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Dean of The Breen School of Nursing and Strawbridge Professor
Dr. Sharpnack is Chair of the National League for Nursing Board of Governors and Dean and Strawbridge Professor at Ursuline College, The Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions. She has held numerous leadership and board positions on regulatory bodies, served as a Chief Nursing Officer for healthcare agencies, and as a leader in professional organizations at regional, national, and international levels. She was appointed to the Ohio Board of Nursing and served as president for three terms, supervisory member, and nursing education chair, and NCSBN delegate and committee member from 2014 through 2022. She is on the editorial board and reviewer for several refereed journals and has extensively published and presented at national and international conferences. Dr. Sharpnack is a Fellow in both the NLN Academy of Nurse Educators and the American Academy of Nursing.
Interim Dean the School of Arts, Sciences and Professional Studies; Director Core Curriculum; Professor
Mary Frances (Mimi) Pipino, earned her doctorate from the University of Cincinnati, specializing in ethnic American women’s literature, feminist theory and literary criticism, and the Victorian novel. Her dissertation, “I Have Found My Voice”: The Italian-American Woman Writer, was published in 2000 by Peter Lang as part of its Currents in Comparative Romance Literatures and Languages. Dr. Pipino’s research and teaching interests continue in ethnic and world literature and popular culture; she has published articles in Voices in Italian Americana, MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Multiethnic Literature, and, most recently, in the Modern Language Association’s collection Teaching Anglophone Caribbean Literature.
Associate Dean of Graduate Nursing & Professor
Dr. Baker completed her Master of Science degree in Nursing from Ursuline College and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Case Western Reserve University. She is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and is board certified as an Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist. She is also a Certified Professional in Health Care Quality and a Certified Nurse Educator. She has a vast nursing background in critical care, numerous areas of medical surgical nursing, nursing administration, health care informatics and pediatrics. Dr. Baker has taught at all levels of the nursing program, traditional Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN), Accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, MSN and DNP.
Interim Associate Dean of the School of Arts, Sciences, and Professional Studies; Chair, Business Unit; Program Director, Business; Associate Professor; Campus Pre-Law Advisor
Anne Murphy Brown, JD is the author of "Legally Mom, Real Women’s Stories Balancing Motherhood and Law Practice." She teaches courses in the Legal Studies, Business Management, and Masters of Business Administration programs, with her primary focus on classes related to business law and ethics. In addition, she has developed courses in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Employment Law, Public Interest Law and Law on Film. Associate Professor Murphy Brown was chosen to serve a three-year term on the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Paralegals beginning in fall 2018.
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Nursing, Assistant Professor
Dr. Dillon-Bleich earned an associate degree in nursing from Lorain County Community College, and both a Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. Dr. Dillon-Bleich’s clinical practice has been primarily in emergency nursing and nursing leadership. Professional interests include: systems thinking, safety science, competency development of healthcare providers, active learning/teaching strategies, and innovative clinical education models.
Registrar and Director of Academic Operations
Barbara Helms is a seasoned academic leader with 25 years of experience in higher education, including 20 years as a registrar. Currently serving as the Registrar and Director of Academic Operations at Ursuline College, she oversees the integrity of academic records and enhances operational efficiency. Her expertise encompasses student information systems, retention initiatives, and document management, alongside her oversight of the daily operations of the Registrar’s Office, transfer evaluation, academic advising/student success, and institutional research. Barbara holds a BA in History from Marietta College and an MBA from Lake Erie College, reflecting her commitment to the liberal arts.
Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Director of the Women's Center
Amy Lechko began her journey at Ursuline in 2004 as the Assistant Director of Student Activities. Throughout her 20+ year tenure, she has held roles such as Director of Residence Life and Associate Dean of Student Affairs, overseeing Residence Life, Metz Culinary Services, and Student Engagement and Orientation. In these positions, she has managed student conduct matters, facilitated peer mediation, and contributed to major events like Commencement, Orientation, and the Student Leadership Awards. Amy has also collaborated with departments across the college to provide mental health support and has been an active member of the CARES team since 2006. She continues to coordinate community-wide mental health trainings, including Mental Health First Aid. In 2018, she was tasked with establishing a Women’s Center, where she passionately advocates for women’s personal and professional well-being through programs centered on empowerment, leadership development, and self-care.
Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid Operations
Mary Lynn Perri began her career in financial aid in 1982 after graduating with her Bachelor of Arts degree from John Carroll University. She worked at two local private colleges before moving to Ursuline in 1989, where she has been supporting students’ educational goals ever since. During her 35 years at Ursuline, she was instrumental in creating the Student Service Center, a one-stop office for most student contact, and was project manager for the implementation of the software system currently used at the college. Mary Lynn has served on various committees and in elected roles for the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (OASFAA), including serving as President of the association in the 2005-06 year. She has also served in the regional association on various committees, including chair of the Summer Institute for two years.
Director, Library and Academic Support Services
Suzy Schroeder-Green began her career at Ursuline in 2006 as the Head of Library Electronic and Media Services and is currently serving as the Director of Library and Academic Support Services. Over the years her role as director has grown to include instructional design, instructional technology, and tutoring. She holds a Master of Library & Information Science from Kent State University and a BA in Business Administration from Lourdes College. Committed to enhancing student learning experiences through innovative library services, she led a renovation project to create the Learning Commons which resulted in increased usage of library resources and spaces. She has served as an OPAL representative and is currently an Independent Colleges and University Directors’ representative for OhioLINK.
Director of Campus Ministry
Sister Nicole Varnerin, SND comes to Ursuline College directly from earning her MDiv at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, IL. She has prior experience in facilitating social justice retreats and teaching/advising at the high school level. She started her professional career in engineering and clinical research before switching to pastoral ministry as part of her vocation to be a sister. She has been a Sister of Notre Dame for 10 years and looks forward to learning Ursuline spirituality.
