Our team
Ella Palmieri
President and Founder
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Year: Fourth
Major: Nursing
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate or mint chocolate chip
Go to Karaoke Song: Mr. Brightside
A Little Bit More About Me: Aside from The Art of Nursing, Ella loves being involved in THON, Harmony and Phi Chi Theta, a business fraternity. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, running, biking, and going on adventures. She is so excited to embark on this next year and hopes that The Art of Nursing is able to grow as an organization!
Why I Created The Art of Nursing: I hope to bring joy and happiness to the elderly and sick through song. I also love the way that music connects others and brings people together.
Julia Chan
Treasurer
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Year: Third
Major: Nursing
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Mint chocolate chip, but it depends on my mood
Go to Karaoke Song: What Makes You Beautiful
A Little Bit More About Me: I am involved in SNAPS, THON, and Delta Phi Epsilon. I love spending time with my friends, crocheting, and driving around. I am super excited to meet more members of the org and can't wait for us to sing together!
Ronnie Spoto
Musical Director
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Year: Second
Major: Musical Theatre BFA
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Ben and Jerry's Milk and Cookies
Go to Karaoke Song: Any Adele ballad
A Little Bit More About Me: I come from an extensive background in musical theatre and musical direction. During his high school years, I won numerous regional awards for both of his passions including being 1 of 72 people in the United States selected to attend the 2021 National High School Musical Theatre "Jimmy" Awards. Besides music, I love burning myself on Florida beaches, taking naps, and continuing my lifelong addiction of Cheez-its. I am very excited to continue leading this amazing choir of nurses!
Katie Mardirossian
Member
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Year: Fourth
Major: Nursing
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate peanut butter
Go to Karaoke Song: Dancing Queen
A Little Bit More About Me: In my free time, I love being involved with the Student Nurses Association at Penn State, Delta Gamma sorority, and Campus Music Ministry. I am also a College of Nursing Ambassador. I also enjoy listening to music, hiking and running, and volunteering with kids and animals. I look forward to what The Art of Nursing has in store this year and beyond!
Alex Lake
Member
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Year: Third
Major: Nursing
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Coffee oreo
Go to Karaoke Song: The Spins by Mac Miller
A Little Bit More About Me: In addition to The Art of Nursing, I am involved in Atlas Benefitting THON. I also enjoy hiking, working out, traveling, and spending time with friends and family!
Nicole Bernstein
Member
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Year: Fourth
Major: Nursing; minor in Human Development and Family Studies
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: I actually don't like ice cream!
Go to Karaoke Song: Tequila by The Champs
A Little Bit More About Me: I enjoy getting involved in all things nursing from being a PCT and Student Nurse Intern to being a part of SNAPS, MSNA, CON Student Ambassadors, and of course, The Art of Nursing. I love bing outdoors, spending time with friends, and playing guitar. I am super excited to continue spreading the brightness and positivity of this organization
Claudia Acevedo
Member
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Year: Third
Major: Kinesiology
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Pralines and Cream
Go to Karaoke Song: Need to Know
A Little Bit More About Me: I love watching soccer, especially La Liga (Spanish soccer league). I also love spending time at the beach roadtripping, and watching sunsets. I am also involved in PRSA (Puerto Rican Student Association) and enjoy spending time with my friends and family.
Sammi Wayne
Member
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Year: Second
Major: Nursing
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate raspberry
Go to Karaoke Song: Since You've Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson
A Little Bit More About Me: I am active within the SNAPS Organization and I am also a part of the rock climbing club. I love to spend time with my friends, workout, sing and enjoy the outdoors!
Caty Sanchez
Social Media Chair
Year: First
Hometown: Manassas, VA
Major: Nursing
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip
Go to Karaoke Song: Make You Feel My Love- Adele
Why I Joined The Art of Nursing: I wanted to meet some new people and spread love and joy through song!
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Zach Vinitski
Member
Year: Second
Hometown: Lansdale, PA
Major: Chemical Engineering
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: WPSU coffee break
Go to Karaoke Song: Since U Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson
Why I Joined The Art of Nursing: To share the joy we get from singing to others!
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Tanner Lafferty
Member
Year:
Hometown: Jenkintown, PA
Major: Nursing
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Black Raspberry
Go to Karaoke Song: That's the Way I Loved You-Taylor Swift
Why I Joined The Art of Nursing: I joined to help spread joy and music to those who need it!
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Meet our Advisors
Tanner Lafferty
Member
Year:
Hometown: Jenkintown, PA
Major: Nursing
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Black Raspberry
Go to Karaoke Song: That's the Way I Loved You-Taylor Swift
Why I Joined The Art of Nursing: I joined to help spread joy and music to those who need it!
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Adrianna Avolio
Member
Year: Third
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Major: Biological Sciences and Health Professions
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Sticky Bun
Go to Karaoke Song: Don't Stop Believing- Journey
Why I Joined The Art of Nursing: I like to sing and spend time with people who may need some extra joy in their lives!!
Erin Kitt-Lewis
Advisor
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My name is Erin Kitt-Lewis and I am Associate Professor in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. I was accepted into the Penn State nursing program in 1994 and have never left. I earned by Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate from this college. I am a nurse scientist and educator. In preparing the next generation of nurse leaders, I believe we must not only develop nurses who are prepared to advance the science and practice of nursing, but to appreciate the “art” of nursing. The American Nurses Association describes nursing as art and science. The “Art” of nursing refers to care, compassion, and communication. This club infuses care, compassion and communication by sharing their talents in the arts, whether it be playing an instrument, singing, storytelling, or drawing. Integrating arts in nursing practice is one way to address social and practice challenges our patients, our communities and our profession face. I am grateful to serve as the faculty of record for The Art in Nursing Club. It is with great pride that the next generation of nurse leaders, our very own students, recognize the importance of the arts and are inspired to provide this invaluable service to the patient and community we serve.
Maggie Layman
Co-Advisor
I am Maggie Layman, an Adjunct Instructor at the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. Originally from Ohio, I became a faculty member at PSU in 2016. I received my Master’s in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati with a specialization in nursing education and earned my Adult-Gero Clinical Nurse Specialist and Advanced Practice (APRN) Certification from ANCC. From the time I began my nursing career, I knew I wanted to have a role in the education of future nurses and my opportunities to teach BSN students both in and out of the classroom, has brought me an immense amount of joy. When I started working in the SICU at The Ohio State University Medical Center, I began to realize firsthand the relationship between the quality of nursing care provided and positive patient outcomes. The experienced nurses I tried to emulate (the ones I admired the most) were not only intelligent, organized, good communicators, and knowledgeable, but also possessed the qualities of compassion, and empathy. The care they provided required so many talents and skills, but these “standout” nurses had something that turned the science of nursing into an art form! The concepts of compassion and empathy have been a priority component and focus in every class or clinical I have taught as a nurse educator.
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The Art of Nursing club is an idea introduced to me by Ella Palmieri in Fall 2021. She was a student in my Health Assessment Lab, and I realized that she possessed a compassionate spirit that would allow her to someday be one of those “standout” nurses I admired so much as a new nurse. Whether students move forward to become bedside nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse scientists, nurse researchers, or nurse educator’s, the concept of nursing as an art form is relevant. How wonderful, I thought, to have a club that would provide nursing students an opportunity to express themselves through various art forms while interacting with patients and our community. The idea of art serving as inspiration for human connection is certainly not new, but The Art of Nursing club provides an opportunity for students to express themselves while building essential qualities of empathy and compassion. It is because of this connection that I am very excited to serve as a co-advisor for The Art of Nursing Club.