On-Demand Webinars

Speaker

Olivia Livernois, MSN, FNP-BC
Family Nurse Practitioner
Nursing Program Specialist, DDx by Sketchy

Olivia Livernois is a practicing Family Nurse Practitioner, educator, and Nursing Program Specialist at Sketchy. She collaborates with nurse practitioner programs nationwide to align clinical reasoning, communication, and virtual simulation-based learning with curricular goals and competency frameworks. Her clinical background spans critical care, occupational health, hospice, and urgent care, and she currently practices in urgent care and occupational health/primary care settings, delivering accessible, real-world care to diverse patient populations. Olivia is passionate about advancing innovative, student-centered learning that strengthens diagnostic reasoning and prepares learners for high-stakes clinical practice.

Speakers

Stephanie H. Hoelscher, DNP, RN, NI-BC, AIMP, CPHIMS, CHISP, FHIMSS 
Professor of Graduate Informatics and MSN Informatics Program Director
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Dr. Steph Hoelscher is Professor of Graduate Informatics and MSN Informatics Program Director at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. With nearly 30 years of experience across nursing and informatics, her work focuses on safely advancing AI, digital health, and intelligent systems to support clinician learning, decision-making, and safer patient care. She is the creator of the N.U.R.S.E.S. AI Literacy Framework, a practical and ethical approach to integrating AI into nursing practice and education, and serves as the inaugural chair of her institution’s AI Governance Council, leading efforts in AI education, research, practice, and responsible innovation. An ANCC board-certified informaticist and HIMSS Fellow, Dr. Hoelscher leads initiatives in AI readiness, EHR optimization, workflow redesign, and clinician burden reduction. Her scholarship spans AI literacy, ethics, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies in healthcare, and includes ongoing research to develop and evaluate tools that assess AI literacy, confidence, and ethical readiness across the nursing workforce. She serves as an AI advisor for EBSCO, is a past co-chair of the HIMSS Nursing Informatics Education & Networking Task Force, and a member of the new AMIA AI Task Force. Her work centers on ensuring technology enhances—rather than replaces—clinical judgment and compassionate care.

Katherine Taylor Pearson, DNP, RN, NI-BC, CLSSBB, CDH-E, CPBI, CPHIMS, CKM
President
American Nursing Informatics Association

Dr. Katherine Taylor Pearson is a nationally recognized nurse informaticist, educator, consultant, and healthcare technology leader with more than 35 years of nursing, military, and healthcare leadership experience. She currently serves as President of the American Nursing Informatics Association and as an Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing. Dr. Taylor Pearson is a board-certified informatics nurse with expertise in clinical workflow redesign, artificial intelligence integration, cybersecurity, project management, Lean Six Sigma, data analytics, and digital health transformation. She has extensive experience advancing cybersecurity awareness for nurses and healthcare leaders, emphasizing patient safety, privacy, operational resilience, and the critical role of nursing in protecting digital health environments. She is also the creator of the Five Pillars of Nursing Informatics Collaboration, a framework that highlights the importance of academic-practice partnerships, professional organizations, healthcare systems, industry collaboration, and policy engagement in strengthening the nursing informatics workforce. A retired Army nurse and veteran leader, Dr. Taylor Pearson brings a unique perspective shaped by military service, healthcare operations, academic leadership, and national professional service. Her work focuses on preparing nurses to lead in technology-enabled healthcare environments while keeping patients, clinicians, safety, ethics, equity, and collaboration at the center of digital transformation.

Speakers

Wanda Thruston, DNP, APRN, RN 
Director of Access and Engagement  
American Association of Colleges of Nursing 

Dr. Wanda Thruston, Director of Access and Engagement at AACN, is a national and international leader in academic nursing and advancing fair and just access to health and well-being for all, with expertise in institutional transformation, leadership development, and systems-level strategy. A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar Fellow, she brings decades of experience in clinical practice with under-resourced populations, health policy, and academic leadership.  

At AACN, Dr. Thruston leads the implementation of the Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing, a strategic framework designed to enhance institutional effectiveness and promote the success of students, staff, and faculty. She provides technical assistance, training, and consultation to HRSA-funded nursing schools and AACN member institutions—supporting strategies to expand access, strengthen student achievement, improve the institutional climate, and build academic environments where all individuals feel supported and prepared to succeed.  

Previously, she served as Special Assistant to the Dean at Indiana University School of Nursing, where she led the development of the Diversity Strategic Plan and co-created a university-wide pathway for DEI faculty promotion. She also led a large-scale assessment of health and well-being for Indiana’s second-largest K-12 district to to inform fair and effective resource allocation that meets the needs of all students. Dr. Thruston is committed to advancing environments where students, staff, and faculty thrive. 

Brigit Carter, PhD, RN, CCRN, FADLN, FAAN 
Chief Access and Engagement Officer 
American Association of Colleges of Nursin g 

Dr. Brigit Carter, Chief Access and Engagement Officer, joined AACN in February 2023. She is Professor Emerita at the Duke University School of Nursing, where she served as the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion from 2018-2023. From 2015-2018, she served as the Director of the DUSON Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Dr. Carter earned her BSN at North Carolina Central University in 1998, her Master of Science in Nursing Education from University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2002, and her PhD in Nursing from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009.  

Her current educational research is focused on understanding experiences of students with microaggressions and development of strategies to mitigate the impact of microaggressions. She also has a focus on strategies to increase historically marginalized students in nursing and understand individual level social determinants that are barriers to achieving nursing education. Dr. Carter is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity, and a Duke Teaching for Equity fellow. Dr. Carter retired from the U.S. Navy as a Commander after 28 years of service in January 2018. 

Susan Corbridge, PhD, APRN, FAANP, FNAP, FCCP, FAAN 
Chief Academic and Innovation Officer, 
American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Dr. Susan Corbridge is Chief Academic and Innovation Officer at AACN, where she provides leadership for AACN’s national academic and innovation portfolio, including competency-based education, academic–practice partnerships, faculty development, and emerging technologies. Dr. Corbridge earned her BSN from Northwestern University, an MS in Nursing as a Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist from Rush University, a post-master’s certificate as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner from Rush University, and a PhD from the University of Illinois Chicago.  

A nationally recognized leader in nursing education, educational policy, and advanced practice, Dr. Corbridge has more than 37 years of experience as a clinician, educator, researcher, and healthcare leader. She is Professor Emerita and former Executive Associate Dean at the University of Illinois Chicago and a Fellow of multiple national organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Institute of Medicine of Chicago, American College of Chest Physicians, National Academies of Practice, and American Academy of Nursing.

Speakers

Nelda Godfrey, PhD, ACNS-BC, RN, FAAN, ANEF  
Professor, Professional Practice and Director of Nursing Career Success, Identity and Innovation
University of Missouri

Lauren Rewers
Managing Director, Nursing Catalyst
The Health Management Academy

Tiffany Murdock, DNP, MBA, RN
Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing and Clinical Excellence Officer
Ochsner Health

Susan Corbridge, PhD, APRN, FAANP, FAAN
Chief Academic and Innovation Officer
AACN

Joni L. Watson, DNP, MBA, RN, OCN
Senior Director, Professional Practice
American Organization for Nursing Leadership

Speakers

Laurie Badzek, LLM, JD, MS, RN, FNAP, FAAN  
Dean and Professor 
The Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Laurie Badzek is a nurse, attorney, and educator, who specializes in genomics education and competency, health care ethics and law, nursing practice, and ethical decision making. Badzek assumed her current role as College of Nursing Dean in July 2018, where she oversees the undergraduate and graduate programs at 12 Commonwealth Campuses and online at the World Campus. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, American Association Colleges of Nursing, and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She is a Fellow with the National Academies of Practice, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, AACN-Wharton Executive Leadership Program, and American Academy of Nursing.

She has been a tireless champion of using genomics in nursing to enhance patient care. Her research in genomics has been funded by the National Council of the State Boards of Nursing, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Cancer Institute, and published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship, Journal of Nursing Law, Nursing Outlook, Precision Medicine, and American Nurse Today. As the PI, Badzek conducted one of the largest US studies examining the translation of genomics to bedside care.

She has been the recipient of numerous awards including the International Society of Nurses in Genetics International Genomics Research Award and the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities Cornerstone Award for her work with the ANA Center for Ethics and Human Rights. Currently, she is involved in the development of the Genetic and Genomics Nursing Alliance and serves on the G2NA.org steering committee. Additionally, Badzek is a steering member on the Chinese University of Hong Kong Asian Pacific Genomic and Genetic Nursing Centre.

Christina Lightner, PhD, CRNP, WHNP-BC, CNE 
Assistant Teaching Professor and Coordinator of Academic Wellness 
The Pennsylvania State University  

Dr. Christina Lightner is an Assistant Teaching Professor and Coordinator of Academic Wellness at the Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, where she leads college-wide initiatives to integrate evidence-based wellness across 14 campuses, supporting students, faculty, and staff. Her clinical and teaching expertise includes labor and delivery, women’s health, maternal child nursing, and simulation. Her work focuses on advancing workforce well-being through curricular innovation, faculty engagement, and community partnerships. Dr. Lightner earned her Associate and Bachelor's nursing degrees from The Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Science in Nursing in Women’s Health from the University of Cincinnati, and a PhD from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Nurse Educator through the National League for Nursing and a trained facilitator for Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment (COPE). She serves as Chair of the Advisory Committee and a member of the Board for the Building Healthy Academic Communities (BHAC) and participates in the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Change Maker Accelerator Program. She received the 2025 BHAC Impact Award for her leadership in advancing well-being in academic settings.

Kelly A. Wolgast, DNP, RN, FACHE, FAAN 
Associate Teaching Professor, Assistant Dean for Outreach and Professional Development 
The Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Kelly Wolgast is an Associate Teaching Professor and Assistant Dean for Outreach and Professional Development for the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. The role includes oversight to the College wellness initiatives. Prior to arriving at Penn State in?August 2016, Dr. Wolgast was Assistant Professor and Specialty Director for the Healthcare Leadership program at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. Dr. Wolgast is also an Army Veteran. She served over 26 years on Active Duty in the United States Army as an Army Nurse and retired as a Colonel. Her experiences include earning the Bronze Star in combat operations as Deputy Commander and Chief Nurse in Afghanistan, a deployment in support of Hurricane Katrina relief operations in New Orleans, serving as a Military Hospital Commander (CEO) at Fort Carson, Colorado, and serving as the Senior Nurse Executive of the U.S. Army Medical Command. Dr. Wolgast has many years of executive nursing and healthcare leadership experience and has a strong background in Medical-Surgical Nursing.

From June 2020-June 2023, Dr. Wolgast served as the Penn State University Director of the COVID-19 Operations Control Center leading efforts on all University COVID-19 plans and operations. Dr. Wolgast’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, two awards of the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, three awards of the Army Commendation Medal, two awards of the Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, National Defense Service Ribbon (with Star Device), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Service Medal, Overseas Medal (with 2 Device), NATO Medal, and the Expert Field Medical Badge. COL Wolgast has also been inducted into the prestigious Order of Military Medical Merit.

Dr. Wolgast’s professional honors include being named a University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Visionary Leader, the Janet Williamson Award for Excellence in Teaching from Penn State College of Nursing, the President’s Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives Middle Tennessee Chapter, and named one of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s Distinguished 100 Graduates.