Mary de Chesnay, DNA, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, is Professor and immediate past-director, WellStar School of Nursing, Kennesaw State University, Georgia, as well as a licensed psychotherapist and a nurse-anthropologist researcher. Dr. de Chesnay has specialized in child sexual abuse and victims of trafficking in her private psychotherapy practice (active practice since 1973), has developed culturally based interventions, and has taught content about vulnerable populations for many years. The third edition of Dr.de Chesney's book, "Caring for the Vulnerable, " was just published in 2012 and she has authored six book chapters and 19 journal articles. She is PI or co-PI on numerous grants and has served as consultant, on research, academic, continuing education, and law enforcement projects. Recently, Dr. de Chesnay was invited to serve on the Georgia State Governor's Task Force called CSEC-Commercial Sex Exploitation of Children.

She has presented widely (nationally and internationally) in nursing and anthropology, and has published on incest and sex tourism and about applying various qualitative approaches to clinical research. She has been invited Keynote Speaker at numerous conferences including STT and ISPN.