College of Nursing Alumni

Margaret C. Haley Award:
Margaret (Peggy) Ann Farrell Daingerfield EdD, RN, CNE

Peggy Farrell Daingerfield is the second of five children and the only daughter born to loving parents Joseph (Joe) and Margaret (Peggy) Farrell in Newark, NJ. Educated in the Catholic faith, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Seton Hall University with honors and is a charter member of the Gamma Nu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Peggy began her nursing career at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, and later worked at St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick.  Her clinical experience included the areas of medical surgical, cardiac intensive care, burn intensive care, and staff development.  

Continuing her education, Peggy completed a Master of Arts in Nursing Education degree with a mental health concentration at New York University under a full tuition grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health. She continued her education receiving a Doctor of Education degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from Rutgers University. 

Peggy joined the faculty at the College of New Jersey (then Trenton State College) and taught medical surgical, pediatric, and psychiatric nursing. She later joined the faculty of Felician University teaching in the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral programs. While at Felician, Peggy was appointed the Associate Dean of the Department of Graduate Nursing and was promoted to the rank of Professor.  She is a Certified Nurse Educator (awarded by the National League for Nursing) and received Felician University’s Faculty Excellence award in 2019. Peggy retired from Felician University as Professor Emerita. She is currently an educational consultant in the areas of curriculum and accreditation.

Peggy is a co-author with Dr. Ann Tritak-Elmiger of the textbook Drug Calculations: Ratio and Proportion Problems for Clinical Practice. Peggy is a member of the New Jersey League for Nursing and the Organization of Nurse Leaders of NJ. She serves on the Board of the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing, the Felician University Advisory Board, and the Patterson Diocese Diocesan Review Board. In January 2025, she began a two-year term as the President of the New Jersey State Nurses Association.

Peggy lives in Chatham, NJ with her husband of 46 years, Rich Daingerfield.  They have four children and three grandchildren.  

George J. Hebert Leadership Award:
Jane E. Binetti DNP, MSN, RN

Dr. Binetti is a dedicated nurse educator with significant clinical and educational expertise. Originally from Boston, she graduated from Seton Hall University College of Nursing in 1980. Following graduation, she worked in Boston and in the New York area marking Critical Care as her area of clinical specialty.

After earning a master’s degree in nursing, she established a company in the New York tri-state area providing professional healthcare education to nurses, hospitals, schools and agencies. In 2002, Dr. Binetti moved to Charlotte, NC and soon began a 23-year teaching career at Carolinas College, an affiliate of Atrium Healthcare System. During her time at the college, she earned a DNP from Duquesne University, served on countless collegewide and hospital committees and focused on enhancing successful transition to practice for new graduates. In addition, Dr. Binetti actively worked on college and hospital accreditation efforts and developed an RN to BSN completion program for nurses.

Dr. Binetti has also worked in graduate level education as both nursing faculty and as a subject matter expert for graduate course development. She has shared her research and expertise in nursing education and clinical competence at national and global conferences.  Since retiring in 2025, Dr. Binetti currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Seton Hall University College of Nursing.

Nelson Aquino Humanitarian Award:
Joseph Solda, MSN, RN, CFRN, CMTE, NRP

Joseph Solda serves as the Chief Flight Nurse for Hackensack Meridian Health, where he is responsible for the day-to-day clinical and operational oversight of both Air Med One and Air Med Two. Since joining Hackensack University Medical Center in January 2012, Joe has been a driving force behind the development and expansion of one of New Jersey’s most advanced air medical programs. He was instrumental in launching Hackensack Air Med One in April 2012 and later brought Air Med Two online in May 2019 to serve the southern region of the hospital network, significantly expanding access to lifesaving critical care transport across the state.

With more than 37 years of emergency and critical care experience, Joe brings exceptional depth of knowledge to his leadership role. He is a Certified Flight Registered Nurse, Nationally Registered Paramedic, Certified Medical Transport Executive, and a certified instructor in all American Heart Association disciplines including neonatal resuscitation. His professional philosophy “Patients first, safety always” has become the cultural foundation of Hackensack Meridian Health’s air medical program. Under his leadership, Air Med One achieved CAMTS accreditation in 2016 and has since successfully maintained four consecutive reaccreditations, a distinction that reflects both clinical excellence and an unwavering commitment to patient safety.

Joe’s humanitarian impact is perhaps most clearly reflected in his pioneering work in prehospital blood administration. Through his persistence and advocacy, Hackensack Meridian Health became the only air medical program in New Jersey licensed to carry and administer whole blood, with the program officially launching in July 2021, an innovation that has transformed trauma survival and outcomes across the region. In April 2025, Joe expanded this lifesaving capability to Hackensack University Medical Center’s Advanced Life Support ground units, making them the first ALS program in the state authorized to deliver whole blood in the field. These advances have directly saved lives and reshaped the standard of trauma care in New Jersey.

Joe’s commitment to service began in the early 1980s as a youth squad member of his local ambulance corps, laying the foundation for a lifetime devoted to helping others. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Seton Hall University in 1988 and later completed his Master’s in Education from Grand Canyon University in 2024, further strengthening his ability to mentor, educate, and develop future healthcare leaders.

Service to the community is woven into Joe’s life beyond medicine. In 2013, he was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellowship, the highest honor bestowed by Lions International, in recognition of his humanitarian work. He continues to serve the Wood-Ridge Lions Club as Past King and Director-at-Large. From years as a Little League coach, Scoutmaster, and dedicated “gymnastic dad,” to his current role as a Captain in his local volunteer fire department. Joe has always been present where his community needs him most.

The legacy of service continues through his family: his daughter Amanda is a registered nurse on the cardio-thoracic intensive care unit, and his son Joseph serves as a fire department captain, reflecting the values of compassion, leadership, and public service that Joe has instilled.

Dr. Judith Lothian Young Alumni Award:
Seana Friedman, DNP, MBA, MSN, FNP, RN, LSSYB, NE-BC

Seana Friedman, DNP, MBA, MSN, FNP, RN, LSSYB, NE-BC is an accomplished nursing executive and nationally recognized leader in cardiovascular and nursing operations. Dr. Friedman currently serves as Executive Director of Nursing Operations and Cardiac Services at Mount Sinai Morningside as well as Executive Director of Cardiac Ambulatory Services at Mount Sinai West in New York City.

Dr. Friedman brings more than two decades of progressive clinical, operational, and leadership experience to her roles. She previously served as Director of Cardiovascular Nursing at Mount Sinai Morningside, where she led transformative initiatives to advance quality, safety, and patient-centered cardiovascular care. A strategic and collaborative leader, she is known for driving operational excellence, workforce development, and innovative care delivery models across complex health systems.

Dr. Friedman holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Seton Hall University, a Master of Business Administration with a finance concentration from Touro University Worldwide, and advanced nursing degrees from SUNY Downstate and Long Island University. She began her nursing career with an Associate Degree from the City University of New York–College of Staten Island.

In addition to her executive roles, Dr. Friedman serves as Co-Program Director for the International Coronary Congress: Advances in Perioperative Care, where she leads global program development and fosters international collaboration. She is the recipient of the 2022 United Hospital Fund Excellence in Healthcare Award for Quality Improvement Champion and was inducted as a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine in 2024.

Dr. Carolyn Rummel Young Alumni Award:
Dr. Constance Nana Kusi, DNP, MBA, APN, PMHNP-BC, CNL

At the heart of Dr. Constance Nana Kusi’s work is a simple but powerful belief: everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and cared for. As a psychiatric nurse practitioner and educator, she has dedicated her career to serving vulnerable populations and expanding access to mental health care across New Jersey.

Dr. Kusi has served as an Adjunct Nursing Professor at Merit School of Allied Health in Iselin, New Jersey, teaching medical-surgical nursing and clinical courses. She also worked in a nurse leadership role at Endeavor House Detox & Rehab, where she trained new hires and managed complex substance use and co-occurring psychiatric cases.

She is additionally a licensed Program Coordinator, supporting allied health programs at institutions including Alpha Healthcare Institute, with responsibility for program coordination and alignment with New Jersey Board of Nursing requirements.

Dr. Kusi later served as a Psychiatric Nurse Navigator with the New Jersey Reentry Corporation, under the Office of former Governor Jim McGreevey, providing psychiatric care and coordinating services for court-involved individuals, particularly women before and after release from incarceration.

In 2022, she founded New Jersey Psychiatric Clinic, providing outpatient and telepsychiatry services to children, adults, and geriatric patients throughout the state. She also serves as a Psychiatric Consultant at Robert Wood Johnson–Barnabas Health, delivering consult-liaison psychiatric care for medically complex patients.

Through her work in education, substance use treatment, reentry services, and psychiatric care, Dr. Kusi exemplifies the values of nursing and continues to shape the future of mental health care in New Jersey.