September 11, 2026
CLEVELAND, OH (Sept. 11, 2026)— Ursuline College is excited to announce Sarahbeth Abalos, Ph.D., RN, CNE, CNEcl, as the new director of the college’s renowned Breen School of Nursing. She brings 25 years of professional experience with a rich background in nursing, nursing education, clinical supervision and advocacy.
Abalos previously served as the director of the Villa Maria School of Nursing at Gannon University in Erie, Pa., and, before that, served as the nursing program director at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. In these roles, she provided academic and strategic leadership for their nursing programs while leading initiatives focused on faculty development and growth in student enrollment.
Prior to her role at Hiram College, Abalos served as the director of the nursing program at Thiel College in Greenville, Pa., and as a nursing faculty member at the school of nursing of the Sharon Regional Medical Center in Sharon, Pa.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Abalos as our director,” said Kim Cavanagh, DHSc, PA-C, acting dean of the Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions at Ursuline College. “She brings significant experience in nursing and nursing education. I look forward to her fostering the continued growth of our nursing programs and ensuring our students continue to provide the highest quality of nursing education in the region.”
Abalos earned both her MSN and Ph.D. in nursing from Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. She also holds an AAS in nursing from Ashland Community and Technical College in Ashland, Ky.
Founded in 1947, the Breen School of Nursing has been designated as a national Center for Excellence by the National League for Nursing and has received recognition as one of the top 10 nursing colleges in Ohio and falls in the upper third of all nursing programs in the U.S. As director, Dr. Abalos will provide strategic oversight of undergraduate and graduate programs to ensure adherence to accreditation standards, while driving program growth and innovation.
