Elizabeth W. Gonzalez, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, is associate professor emerita and former chair of the Doctoral Nursing Program (PhD, DNP) in the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) at Drexel University. She is board certified as a clinical specialist in adult psychiatric and mental health nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) of the American Nurses Association. Prior to joining Drexel, Gonzalez was a faculty at Thomas Jefferson University and Villanova University. At Drexel, she developed the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and PhD in Nursing programs. She served as consultant in psychiatric nursing to the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and Texas University Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. A frequent participant in scientific forums, her research focus has been in testing a theory-driven intervention to improve caregiver and patient outcomes of persons with dementia. She was a faculty scholar for the Hartford Gerontological Institute in Nursing Research at NYU, and a research fellow at the Center for Health Equality in Drexel University. She was a recipient of the Research Development Award from the American Nurses Association, Ethnic Minority Fellowship Programs and a fellow at the NIH/SAMSHA. She served as the principal investigator in an NINR/NIH R15 (Academic Research Enhancement Award) a three-year research project to determine the effects of a multicomponent intervention in family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and patient outcomes. This study focused on enhancing resourcefulness, a factor that may protect caregivers from health risk. She also collaborated with researchers in biomedical engineering and architecture to determine the effects of LED daylighting luminaire to reduce symptoms of dementia. Her community-based research experience involves collaboration with scientist from other disciplines that includes immunology, neurology and public health. She was president of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Nurses’ Association (AAPINA).

Academic Distinctions

Hartford Foundation Nurse Scholar, Geriatric Nursing Research Institute NYU.

The Mary Marquiz Trailblazer Award, Silliman University College of Nursing Alumni Association International, Silliman University College of Nursing, Philippines.

Mentor’s Award: Okura Mental Health Leadership Foundation, Asian American and Pacific Islander Nurses’ Association.

Research Fellow, Center for Health Equality, Drexel University.

Sigma Theta Tau, Research Award, Eta Nu Chapter.

Research Development Award, American Nurses Association, Ethnic Minority Fellowship Programs.

Summer Institute on Minority Research on Aging, National Institute on Aging, NIH.

Minority Supplement Award, National Institute on Aging, NIH.

Professional Society

Selected Publications

Cotter, V., Gonzalez, E., Fisher, K., & Richards, K. (2018). Influence of hope, social support, and self-esteem in early stage of dementia. Dementia, 17(2), 214-224.

Gonzalez, E. W., J. Slaughter, R.A. DiMaria-Ghalili, P. Abeysekara, H. Resnick, & P. Guenter (2015). Incidence of Malnutrition in Hospitalized Older Adults with and without Dementia in the United States. Annals of Behavioral, Medicine, 49(S1), S239.

Gonzalez, E.W., Polansky, M., Lippa, C., Gitlin, L.N., & Zauszniewski, J.A. (2014). Enhancing resourcefulness to improve outcomes in family caregivers and persons with Alzheimer's Disease: A pilot randomized trial. International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, PMCID: PMC 4195254. Article ID 323478, DOI.org/10.1155/2014/323478.

Ellis, E., Gonzalez, E. & McEachron, D. (2013). Chronobioengeering indoor lighting to enhance facilities for ageing and Alzheimer’s disorder. Intelligent Building International, 5(S1), 48-60. DOI: 10.1080/17508975.2013.807764.

Gonzalez, E.W., Polansky, M., Lippa, C., Walker, D., & Feng, D. (2011). Family Caregivers at Risk: Who Are They?, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 32(8), 528-536. DOI: 10.3109/01612840.2011.573123.

Grant participation:

Circadian Lighting for Improved Health and Wellbeing for the Older Adults at Casa Farnese. (PI: D. McEachron) (Co-I: Gonzalez, E; Ellis, E). Urban Health Collaboratives. School of Public Health Drexel University. $24,000 (2017).

Ameliorating symptoms of dementia at St Francis Country House. (PI: Eugenia Ellis), (Co-I: Gonzalez, McEachron, Bartel, and Glaser). ASID Foundation Applied Research in Interior Design and Human Behavior. $34,600. (2012).

Automatic Diurnal/Seasonal Daylight-Matching LED Luminaire. (PI: Eugenia Ellis), (Co-I: Gonzalez, Glaser, McEachron). Green Building Alliance and partner organizations. $62,875. (2011).

Enhancing resourceful skills in family caregivers, AREA grant (R15) funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (2006-2009). (PI: Gonzalez) $225,000.

Enhancing communication and resourceful skills in family caregivers. Synergy Grant, Drexel University (2004- 2005). (PI: Gonzalez) $13,000.

Immune Responses to Influenza Immunization among Older Adults. Funded by NIA (PI: Donna Murasko (School of Medicine, MCP-HU) (2000-2004). $1.5 M. (Project Coordinator: Gonzalez)

Health Promotion Program: Substance use and misuse in older adults. Funded by the Philadelphia Corporation on Aging, (2000–2001). (co-investigator: Gonzalez) $30,000

Resourcefulness and anxiety among family caregivers funded by Eta Nu Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, 1998. (PI: Gonzalez) $500.00

Depression among African American caregivers of relatives with Alzheimer’s disease, funded by the American Nurses Association, Ethnic Minority Fellowship Programs from (1996-1997). (PI: Gonzalez) $1,500.00

Similarities and differences in appraisal of African American and Caucasian family caregivers of persons with dementia. Minority Supplement Award funded by the National Institute on Aging, NIH (1992-1995). PI: L. Gitlin (minority recipient: Gonzalez) $181,616.

The relationships of nurses' critical thinking ability and patient self-disclosure to accuracy in assessment of depression in elderly medical patients," funded by the Department of Health and Human Service, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (Grant: MH-151555-13) ( 1989-1990). (PI: Gonzalez) $8,000.00

Editorial review board membership:

American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias

Issues in Mental Health Nursing

Archives of Community Medicine and Public Health

Asian Pacific Nursing Journal

Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology

Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association

Geriatric Nursing

Research Interests

Caregiving, mental health, aging, minority health issues, resourcefulness

New York University, New York, PhD, Research & Theory Development in Nursing Science

University of the Philippines, Philippines, M.S.N. Nursing (Specialization: Mental Health & Psychiatric Nursing)

Silliman University, Philippines, BSN