Faculty & Staff

Howard F. Armour CRNA, MS Program Director	Daniel Stairs CRNA, MSN, MBA Assistant Program Director	Jo Hursh Administrative Secretary

Howard F. Armour - Program Director

Mr. Armour attended Nursing School at St Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh. Received his anesthesia training at the University of Pittsburgh Health Center School of Anesthesia. Obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and a Masters in Guidance and Counseling from California University of PA. Mr. Armour began his career as a staff CRNA at Eye and Ear Hospital in Pittsburgh in 1974. He assumed the position as Program Director of the Westmoreland-Latrobe Hospitals School of Anesthesia in 1980. He is a Past President of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetist and Past Chairman of the AANA Peer Assistance Committee. He was named the PANA ‘Program Director of the Year” in 2003. Mr. Armour has been an Adjunct faculty member at La Roche College since 1991. He currently teaches Anesthesia Didactics, Medical Physics, Advanced Clinical Principles and Pharmacology I .

Daniel Stairs - Assistant Program Director

Mr. Stairs joined the Excela Health School of Anesthesia as Assistant Program Director in August, 2004. Dan received his RN nursing diploma from the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and a Diploma in Nurse Anesthesia from the Westmoreland-Latrobe Hospitals School of Anesthesia. In addition, he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Point Park University in Pittsburgh and a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dan is currently pursuing his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Robert Morris University of Moon Township, PA. His previous clinical anesthesia experiences includes CRNA positions at Aestique Ambulatory Surgery Center, Indiana Regional Medical Center, Frick Hospital, and Monsour Medical Center. He currently teaches Methods of Research I & II, Professional Aspects of Anesthesia, and Anesthesia Didactics.

Jo Hursh - Secretary

Mrs. Hursh has worked within the Excela hospital system since July, 1987. She joined the staff of Excela Health School of Anesthesia, as Secretary, on July 6, 2004, after working for Westmoreland Hospital’s Home Health Care/Hospice for 17 years. She serves as the Public Relations Officer on Westmoreland Hospital’s Employee Charitable Trust Fund, and remains active as a Hospice volunteer.