Meet Our Faculty

Carmen Ingulli, MN, RN, COI, IBCLC
Associate Professor, Nursing Department Chair
Email: cingulli@cocc.edu

Carmen’s experience as a working registered nurse spans 20 years, taking her everywhere from summer camps in Wisconsin to surgical hospitals in New Zealand. An internationally board-certified lactation consultant, she has worked in a number of specialties, including labor/delivery and perinatal specialty care, most recently with the St. Charles Family Birthing Center. A nursing educator since 2010, Carmen joined COCC in 2021. 
 
“I knew I wanted to be a part of this Nursing program before my family and I even relocated to Central Oregon,” Carmen says. Her time as a first- and second-year theory, skills lab and clinical instructor grew into a department chair appointment. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Master of Science in Nursing from Washington State University.  

Amy Shapen, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor, Nursing Program Director
Email: ashapen@cocc.edu

With a clinical background in community hospital-based medical/surgical nursing, and prior experience in the field of home hospice, Amy came to COCC in 2018 as an adjunct instructor. She moved into a full-time position in 2022 and was soon promoted to program director. “I enjoy all aspects of teaching. I love the added challenges of teaching theory and being more involved in the department — from accreditation to curriculum development to NCLEX preparation.” 
 
Amy’s education includes an associate degree in registered nursing from Cypress College, a Bachelor of Arts in business administration from California State University, Fullerton, and a Master of Science in nursing leadership and management from Western Governors University. 

Breah Bollom, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor
Email: bbollom@cocc.edu 

Having worked in the cardiac setting, ICU, medical/surgical, and with experience running an orthopedic physician’s practice, Breah brings a breadth of working knowledge to her teaching — and adds in her perspective of serving as an active nurse at Summit Urgent Care, where she’s been since 2004. 
 
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida and a Master of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University, and started at COCC in 2016.  

Amanda Brown, BSN, RN
Adjunct Instructor
Email: abrown31@cocc.edu

Born and raised in Bend, Amanda graduated from the COCC Nursing program in 2019. She started her career as a nurse at Bend Transitional Care and then worked at St. Charles Health System in the acute care float pool team, training on a number of units: medical, surgical, orthopedics, neurology, inpatient rehab and behavioral health. 
 
During the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic, she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing through Western Governors University. After two busy years at St. Charles Health System, she left to pursue her dream of travel nursing. Working in a variety of different hospital settings with diverse patient populations, from Southern Oregon and North Dakota to Arizona and Maryland, Amanda worked for multiple teaching hospitals and was assigned to students on many shifts.  
 
“It was through this experience that I discovered my passion for higher education,” she shares. “I am excited to continue my role as a clinical instructor and clinical coordinator to help students grow their confidence and skills as future nurses.” She is currently pursuing her master’s in nursing education.  

Jeremy Gentica, DNP, MBA, RN, CNOR, CNE
Assistant Professor
Email: jgentica@cocc.edu

With a clinical background that covers multiple specialties, including trauma, orthopedics, general surgery, neurosurgery and vascular surgery, Jeremy has served in progressive leadership roles — from staff nurse to senior director — for multiple health care organizations. 

“Throughout my career, I've been privileged to develop and teach in multiple nurse-residency programs, and I’ve always found the greatest fulfillment in watching new nurses grow into confident, competent professionals,” says Jeremy, who began at COCC in 2023 as an adjunct, and now serves as a full-time faculty member. 

His combination of clinical expertise, operational leadership and financial systems helps bring comprehensive learning to students. “Joining COCC full-time allows me to focus entirely on what I love most — preparing the next generation of nurses to deliver exceptional patient care in our community and beyond.” 

Jeremy holds an Associate of Science in Nursing from Cypress College, a Bachelor of Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton, a Master of Science in Nursing from California Baptist University, a Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from California Baptist University.  

Melinda Gesuale, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor
Email: mgesuale@cocc.edu

After completing her undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Kansas, Melinda worked as a lab assistant before serving in the Peace Corps, based in Zimbabwe, as a high school science teacher. Her experiences during those two years led her to nursing. Through the University of Texas at Austin, she completed her Master of Science in community health nursing.

Melinda has worked in a variety of settings, including public and behavioral health departments, community health clinics, as well as medical/surgical and ortho/neuro acute care floors. While working overseas in Zambia from 2006 to 2011, she helped establish a new clinic, provided trainings for nurses and developed tools for community health workers to use in rural areas. It opened her eyes to the joys of teaching. She came to COCC in 2014, first as an adjunct, now as a full-time faculty member.

"Teaching is a part of nursing that I have always truly loved. Seeing students grow and succeed is exciting,” she says. “The true reward though is the ripple effect out in the community when you see your students working as nurses.” 

Kristin Lambert, Ph.D., RN
Associate Professor
Email: klambert2@cocc.edu

Kristin is passionate about teaching nursing soft skills, including professionalism, belonging, career readiness and collaboration. “I particularly enjoy teaching in the clinical setting, seeing students incorporate theory into practice,” she shares.

Having practiced at the bedside on medical/surgical, orthopedic and rehab units, Kristin’s journey as an educator began as a clinical instructor in Colorado Springs, after receiving her Master of Science in Nursing in 2015. Her formal training includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and the recent completion of her Ph.D. in nursing education. Her dissertation: “The Effects of Nursing Faculty Approachability on Student Engagement in the Clinical Setting.”

Having moved to Bend for the full-time COCC Nursing faculty position in 2018, Kristin works on the 2nd-year-student instruction team and serves as program director for the RN-to-BSN program. 

Susan Miller, MSN, RN
Associate Professor
Email: smiller5@cocc.edu

A nurse since 1984, Susan’s career includes working in large university hospital settings, specializing mostly in vascular surgery, and serving for a time as head nurse. As a nurse practitioner, she has worked in vascular surgery and transplant surgery, working up potential candidates and living donors, as well as serving in home health, where she trained staff and managed IV therapy patients. 

Susan started in nursing education as a clinical instructor working at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and came to COCC in 2013, first as an adjunct faculty member in LRC and clinical, then moving to a full-time position in 2016. 

She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Medical College of Georgia and received her Master of Science in Nursing as an adult health nurse practitioner from Emory University. 

Natalia Suits, MS, RN
Assistant Professor
Email: nsuits@cocc.edu

Natalia’s nursing career began with experience in acute rehabilitation, followed by a decade in the emergency department. She then had the opportunity to fulfill a professional dream by working in a rural hospital in northern Honduras. “I not only provided direct patient care, but also worked closely with local nurses, helping to train and mentor them in nursing practices.” 

After four years in Honduras, she returned stateside to be closer to family and further develop her expertise in nursing education. Natalia graduated from Colorado State University-Pueblo (2012) with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and in 2023, earned her Master of Science in Nursing, with an emphasis in Nursing Education.  

She serves as the primary full-time faculty member for the Nursing program on the expanded Madras campus, while also working as a PRN (“as-needed” nurse) at St. Charles Madras. 

Amy Wheary, BSN, RN
Associate Professor
Email: awheary@cocc.edu

An educator and lab coordinator in the Nursing program, Amy discovered a love for mentoring new nurses and students while working at St. Charles Health System on the medical floor, beginning in 2003. It led her to become a COCC adjunct instructor in 2011, focusing on clinicals and labs, while continuing to work as a floor nurse. “Both jobs made me better at doing the other one!” she says. Amy started full time in the COCC Nursing department in 2016 as lab coordinator. 

“I strive to make the lab environment one in which students feel safe to try new things and make mistakes. I want all of us to have fun together, while still maintaining the high standards and safe practices that nursing requires.” 

Amy received a Bachelor of Science in anthropology from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University.