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Dr. Christina Lightner is an assistant teaching professor and coordinator of academic wellness at the Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. She is an advocate for personal health and well-being and aims to inspire others to live their best life. Dr. Lightner integrates wellness into the College environment through her leadership, connections with faculty and staff, and student support. She is a registered nurse and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (WHNP-BC) in Pennsylvania and has 14 years of experience as a nurse and teacher in labor and delivery, women’s health, maternal-child nursing, and simulation coordination. She is a National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator (CNE®), a trained facilitator for the Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment program, and a Mental Health First Aider. Dr. Lightner earned her associate degree in nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from Penn State, a Master of Science in Nursing with a major in women’s health from the University of Cincinnati, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or via email at [email protected].

Dr. Kelly Wolgast is an associate teaching professor and assistant dean for Outreach and Professional Development for the College of Nursing. Prior to arriving at Penn State in August 2016, Dr. Wolgast was assistant professor and specialty director for the health care leadership program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Wolgast is also an Army veteran. She served more than 26 years on active duty in the United States Army as an Army Nurse and retired as a Colonel. Her experiences include earning the Bronze Star for combat experience as Deputy Commander and Chief Nurse in Afghanistan, a deployment in support of Hurricane Katrina relief operations in New Orleans, serving as a Hospital Commander, and serving as the Senior Nurse Executive of the U.S. Army Medical Command. Dr. Wolgast has many years of executive nursing and health care leadership experience and a strong background in medical-surgical nursing. Dr. Wolgast earned her baccalaureate degree in nursing from Penn State, a Master of Science in Nursing (Administration and Education) from Vanderbilt University, a master’s in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (Executive Nurse Leadership) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Wolgast is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). From June 2020 to June 2023, Dr. Wolgast served as the Penn State Director of the COVID-19 Operations Control Center, leading efforts on all University COVID-19 plans and operations.