […]

Meredith Troutman-Jordan, PhD, PMHCNS-BC a American Nurses Credentialing Center certified psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist, and my clinical experience includes work in inpatient, outpatient, and residential psychiatric mental health and substance abuse treatment, and home health.  She has worked primarily with older adults for the past 20 years. Areas or research Healthy Aging, Psychiatric […]

Dr. Charlene Whitaker-Brown, DNP, MSN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, CHFN, RN is a Clinical Associate professor in the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is also dual certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Indiana State […]

Dr. Winiger has practiced as an advanced practice provider (APP) for over 20 years with Atrium Health/Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute. She serves as the clinical coordinator for the AG-ACNP Program, a partnership between Atrium Health and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a published author, and the 2023 American College of […]