Suzanne Ariza, PhD, has been a dedicated member of the Nurse Anesthesia Program faculty since 2015 and the program director since 2025. With over 30 years of nursing experience—primarily in perioperative and critical care settings—she brings a wealth of clinical expertise and leadership to her role.

A proud alumna of Drexel University, Ariza earned her Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in nursing education in 2006, followed by a post-master’s certificate in Nurse Anesthesia in 2009. In 2025, she earned her PhD from Villanova University, where her research explored the Nonsurgical Pain Management (NSPM) credential—a board certification designed for CRNAs specializing in chronic pain management.

Ariza has held multiple leadership roles within the Delaware Association of Nurse Anesthetists, including secretary, treasurer, upstate director, president-elect, president, state peer advisor and federal political director. She has been a peer reviewer for the Journal of Nurse Anesthesia Education since 2024. Ariza also earned certification in Pain Management Nursing in 2019, reflecting her commitment to advancing the specialty and improving patient outcomes.

Academic Distinctions

• Joseph Cassidy and Donna DiPalma Cassidy Endowed Doctoral Nursing Scholarship
• Thiemann Doctoral Nursing Scholarship recipient for 2018 and 2019

Professional Society

American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Delaware Association of Nurse Anesthetists
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses

Research Interests

Dissertation: The Lived Experience of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists with the Nonsurgical Pain Management-Certified Credential: A Phenomenological Perspective

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, May 2025
Villanova University
Villanova, Pennsylvania

Postmaster’s Certificate, Nurse Anesthesia, May 2009
Master of Science in Nursing, Nursing Education, May 2006
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA

BS, Nursing, May 2001
Immaculata University
Malvern, PA

Associate degree in nursing, June 1994
Drexel University (formerly Hahnemann University)
Philadelphia, PA