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Meet the Health Services Staff
Kelly Palm, Director
Family Nurse Practitioner, MSN, APRN, BC
Kelly started her journey with the intention of becoming a veterinarian. However, things did not go as planned, but as they say, life has a funny way of leading us on paths that we sometimes never expect. In her attempt to find a new path, Kelly decided to embark on the nursing journey to follow in her mom’s footsteps. What started as pure emulation blossomed into a journey of fulfillment and a love for nursing. Kelly earned her associate degree in nursing right here in Massachusetts at HCC and then moved to Hawaii. There she worked as a nurse at the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. While working at Queens, she decided to pursue her bachelor’s degree at Hawaii Pacific University. After 10 years in Hawaii, Kelly moved back to Massachusetts to be closer to family. In 2014, she earned her Master’s Degree in Nursing and became a Family Nurse Practitioner. After trying a couple of different jobs, Kelly found her niche in college health, where she enjoys working with and educating young adults. She has taught STI and Contraceptive classes at her sons’ school as well as nursing students at Greenfield Community College. She has done so much right? But Kelly is also a mom and a wife and I had to ask how she balances it all. She shared that she tries to choose jobs that will fit into her schedule so she can make time for her family. She also shared that as a way to spend more time with her children and work as a nurse during the summers, she used to do camp nursing and bring her kids along with her. Having such a beautiful soul join our Westfield State family is nothing short of a blessing. Kelly has been here for a short time (October of 2020) but looks forward to getting to know her new Westfield State University family. She is excited for our school setting to return to normal so she can bond with the students in person. (Interviewed by Seldine Chambers-Sutton, Health Sciences, Class).
Pauline Moran, Associate Director
Family Nurse Practitioner, MSN, APRN, BC
Pauline began her journey to health services when she first attended St. Vincents Hospital School of Nursing in Worcester, Ma, and then went to Worcester State College where she received her BSN. Later, she graduated from Umass Amherst with a Master of Science in Primary Care and became board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She began at WSU in 2011 as a nurse practitioner in Health Services.
Her favorite or most rewarding part of working on a college campus is that this is her favorite age group to work with and she loves the amount of teaching involved with visits. Pauline loves how appreciative the students are. She enjoys helping students, who many times are seeking medical care on their own for the first time, remain comfortable and informed about their bodies and health care decisions. She loves that Health services can help students make informed decisions about their health as well as learn something new about their body.
If she could tell her younger self something, it would be to take more risks and to not be scared to travel far away. Also, she would like to tell herself to relax because life is wonderful, and everything turns out amazing. Pauline loves Western Massachusetts and especially the changing of seasons, as well as being close to family. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her two granddaughters, reading when she gets the chance, and being with her dog, Maisie.
Donna Anderson
Family Nurse Practitioner, DNP, FNP-BC
Donna Anderson is a kind-hearted- soul who hails from right here in Western Massachusetts. She enjoys yoga, horseback riding, kayaking, skiing, gardening, and cooking. In fact, one of her favorite cuisines is Italian. As a nurse Practitioner, she believes in the importance “ that each patient has individualized and varying needs,” and utilizes these said needs to allow her to “provide the highest level of evidence-based care and treatment” for her patients. Some might think that her journey began with nursing and that this had been her area of expertise all along but funny to say she started out in veterinary medicine. Soon, she realized that attending to humans was just as important and this gave her the opportunity to have more diversity while still fulfilling her aim of providing support and care for others. She received her Associates of Science in Nursing from Holyoke Community College in Holyoke, Ma, then went ahead to earn her Bachelors of Science in Nursing and Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, MA. She has a wide range of experience in preventative health, emergency services, occupational health, and college health. She has worked at Urgent Care, at Holyoke Medical Center in the behavioral health department, and has worked at Holyoke Community College for 12 years before joining the Westfield State family. Donna believes that a provider needs to tend to the physical but also the mental and emotional aspects of their patient’s wellness and therefore strives to show this through her actions daily.
Lisa Brosnan
Family Nurse Practitioner, DNP, FNP-BC
Lisa received a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Syracuse University. After 15 years of working as a registered nurse in various hospital settings, she went on to receive a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Elms College and her certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Lisa believes that nursing is more than a career – it’s a calling. Her mother and grandmother were both nurses, so she thinks it might be in her DNA! Lisa is a caregiver at heart, and when she became a nurse many years ago, her intention was to have a career where she could help take care of others during some of the most challenging times in their lives. She believes that nurse practitioners are unique in that they focus not only on disease management and prevention, but they also approach healthcare quite holistically and devote a great deal of time to patient education. As a nurse practitioner here at WSU, Lisa uses her education and experience to help students navigate the healthcare system, handle healthcare challenges, and live healthier lives. She feels privileged to provide care to the students here at WSU. She finds their energy and enthusiasm to be contagious and feels that it helps her stay young (or young at heart!). Although it has been awhile since she was in college, she still remembers the stresses and challenges of college life. Helping students navigate these challenges and manage their health concerns is so rewarding. Plus, she gets to work with an amazing and dedicated group of providers who make it fun to come to work every day! In her free time, Lisa enjoys spending time with her husband and two teenage boys, traveling, reading, listening to music, and spending time with her pets.