Karen Devereaux Melillo PhD, APRN, CNP, AGNP-C, FAANP, FGSA
Dr. Karen Devereaux Melillo is Professor Emerita and former Interim Dean (2014-2019), Solomont School of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML). She earned her PhD from Brandeis University, 1990, and a Master of Science Degree in Gerontological Nursing from UML, 1978, preparing her as a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. She was selected for the University of Massachusetts Lowell's Francis Cabot Lowell College of Health Professions Alumni Award and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Massachusetts Bay Community College. Her research has examined the utilization of nurse practitioners in institutional long-term care, physical fitness and exercise activity of older adults, and the application of a wandering technology device for older adults with dementia. She has been PI on the project, "Bring Diversity to Nursing," funded for over $2.2M by both the Mass. Department of Public Health, 2007-2014 and the U.S. DHHS, Health Resources and Services Administration, Nursing Workforce Diversity, 2008-2016. She was Co-Investigator on a HRSA ANE-funded grant, DNPs Caring for the Underserved, 2010-2014. She also served as a Co-Investigator on the CDC, NIOSH-funded study, "PHASE: Health Disparities Among Healthcare Workers," 2000-2006. Professional service includes: AANP Research Committee (2019-Present); American Academy of Nursing and John A. Hartford Foundation-funded Geropsychiatric Nursing Core Competency Workgroup, 2008-2010; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Nominating Committee member, 2007-2008; reviewer for grants and scholarships for the Foundation of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners; Massachusetts Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2nd VP, 2017-2019, Nominations and Awards Committee Chair, 2007-2009, 2013-2015; Massachusetts Department of Higher Education's Task Force on Building the Framework for the Future of Nursing Education and Practice (public university representative), 2008-2016; abstract reviewer for the Gerontological Society of America; Editorial Review Board member for the Journal of Gerontological Nursing; manuscript reviewer for Geriatric Nursing, Journal of Professional Nursing, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, The Gerontologist, Western Journal of Nursing Research; current Board member for Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation, 2017 to Present, and former Board of Trustees member for D'Youville Senior Care, Inc., Lowell, MA, 2008-2015; and past President of the Eta Omega Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. She co-edited the book, Geropsychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (Melillo & Houde, 2005, 2011), the 2nd edition of which received theAJN Book of the Year Award (first place in two categories; mental health, and gerontologic nursing). Identified as one of only 15 'Geriatric Nursing Leaders of Today' in Geriatric Nursing: Growth of a Specialty (Ebersole, 2006), Melillo has well over 100 publication credits to her name.