Academic Advising

Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions recognizes academic advising to be a critical component of the educational experience of its students. CNHP’s Department of Student Services seeks to provide student‐centered academic advising services by building relationships, collaborating and providing students with the tools and resources they need to be successful.

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES
Aaron Laskey, MS
acl87@drexel.edu

You can locate your academic advisor below. The quickest way to reach your advisor is by email. Please allow two business days for a response.

Undergraduate Student Advising

Angie Bonanno

Manager of Student Services for Undergraduate Advising
ab4866@drexel.edu

Population

Nursing Accelerated Career Entry (NACE)
BSN Co-op - Nursing (last name N-R)

Biography

Angie Bonnano (she/they) has been advising undergraduate students at Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions since 2023. She primarily advises nursing students in the BSN Co-op and Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) programs. They received their bachelor’s degree in Geology from Bryn Mawr College in 2022. There, she established her passion for working with students through working as a tour guide and senior interviewer in the admissions office, a hall advisor in the Residential Life department and a teaching assistant in the geology department. Outside of their work in Student Services, Angie enjoys spending their time with their partner and two cats (Muenster and Taxi).

Jeannette Vivanco

Senior Academic Advisor
jv537@drexel.edu

Population

Behavioral Health Counseling
Hospitality Management
Nutrition and Food Science
Health Science (last name M-Z)
Culinary Arts
Medical Coding and Billing

Minors

Culinary Arts
Food Science
Food Studies
Hospitality Management
Nutrition

Certificates

Food Entrepreneurship

Biography

Jeannette Vivanco’s love for higher education began while she was attending the University of Delaware, having had the opportunity of working in various sectors of the university throughout her four years of undergrad. After graduating in 2019, she began working for Drexel University as an enrollment counselor for Drexel University Online, then within the Office of Graduate Admissions before finally landing on academic advising at CNHP in 2022. Jeannette is excited about the upcoming school year and cannot wait to work with all the new Drexel Dragons!

Jerry McGeoy

Academic Advisor
jm5298@drexel.edu

Population

BSN COOP - Nursing (last name A-N)

Biography

Jerry McGeoy is an academic advisor who works with undergraduate nursing students, student-athletes and ROTC students within CNHP. He is a proud Temple University graduate with previous student support experience at La Salle University and William Penn Charter School and brings a strong background in student support to CNHP. He is passionate about helping students achieve their academic, athletic and personal goals while navigating the ups and downs of college. Outside of advising, he is an enthusiastic Philadelphia sports fan and a magician! He looks forward to supporting our students and helping them succeed both inside and outside the classroom.

Jaimie Yue

Academic Advisor
jy595@drexel.edu

Population

Nursing
Health Sciences

Biography

Jaimie Yue started at Drexel in the undergraduate admissions office in 2023 before transitioning to academic advising at CNHP in August 2025. Her advising population is undergraduate nursing and health sciences students. She earned a BA in English from Oberlin College and is currently enrolled in Drexel's MFA in Creative Writing, set to be completed in spring 2027. Outside of work, Jaimie enjoys reading, discovering new restaurants in Philadelphia, journaling and crocheting. She's excited to be a part of CNHP's advising team and help students achieve their academic goals.

Graduate Student Advising

Amanda Freiberg, MS

Associate Director of Student Services for Graduate Advising
aep86@drexel.edu

Population

MSN Family/Individual Across the Lifespan NP
Post-Masters Certificate Family/Individual Across the Lifespan

Biography

Amanda Freiberg, MS, joined Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions in 2013 and has worked with both graduate online nursing and on-campus health profession students. She has a BS from Syracuse University and an MS in School Counseling from Villanova University. She is passionate about building connections for graduate students and created the program Peer Mentors to foster an online community for online nurse practitioner students. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, traveling, rooting for her favorite Philly sports teams and spending quality time with her family.

Andrea Perry, MS

Manager of Student Services for Graduate Advising
amm26@drexel.edu

Population

MSN Quality/Safety/RiskMgmt
MS Quality/Safety/RiskMgmt
Undeclared
MS Complementary and Integrative Therapies
Non-matriculated
Leadership in Health Systems Mgmt & MBA Dual
Nursing Education
Post-Bachelors Certificate Leadership in Health Systems Mgmt
Leadership in Health Systems Mgmt
Post-Bachelors Certificate Nursing Education
Post-Bachelors Certificate Complementary and Integrative Therapies
MS Healthcare Simulation

Biography

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Andrea Perry, MS, began working at Drexel in 2007, became an academic advisor for the BSN Co-op program in 2009 and now serves as the manager of Student Services for Graduate Advising. Andrea graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Art History from Temple University. She continued her studies at Drexel, earning a Master’s in Communication and then a Master’s of Legal Studies. She is ready to assist students with any issue, including changing majors, transferring, studying abroad and work study, with an empathetic approach based on personal experience. In her free time, Andrea enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with her family and pets: a dog, named Leilani and a cat named Chester.

Kate Skladanek, EdM

Senior Academic Advisor
krp48@drexel.edu

Population

MSN Pediatric Primary Care NP
MSN Pediatric Primary and Pediatric Acute Dual NP
MSN Pediatric Acute Care NP
Post-Masters Certificate Pediatric Primary Care NP
Post-Masters Certificate Pediatric Acute Care NP
Post-Masters Certificate Pediatric Primary & Acute Dual NP

Biography

Kate Skladanek, EdM, has been a valued member of the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) advising team since 2012. She brings extensive experience supporting undergraduate and graduate students across various formats, including full-time, part-time, online, on-campus and transfer pathways. Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Stockton University and a Master of Education in Social Studies Education from Rutgers Graduate School of Education. Currently, Kate advises master’s and post-master’s certificate students in CNHP’s graduate nursing programs. She is especially passionate about helping online students feel connected and supported as part of the university community. Outside of work, Kate enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing in the ocean with her kids, running, seeing live music and birdwatching.

Courtney Gies, MS

Senior Academic Advisor
cak367@drexel.edu

Population

Post-Masters Certificate Psychiatric Mental Health NP
Post-Masters Certificate Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
MSN Psychiatric Mental Health NP
MSN Public Health Nursing
MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
Family NP with Emergency Specialization
Post-Masters Certificate Emergency NP
Post-Masters Certificate Family with Emergency Specialization
DNP - Doctor of Nursing Practice

Biography

Courtney Gies, MS, joined Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions in 2019 and has worked with graduate students within the graduate nursing programs, including Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Role and DNP programs. She has a BA in English and Communications and an MS in Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs, both from West Chester University. In her spare time, she enjoys going to concerts, planning events, listening to podcasts, spending time with friends and family and going on weekend trips.

Melissa Giorgio

Academic Advisor
maa46@drexel.edu

Population

MSN Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
Masters in Health Administration
Masters in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling
MSN Women's Health/Gender Related NP
Post-Masters Certificate Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
Masters in Culinary and Food Science
Masters in Art Therapy and Counseling
Masters in Food Science
Post-Masters Certificate Women's Health/Gender Related NP
Masters in Music Therapy and Counseling
Certificate in Food Innovation

Biography

Melissa Giorgio has been working with graduate students since 2014.  She currently serves as an academic advisor for numerous nurse practitioner programs as well as numerous programs within the health professions. Melissa received her BS in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health and Health Service Administration from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. She is a passionate football fan and enjoys rooting for her favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, going to the gym and watching her favorite shows on Netflix.

Student Support and Success

Rhonda Wittlin, EdM

Assistant Director of Success, Support and Planning
rwittlin@drexel.edu

Population

Human Development and Counseling
Physician Assistant
Nurse Anesthesia
PhD Nursing
PhD Couple and Family Therapy
PhD Creative Arts Therapy
Couple and Family Therapy
Family Therapy

Biography

Rhonda Wittlin, EdM, has been a dedicated member of the Drexel University community since 1996. A proud Drexel alumna, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology in 2000, and later completed her Master of Education in Higher Education Administration at Temple University in 2005.  Rhonda continues to advance her expertise, having earned a certificate in Organization and Talent Development in 2024 and a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certificate in 2025.

In her current role, Rhonda advises graduate students and manages centralized departmental communications. She is deeply committed to fostering meaningful relationships with students, helping them access resources and guiding them in their academic and professional goals.