Meet our Faculty & Staff

Students select St. Johns College for their educational program to experience the individualized student interaction among students, faculty and staff. Highly qualified faculty and staff provide services to support student learning. Just as students are emphasized in the College, patient care is emphasized in the curriculum so that students may focus on their professional objectives while experiencing patient care in a variety of healthcare settings. Students, faculty and staff collaborate to honor the past while creating the future for nursing education and practice.

Faculty
Marjorie Beyers

Brenda Recchia Jeffers, PhD, RN, Chancellor / Dean, Professor

Email: brenda.jeffers@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: 217-544-6464 extension: 45165

Office: 1S131


Cindy C. Ackley, MSN, RN – Instructor
BSN                 Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing
                        Quincy, Illinois
MSN                 Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing
                        Quincy, Illinois

Email: cindy.ackley@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217) 544-6464, extension: 45447
Office: 2S204

Mary Barnes

Mary Barnes, RN, MS, CCRN – Assistant Professor

BSN                   Delaware State College

                          Dover, Delaware

MSN                   University of Illinois at Chicago

                          Chicago, Illinois

 Email: mary.barnes@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45454

Office: 2S207


 

 Angela Bentley, MS, RN – Adjunct Faculty

Diploma          St. John's Hospital School of Nursing

                      Springfield, Illinois

BS                 Sangamon State University

                      Springfield, Illinois

MS                 University of Illinois at Chicago

                      Peoria, Illinois

 

Email:  angela.bentley@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217) 544-6464

Office: 1S124

 

Linda Blakely

Linda Blakley, MSN, RN - Instructor

Diploma           St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing

                       Springfield, Illinois

BSN                 McKendree College

                        Lebanon, Illinois

MSN                 St. Louis University                           

                         St. Louis, Missouri 

Email: linda.blakley@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: 217-544-6464 extension: 45450Office: Room 2S211 

Linda Blakley received her Diploma in Nursing from St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing (Springfield, IL) in 1982, BSN from McKendree College (Lebanon, IL) in 2003, and then her MSN in Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist from St. Louis University (St. Louis, MO) 2009.  She is currently an Instructor of Nursing at St. John’s College, a position she has held since January 2009. Linda was a Labor and Delivery staff and charge nurse for 17 years and then a Perinatal Outreach Educator for 8 years. In her role as an Outreach Educator she taught fetal monitoring courses (through AWHONN) as well as neonatal resuscitation provider courses (through AAP). She has taught courses in maternity and pediatrics, as well as introductory medical surgical nursing at St. John’s College. She is a member of AWHONN (Association of Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses), STTI (Sigma Theta Tau International), NACNS (National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists) and March of Dimes—conference planning committee 2000-2008. Her research interest is with maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Gloria Brummer

Gloria Brummer, MS, RN, CEN, CNE – Assistant Professor

Diploma           St. John's Hospital School of Nursing

                       Springfield, Illinois

BSN                University of Illinois at Springfield

                       Springfield, Illinois

MS                  Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

                       Edwardsville, Illinois

 

Email: gloria.brummer@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: 217-544-6464, extension: 45451

Office: 2S219

Wendi Campbell RN, MSN - Instructor

Diploma           St. John’s Hospital, School of Nursing

                       Springfield, Illinois

BSN                Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville 

                       Edwardsville, Illinois

MSN                Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville 

                       Edwardsville, Illinois 

Email: Wendi.Campbell@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: 217-544-6464 extension: 45447Office: 1S124 

Wendi Campbell is a graduate of St. John’s School of Nursing, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She has clinical experience in the NICU and has worked for the past 8 years in two family practice settings; a rural clinic in Hillsboro and a large clinic in Springfield. She is a full time Nurse Practitioner with HSHS Medical Group working with the Hospitalists at St. Johns and directing the Anti-coagulation clinic at St. John's Health Center. She is a part-time clinical instructor at the College of Nursing.

Mary Ellen Carlson

Mary Ellen Carlson, MS, RN, CNE – Assistant Professor

Diploma           Swedish American Hospital, School of Nursing

                       Rockford, Illinois

BSN                Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

                       Edwardsville, Illinois

MS                  Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

                       Edwardsville, Illinois

 Email: mary.carlson@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: 217-525-5628 extension: 45436

Office: 2S224

 

Mary Ellen Carlson received her Diploma Degree from Swedish American Hospital in

Rockford, IL, and her BSN and MS from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) through NLN. She is currently an assistant professor at St. John’s College in Springfield IL. Mary Ellen Carlson has 22 plus years teaching experience in undergraduate nursing education in the classroom, lab, and clinical setting. Her main focus of teaching is medical-surgical nursing. Her main clinical focus has been medical-surgical nursing, diabetes, nephrology; and recently psychiatric care and quality and safety. She is currently a member of the Academic Affairs Committee at St. John’s College, and also a member of Sigma Theta Tau. She has experience in student advisement programs and accreditation reports.

Jill Chamberlain

Jill Chamberlain, MS, RN, CNE - Assistant Professor

BSN                    St. John’s College

                           Springfield, Illinois

MS                      Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville 

                           Edwardsville, Illinois

EdD Studies         NOVA Southeastern University Florida 

Email: jill.chamberlain@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: 217-525-5628 or 217-544-6464 extension: 45439

Office: 2S212 

Jill Chamberlain received her BSN degree from St. John’s College, Dept. of Nursing and her MS from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. She is currently an Assistant Professor of nursing at St. John’s College, Dept. of Nursing, where she has been a faculty member since 2004. Jill teaches in Introduction to Caring to Professional Nursing, Health Assessment Across the Adult Lifespan, Caring for Clients with Complex Health Demands, and Leadership/Management: Perspectives of Caring. She has clinical experience in acute care, emergency care and management. She received her Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) certification in 2008. She is an active member with Sigma Theta Tau Nu Pi chapter. Her nursing interests include geriatrics and her educational interests include curriculum development. She devotes her service to making young people aware of all the exciting possibilities of the nursing profession.

Shannon Davis

Shannon Ryan Davis, MSN, RN - Instructor

BSN                    St. John’s College

                           Springfield, Illinois

MSN                    Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

                            Edwardsville, Illinois 

Email: shannon.davis@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: 217-544-6464, extension: 45435

Office: 2S208

Jane Diers, EdD, RN, CNE  - Associate Professor

Diploma           St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing

                       Springfield, Illinois

BSN                Illinois Wesleyan University

                       Bloomington, Illinois

MS                  University of Illinois at Chicago

                       Chicago, Illinois

EdD                 Illinois State University

                       Normal, Illinois

 

Email: jane.diers@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: 217-544-6464, extension: 45448

Office: 2S218

 

Jane Diers earned her diploma of nursing from St. John’s School of Nursing, a BSN from Illinois Wesleyan University, a MS from University of Illinois at Chicago, and an EdD from Illinois State University. Jane’s doctoral degree is in Curriculum and Instruction and her studies focused on assessing and appraising the professional communication of nursing students. She has taught nursing at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels for over 18 years. Dr. Diers was among the first group to become a Certified Nurse Educator in 2005. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau and Phi Kappa Delta. Her research interests include communication, online education, and program evaluation.

Cheryl Huffman

Cheryl Huffman, MS, RN – Assistant Professor
Diploma           Lakeview Hospital School of Nursing
                       Danville, Illinois
BSN                Indiana State University
                       Terre Haute, Indiana
MS                  Indiana State University
                       Terre Haute, Indiana

Email: cheryl.huffman@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu
Phone: 217-544-6464, extension: 45456
Office: 2S227

Linda Mabus

Linda Mabus, MA, MS, RN - Assistant Professor

BSN          Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

                 Edwardsville, Illinois

MA            University of Illinois at Springfield

                 Springfield, Illinois

MS            Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

                 Edwardsville, Illinois

Email: linda.mabus@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45445

Office: 2S206

Michelle McCarthy, MS, RN, CPHQ - Instructor

Diploma     St. John's Hospital, School of Nursing

                 Springfield, Illinois

BSN          University of Illinois at Springfield

                 Springfield, Illinois

MS            University of Illinois at Chicago

                 Chicago, Illinois

DNP(c)       Rush University

                 Chicago, Illinois

Email: michelle.mccarthy@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45375

Office: 2M42, St. John's Hospital   

Michelle McCarthy earned a diploma in nursing from St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1977, a BSN from Sangamon State University in 1982, a MS in Nursing from University of Illinois at Chicago, Peoria Regional Campus, in 1990 and is a DNP candidate at Rush University College of Nursing, expected graduation in June of 2012. Michelle is a Certified Professional in Health Care Quality and served as the Division Director for Quality Resource Management at St. John’s Hospital for 14 years. She is currently an Instructor at St. John’s College and also serves as the hospital’s Nursing Coordinator for Innovation and Technology. Her scholarly interests include Evidence Based Practice, Nursing Leadership, and Patient Safety.                                            

Mary Micklus

Mary Micklus, MSN, RN - Instructor

Diploma     Springfield Memorial Hospital, School of Nursing

                 Springfield, Illinois

BSN          University of Illinois at Springfield

                 Springfield, Illinois

MSN          Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

                  Edwardsville, Illinois

Email: mary.micklus@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-5628

Office:1S124

Kelley Obringer, MSN, RN - Instructor

BSN          Millikin University

                 Decatur, Illinois

MSN         Millikin University

                 Decatur, Illinois

Email: kelley.obringer@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45438

Office: 2S214

Kelley Obringer is a graduate of Millikin University bachelor’s and master’s programs. Her experience includes a clinical residency during her master’s program and part-time adjunct teaching experience, including student tutoring at Richland Community College. Her teaching experience includes medical-surgical nursing. Kelley’s research interests include transcultural nursing, end-of-life care, family needs and experiences, and critical thinking/clinical reasoning.

Marilyn Robins

Marilyn Robins, DNPc, RN - Adjunct Faculty

BSN               University of Illinois at Springfield

                      Springfield, Illinois

MSN/APN       University of Illinois at Chicago

                      Chicago, Illinois

DNP(c)            University of Illinois at Chicago

                       Chicago, Illinois

Email: marilyn.robins@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 47878

Office: 2S215

Marilyn Robins received her Registered Nurse Diploma in 1975 from Memorial Medical Center, followed by completion of her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Illinois, Springfield. Her Master’s of Science in Nursing and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner education were completed at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She is currently Board Certified as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. Also, she is completing a Doctoral in Nursing Practice at the University of Illinois, Chicago. As a new adjunct faculty at St. John’s College, she is teaching medical surgical clinical part time. For over 30 years, Marilyn has worked in Intensive Care Units, Emergency Departments and Transport Teams in Springfield, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, and San Diego, California. Also, she has been, and is currently employed as a Board Certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in Emergency and Prompt Care settings at St. John’s Hospital and Springfield Clinic. She has been a Board Certified Emergency Nurse, as well as a Trauma Nurse Specialist. She maintains certification in ACLS and PALS. Her memberships include the American College of Nurse Practitioners, Emergency Nurses Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and Sigma Theta Tau International. New in the faculty role, but not new to the profession, Marilyn looks forward to this new endeavor.


Casey Schumacher, MSN, RN - Academic Lead

Diploma         BurgeSchool of Nursing

                     Springfield, Missouri

BSN              Drury University

                     Springfield, Missouri

MSN-FNP      University of Minnesota at Mankato

                     Mankato, Minnesota

PhD Studies   University of Iowa (ABD)

                     Iowa City, Iowa

Email:casey.schumacher@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45441

Office: 1S104

Yvonne Schmudde

Yvonne Schmudde, MS, RN - Assistant Professor

Diploma     Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, School of Nursing

                 Peoria, Illinois

BSN          Mennonite College of Nursing

                 Normal, Illinois

MS            University of Illinois at Chicago

                 Chicago, Illinois

Email: yvonne.schmudde@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45452

Office: 2S226

Yvonne Schmudde received her BSN from Mennonite College of Nursing and her MS from the University of Illinois-Chicago. She is currently an Instructor of Nursing at St. John’s College in Springfield, Illinois, a position she has held since 2000. Yvonne has twelve years of experience in undergraduate nursing education in the classroom and clinical setting. She has taught courses in Pathophysiology/Pharmacology, Adult Medical-Surgical nursing for junior level nursing students and Complex Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing and Critical Care Nursing for senior level nursing students. She has been a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for 27 years and is CCRN certified. She is also a member of Sigma Theta Tau and the National League for Nursing and is CNE certified. She has 25 years of clinical nursing experience in medical and surgical intensive care, cardiovascular intensive care and cardiac cath lab.


Nancy Semenza, PhD, RN - Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty

BSN                 University of Illinois

                        Springfield, Illinois

MSN                 University of Illinois                         

                        Chicago, Illinois

PhD                  Saint Louis University

                         St. Louis, Missouri

 

Email: nancy.semenza@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217) 544-6464, extension 45443

Office: 1S105 

Judy Shackelford

Judy Shackleford, PhD, RN - Associate Professor

BSN          Southern Illinois University

                 Edwardsville, Illinois

MS            University of Illinois

                 Urbana, Illinois

PhD           University of Missouri

                 St. Louis, Missouri

Email: judy.shackleford@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45444

Office: 1S139

Dr. Judy Shackelford is an associate professor at St. John’s College, Department of Nursing and Director of St. John’s College, Department of Continuing Education. She has been an educator for 23 years. She obtained her BSN from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1983, her MS in Adult Health Nursing from University of Illinois at Champaign in 1988 and her PhD in Nursing from the University of Missouri at St. Louis in 2007.

Dr. Shackelford is a medical/surgical “generalist” with a research focus in adult asthma self-management education to improve health care outcomes. She is passionate about nursing and research with a career goal to expand nursing research utilization to improve health care practice and outcomes for the health care consumer. She serves on the College’s Research and Evaluation Committee and is a representative for St. John’s Hospital, Center for Learning and Innovation. Dr. Shackelford considers it an honor to work for an institution where Christian values are foundational to its mission, and a blessing to serve in a profession where God’s
healing presence can reside freely.

 

Jennie VanSchyndel

Jennie Van Schyndel, MSN, RN - Assistant Professor

ADN          Lincoln Land Community College

                 Springfield, Illinois

BSN          University of Illinois at Urbana

                 Urbana, Illinois

MSN         University of Missouri

                Columbia, Missouri

Email: jennie.vanschyndel@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45455

Office: 2S211

Jennie Van Schyndel received her BSN from the University of Illinois and MSN from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Nursing at
St. John’s College in Springfield, Illinois, a position she has held since 1993. She is also a doctoral student at the Indiana University. Jennie Van Schyndel has twenty years experience in undergraduate nursing education in the classroom, clinical and lab setting. She has experience in curriculum development, in writing NLN and NCA accreditation reports, student advisement program development. She has taught courses in community health nursing, nursing research, leadership, obstetrics, pediatrics, and nursing fundamentals. She has been a member of the Illinois Public Health Association nursing section task for evidence based public health nursing. She has clinical nursing experience in community health, and geriatric psychiatric nursing. She has managed technology programs at St. John’s College for faculty and students. Her current doctoral research focus is with online teaching strategies.

Julie A. Varns, MSN, RN – Instructor
Diploma           St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing
                       Springfield, Illinois
BSN                Sangamon State University
                       Springfield, Illinois
MSN                University of Missouri
                       St. Louis, Missouri

Email: Julie.Varns@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217) 544-6464, extension: 47878

Office: 2S215


Support Services
Beth Beasley

Beth Beasley, MA, RN - Student Development Officer

ADN          Lincoln Land Community College

                 Springfield, Illinois

BS            Illinois State University

                 Normal, Illinois

MA            University of Illinois at Springfield

                 Springfield, Illinois

Email: beth.beasley@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45468

Office: 1S115

Beth M. Beasley MA, RN is currently the Student Development Officer at St. John’s College, Department of Nursing, Springfield, Illinois. She began her career in Education in 1982. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Education from Illinois State University; Master of Arts in Marketing and Communications from the University of Illinois at Springfield, (formerly Sangamon State University) and an Associate Degree in Nursing from Lincoln Land Community College. She joined St. John’s College in 1989 after working as a nurse in a critical cardiac care unit. Her responsibilities at St. John’s College are to strive to uphold the mission of the student development office which is to anticipate, plan for, and respond to the needs of a diverse and changing student body by providing services and programs that promote physical and emotional well-being and foster intellectual and personal growth.


Mary Brown, BA - Financial Aid Officer

BA             Blackburn College

                 Carlinville, Illinois

Email: mary.brown@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 44705

Office: 1S136

Mary Brown has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration and leadership from Blackburn College. She is a member of the Illinois Association for Student Financial Aid Administrator (ILASFAA) and currently serves on their Executive Board as the Vice President for Health Profession Schools.

Linda Quigley

Linda Quigley, BA - Admissions Officer/Registrar

BA             University of Northern Iowa
                  Cedar Falls, Iowa


Email: linda.quigley@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45440

Office: 1S137

Support Staff  
 

Fumika Brudnak - Dept. of Continuing Education Clerk

Email: fumika.brudnak@st-johns.org
Phone: (217) 544-6464 extension: 45442

Office: 1S131

Dorothy Dorner

Dorothy Dorner - Department Secretary

Email: dorothy.dorner@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45165

Office: 1S131


Wilma Christianson

Wilma Christianson - Department Secretary

Email: wilma.christianson@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45166

Office: 1S121

Jeannette Forgas

Jeannette Forgas -College Clerk

Email: jeannette.forgas@stjohnscollegespringfield.edu

Phone: (217)-544-6464, extension: 45168

Office: 1S121