Dr. Donna Gail Rolin

Dr. Donna G. Rolin of Austin, TX passed away on July 7th, 2025 at the age of 50 due to complications from nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Donna was born on December 27, 1974, in San Antonio, TX to Wayne Douglas Rolin and Barbara La Nelle Zerm Rolin. She attended Judson High School where she excelled academically, receiving a full-ride scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin upon graduating.

Donna then went on to attain a Master’s in Psychiatric Nursing (MSN) from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002, and was awarded a PhD in Nursing Research from New York University (NYU) in 2012. At NYU, Donna completed a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded fellowship (2008-2009), which included clinical work at Bellevue Hospital. Her 2012 dissertation explored spirituality in alcoholism recovery using qualitative methods.

For over 13 years, Donna worked as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin School of Nursing, and served as Director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program—one of the most prestigious PMHNP programs in the world. Under her leadership, students in the program consistently achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) board certification exam from 2011 to present.

Since 2017, Donna was Co-Director of the Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA), integrating clinical care with education and community outreach. Donna developed and delivered joint seminars with UT’s Social Work program, and in partnership with UT Austin’s Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Psychology to enhance integrated clinical education focused on underserved populations.

In addition to her academic accolades, Donna maintained an active clinical practice, working with underserved populations, including survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and individuals with severe mental illness. Her involvement focused on the most at-risk populations, serving through initiatives like Hope Through Health Medical Home Clinic.

For over 6 years, she was a Clinical Nurse Expert for the American Psychiatric Association (APA) – Clinical Support System for Serious Mental Illness. Her work with the APA resulted in the formulation of programs for the membership, including video tutorials on long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics to educate new and established psychiatry professionals on treatment guidelines and best practices. These videos have been some of the most downloaded and utilized content offered by the APA.

A major career milestone for Donna was her role in the 2022 release of the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which established the availability of an easy-to-remember number, 988, as an alternative to the 911 emergency response. The 988 project was the result of the effort by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the federal organization dedicated to leading public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. Donna contributed to the design, development, and release of 988, allowing anyone in crisis to access judgement-free support for mental health, substance abuse issues, and more. In its first year, 988 received over 5 million contacts, where trained counselors, skilled in de-escalation and crisis intervention, provided support that reduced the need for emergency room visits, hospitalization, or law enforcement interactions.

In her academic career, Donna was also actively involved in the authorship and editing of books and professional journals, including:

Contributing chapters and key references for Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing (2013, 2017 editions) and Swearingen’s AllinOne Nursing Care Planning Resource (2015)

Authoring a psychobiology and psychopharmacology chapter in Barkley’s PMHNP review curriculum

Authoring or co-authoring ~10 peer-reviewed studies, with topics ranging from school nurse mental health during COVID19 to clozapine outpatient clinic structures

Contributed to a nationwide survey on school nurses’ mental health interventions during the pandemic

Co-authored a BMC Psychiatry article detailing a survey of personnel and services offered at 32 outpatient clozapine clinics

Donna’s professional affiliations were impressive and included:

Member of the national Board of Directors of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (PAPNA), wherein she served as Treasurer

President of the local Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of Austin (APNA) chapter

Regular presenter at national professional conferences on topics such as measurement tools (e.g., the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale) and stigma reduction in serious mental illness

While the breadth of her professional contributions and achievements was significant, Donna’s greatest accomplishment in life was to provide for and nurture her children, Nicolas and Rory. Her pride in both was unsurmountable and lives on as her legacy.

Donna is preceded in death by her father, Wayne Douglas Rolin. She is survived by her wife, Maria M. Villaronga, son, Nicolas Henry Rolin, and daughter, Morgan “Rory” Roma Kenny—as well as the family’s beloved Cairn Terrier, Nessie. In addition, Donna is survived by her mother, Barbara La Nelle Rolin, her ​ sister, Suzan Diane McCune, and her brother Wayne Derek Rolin. Donna is also survived by many cousins, nieces, and nephews whom she held close to her heart.

Services will be held privately. The family thanks you for your continued support and understanding.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Donna’s honor to:

Austin Child Guidance Center

https://www.austinchildguidance.org

National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI)

nami.org

the SAFE Alliance,

https://www.safeaustin.org