School of Health Sciences – Faculty and Staff

Rita is a Grant Manager for FMU’s Nurse Practitioner Program. Rita graduated from Horry Georgetown Technical College with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Business. Rita received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management from Coker College. She completed her Master’s degree in Human Resource Development and Management and Leadership from Webster University.

Prior to joining FMU, her professional experience consisted of over 20 years as the Director of Operations with Bell Burial Vault/Bell Burial and Concrete. Coordinating and supervisory experience with SC Department of Social Services, Division of Employment Services for the Healthcare Preparation for Employment grant. Career counseling experience with Workforce Development consisted of conducting comprehensive assessments to increase employment, retention, and improvement of self-sufficiency.

Rita specializes in tracking progress towards organizational and programmatic outcomes and deliverables. Generating progress reports that fully capture programmatic success to awarded grant projects. She has extensive experience in management, research, reporting, preparing, and maintaining expenditures and budgets.

She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Karen Gittings is a professor of nursing and Dean of the School of Health Sciences at Francis Marion University, Florence, South Carolina. Dr. Gittings received her diploma in nursing from The Washington Hospital School of Nursing, Washington, Pennsylvania and her BSN from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County campus. She earned her MSN with specialization in nursing education and her DNP at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was a 2015 to 2016 Amy V. Cockcroft Fellow, achieved certification in online instruction in 2011, became a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) in 2013 and earned certification as an Academic Clinical Nurse Educator (CNEcl) with the inaugural group of test-takers. Dr. Gittings has extensive experience in critical care nursing and has been a certified critical-care RN (CCRN) since 1991.

Her areas of teaching and clinical expertise are medical–surgical nursing, critical care, and cardiac nursing. She has taught students across the curriculum in the BSN, MSN, and DNP programs. Dr. Gittings has co-authored three books and eight book chapters. Dr. Gittings has also presented nationally on multiple nursing education-related topics.

She is past president of Francis Marion University’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, Chi Lambda Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, and the Pee Dee Area Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. She is a recipient of multiple Outstanding Faculty Teaching Awards at Francis Marion University and the South Carolina Palmetto Gold Award (2005).

David has over 30 years’ experience as a practicing Physician Assistant in Family Medicine and Urgent Care. Dr. James has practiced in both rural and urban environments, providing medical care to the communities of North Carolina.

He worked as a faculty member and Academic Coordinator for Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program from 2017-2019. He then served as the Director of Clinical Education at Elon University in Elon, NC from 2019-2023. David went back into clinical practice in Urgent Care Medicine in North Carolina from 2023-2024 while completing his Doctor of Medical Science Degree with a concentration in Healthcare Education.

Doctor of Medical Science, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Nebraska, Omaha Certificate of Physician Assistant Completion, PA Program Wake Forest School of Medicine, BA in Psychology, NC State University, and is a veteran of the US Navy and Army Reserve.

Dr. James is a member of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), and a member of the South Carolina Association of Physician Assistants (SCAPA).