Kathryn Robinson
Dean, College of Nursing and Health Professions
Kathryn N. Robinson, Ph.D., MHA/Ed., RN, serves as the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions and Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of Southern Maine. A researcher, educator, and academic executive, Dr. Robinson centers her administrative and scholarly leadership on expanding the healthcare workforce pipeline, advancing health equity, and integrating genomic science into nursing education and clinical practice.
Prior to her appointment at USM, Dr. Robinson held key administrative roles at the University of Maine School of Nursing, serving as Associate Director, Director of the Ph.D. Program, and Graduate Program Coordinator. During her tenure, she spearheaded the establishment of Northern New England’s first Ph.D. in Nursing program, a transformative regional initiative backed by a $3.1 million federal congressional earmark. As a Nurse Scientist, Dr. Robinson has secured nearly $4 million in extramural and intramural research and program funding, earning support from agencies and organizations including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Department of Education, the American Cancer Society, and the Helene Fuld Health Trust. Her research agenda addresses decision-making among individuals at risk for hereditary cancer syndromes, oncology survivorship, rural social determinants of health, and educational interventions to improve nurse retention and well-being.
Dr. Robinson earned her Ph.D. in Nursing and B.S. in Nursing from Northeastern University, a Master’s in Healthcare Administration and Education from the University of Phoenix, and a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of New Hampshire. Her post-doctoral and executive development includes completed coursework and training at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Wharton Executive Education Program, hosted by The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and the National Institute of Nursing Research Summer Genetics Institute at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.
A former Jonas Nurse Leader Scholar, Dr. Robinson bridges academic leadership with specialized clinical expertise, serving as a consultant and medical writer for the Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative at Jackson Laboratories. She has held faculty affiliations with the UMaine Institute of Medicine and served on the University of Maine System Research Council. Her contributions to academic excellence and mentorship have been recognized with honors including the University of Maine Faculty Mentor Impact Award and the Nursing Education in Maine Award. Through her leadership, Dr. Robinson remains dedicated to preparing the next generation of nurse scientists, clinicians, and health leaders to meet the evolving healthcare needs of communities regionally and nationally.