Caring, Leading and Learning
By ELYSE MALDONADO ’20
Lori Towne, FNP
DNP Candidate 2028
Current Role: Family Nurse Practitioner, Northern Light Health
A Dover-Foxcroft, Maine resident, Lori Towne '28 is a family nurse practitioner in primary care. She also serves in several leadership roles across the state, including as president of the Maine Nurse Practitioner Association. After years as a health practitioner, Towne entered the Saint Mary’s College Doctor of Nursing Practice program. She reflects on returning to school after years in practice, discovering the value of curiosity and the importance of continuing to grow as a nurse and leader.
With so much professional experience, what made you decide to return to school for your DNP?
It's something I'd thought about for a long time. I knew I was interested in pursuing a terminal degree—the highest level of education in my field—but with my clinical work and professional responsibilities, I wasn't sure how I could make it work.
How did you choose Saint Mary’s?
I became interested in neurocognitive disorders and wanted more formal education in that area. That's what initially led me to Saint Mary's to pursue the geriatric neuropsychiatry post-graduate certificate. When I met with Professor Scarlett Spain, she encouraged me to consider the DNP program, too. We looked at my previous education, including leadership programs I'd completed, and Saint Mary's worked with me to determine what a program could look like for me. I realized this could be an important next chapter. We have nursing faculty retiring, and we need people who are willing to give back to the profession and support the next generation.
You're completing your DNP while living and working in Maine. How has Saint Mary's made that possible?
The structure of the program has made it very doable. A lot of the coursework is asynchronous, which is incredibly helpful when you're working in another state and have a busy professional life. The faculty have also been very supportive. I haven't needed to travel to Saint Mary's for the skills-based immersions, and I've been able to participate virtually in some of the immersions where that made sense.
What has stood out to you about being a student at Saint Mary's?
One of the biggest things has been the diversity of perspectives. I've done all of my previous degrees in Maine, so my educational experiences have naturally been very Maine- or Northeast-centric. Being in classes with people from around the country has helped me see healthcare and nursing through a broader lens. I'm hearing about the challenges and opportunities that my classmates and their patients encounter in different parts of the country. That has been invaluable to me. The faculty have also been incredibly enthusiastic and supportive. They clearly love what they do, and they believe in Saint Mary's mission.
As nurses, I think it's important for us to work toward terminal degrees so that we can continue to lead in our field and support the next generations coming in. We need nurses who are willing to become educators, mentors and leaders.
- Lori Towne, FNP
DNP Candidate 2028
Has there been a particular course that has been especially meaningful to you?
I really loved Population Ecology. That course actually made me excited about going back to school. From a population health perspective, it made me think about nursing in a different way.People who've been nurses for a long time probably understand this: sometimes certain experiences can make you love nursing again. That class did that for me.
My Biostatistics course was a different experience. It was challenging for me, but it made me work hard and step outside my comfort zone. It humbled me in an important way. Going back to school reminded me that there's always more to learn.
The statistics work has also helped me become better at evaluating research and data, which is directly relevant to the leadership work I do around population health, chronic disease management and clinical standards.
What have you already brought from the DNP program into your professional life?
I think it's shifted my leadership style. When you've been in leadership roles for a long time, you can become very decisive. The program has encouraged me to approach situations with more curiosity and patience.
It's also made me a better researcher and writer. I'm better at finding resources, scrutinizing evidence and organizing my thoughts. That's incredibly useful in the committee work and leadership roles that I have.
I've also become more aware of how narrow my perspective can become when I'm focused on what's happening in Maine. Hearing from people in other states has helped me broaden that perspective.
What advice would you give to a nurse who is considering returning to school?
Don't be afraid to do it and don't be intimidated by the program. You have to recognize that it will be hard work and that you'll need to shift your time commitments around, but we make time for the things that are important to us. It just has to be the right time.
As nurses, I think it's important for us to work toward terminal degrees so that we can continue to lead in our field and support the next generations coming in. We need nurses who are willing to become educators, mentors and leaders.
And if you're considering Saint Mary's, don't hesitate to reach out and ask questions. Just because something is published a certain way doesn't mean it's set in stone. Ask what the program could look like for you.
QUICK TAKES
Favorite part of nursing: Human connection and hearing people's stories
Favorite course: Population Ecology
Biggest lesson from returning to school: Be curious
September 8, 2026