Dr. Mary Schuler, RN, MSN, EdD, CNE, assumes the position of Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Nursing Liaison at the School of Nursing. Dr. Schuler comes to the SON from Norwalk Community College in Connecticut, where she was director of nursing and allied health. With leadership management and curriculum development in her background, Dr. Schuler’s new focus is the future of nursing within the health care system of North Carolina.
North Carolina AHEC enables partnerships between academic institutions, health care agencies, and others in order to ensure that the health care and health-care workforce needs are met for the state of North Carolina. The Statewide AHEC Nursing Liaison works to meet the nursing mission of AHEC within North Carolina, and to ensure the availability of high quality continuing education for nurses.
Dr. Schuler says she is drawn to AHEC because she believes in the AHEC mission and vision, in serving underserved populations, and in working to make the diversity of health care workers reflect the population of the communities they serve. “These are things I hold dear,” Dr. Schuler says. “I consider this position an opportunity to look in a visionary manner at nursing in the state.” She also assumes a faculty role as a SON assistant clinical professor.
Dr. Gail Mazzocco stepped down as statewide AHEC nursing liaison this fall, a position she held since 2003. Dr. Schuler is grateful for the mentorship of Dr. Mazzocco and her more than 30 years’ experience with state workforce issues.