University Park, Pa. – Lisa Kitko, associate dean for graduate education and associate professor in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, has announced her departure from the University, effective Aug. 31. Kitko will assume a new role as the dean of the University of Rochester’s School of Nursing on Sept. 1.
“Lisa has been a tremendous force for Penn State and nursing, her time here has seen the launch and growth of a variety of graduate programs and research projects. She has created a legacy for years to come,” said Laurie Badzek, dean of the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. “She will be a phenomenal dean and advance our profession in the best ways.”
Kitko has been with the University for more than 20 years, and she was instrumental in the college’s accreditation process and served as co-chair for the college’s National League for Nursing Center of Excellence application process. She has served on the faculty senate and chaired countless search committees on behalf of nursing and the University.
In her time at Penn State, Kitko led the restructuring of nursing’s graduate education program and the migration of the college’s master’s level nurse practitioner program to the doctoral level, where it is now available online through the World Campus. With her leadership, the college’s master’s programs moved up on the U.S. News and World Report lists. Additionally, it was her guidance that ushered nursing’s graduate program through the pandemic, with a paramount focus on student safety.
She is an expert in palliative care and heart failure, using her expertise to advocate for caregivers who support their loved ones throughout their heart failure trajectory. She is a fellow for both the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Nursing. Kitko’s research portfolio includes funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA). She is affiliated with Age-Friendly Care, PA lending her expertise to age-friendly healthcare in rural Pennsylvania.
Additionally, Kitko is a co-PI on an NIH grant titled "Improving Access through Research and Training (IMPACT)" an interdisciplinary project aiming to prepare students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue advanced degrees in health-related fields.
Kitko earned both her Ph.D. in nursing with a minor in gerontology and her master’s degree as a clinical nurse specialist from Penn State. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh.
A search for Kitko’s replacement will begin shortly, with Judy Hupcey, associate dean for research and innovation, serving in the role during the interim.