PhD, MSN, MSCP, CCM, RN-BC , Doctoral (Alumni)
Marife C. Aczon-Armstrong, PhD, MSN, MSCP, CCM, RN-BC was born and raised in Binangonan, Rizal, Philippines and grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a Fulbright Scholar Senior Specialist (2014-2018) and recently reappointed for another four years (2021-2025). She completed two grant projects at Uganda Christian University in Mukono, Uganda, Africa, teaching in the Master of Nursing Science Nurse Education Track. Dr. Aczon-Armstrong is currently an Assistant Professor at Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Nursing and an inaugural member of the university’s Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council (DIAC). Dr. Aczon-Armstrong is the current Project Director/Principal Investigator for a no-cost extension of Roseman University College of Nursing HRSA RNPC Grant (2022-2023) to ensure the objectives and activities are carried out for the last year.
Dr. Aczon-Armstrong is a SAMHSA MFP Alumna 2010, National Advisory Committee (NAC) member in 2016-2018 and Mentor (2020). She received her MSN (Nursing Administration and Clinical Systems Management) and PhD (Nursing Research and Education) degrees from University of Hawai’i at Manoa and MS Counseling Psychology with focus on Community Counseling at Chaminade University of Honolulu. She completed her BSN in Nursing at Hawaii Pacific University in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Her doctoral dissertation, “Relation of Depression to Substance Use and Chronic Illnesses in Asian American Pacific Islanders in Hawaii” led her to publish her peer-reviewed article in 2013, “Depression and Chronic Illness in Asian/Pacific Islander Adults in Hawaii”. She was a National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Association (NCEMNA) Nurse Research Scholar in 2009 and Okura Mental Health Fellow with grant projects related to implementation of a culturally sensitive standardized tool in inpatient healthcare setting to detect early signs of depression in chronically ill patients.
Her passion to serve the ethnic minority population keeps her motivated, finding innovative ideas and ways to improve the well-being of underserved population. She is the founding President of Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association of Hawaii (AAPINA Hawaii – 2015). Upon moving from Hawaii to Las Vegas, she gathered nurses with passion to serve the AAPI population and became the founding President of AAPINA of Nevada in 2018. She hosted a radio show in Honolulu, “Healthy Mondays with Nurse Experts On-air” with KNDI Radio 1270AM in 2015. She brought the same concept to Las Vegas through PHLV Radio and started “Healthy Mondays with AAPINA of NV” in August 2018. Invited guests from local, national, and international health organizations join Dr. Aczon-Armstrong each week every Monday night to talk about common healthcare issues in local, national, and global communities. The concept originated from the National Institute of Health to promote healthy living starting on the first day of the week, Mondays.
Her involvement with community outreach to the AAPI population continues in partnership with local organizations such as the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) and Las Vegas Hawaiian Civic Club (LVHC) who share the same passion and purpose. She is a proud mother of four, Matthew (39), Brittany (34), Joy (21), and Anthony (19).
Education
PhD, University of Hawaii at Manoa
MS Nursing, University of Hawaii at Manoa
MS Counseling Psychology, Chaminade University of Honolulu
BS Nursing, Hawaii Pacific University
LPN, Kapiolani Community College
Clinical Practice
Adult Health, Case Management/Utilization Management, Medical/Surgical/Oncology, Diabetes
Teaching Focus or Educational Interest
Adult Health Nursing II, Applied Therapeutic Communication, Health Promotion Across the Lifespan, Community Health Nursing, Nursing Administration, Mental Health, Case Management/Utilization Management
Research Focus
Diabetes, Mental Health, Chronic Illness in Asian American/Pacific Islanders, End-of-life