On-Demand Webinars

Speakers & Facilitator

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

Dr. Brigit Carter, Chief Access and Engagement Officer, joined American Association of Colleges of Nursing (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 (ABSN) program. Dr. Carter earned her BSN at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in 1998, a Master of Science in Nursing Education from University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2002, and a PhD in Nursing from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009. Her current educational research is focused on understanding students' experiences with microaggressions and the development of strategies to mitigate the impact of microaggressions. Dr. Carter also has a focus on strategies intended to increase historically marginalized students in nursing and understand individual-level social determinants that serve as barriers to achieving nursing education. Dr. Carter is a Fellow in the Ameri can Academy of Nursing, an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity, and a Duke Teaching for Equity fellow. 

Allison Lewinski, PhD, MPH, RN
Assistant Professor
Duke University School of Nursing

Dr. Allison Lewinski is a health services researcher with a focus on eHealth interventions and chronic illness self-management. Her work sits at the intersection of precision medicine and population health. Dr. Lewinski’s interest in health services and nursing research, specifically in developing and implementing sustainable interventions to improve health outcomes, is an extension of her experiences in public health and nursing. Dr. Lewinski aims to develop meaningful interventions that are relevant, appropriate, and can be implemented in real-world clinical settings with interdisciplinary collaborators. Her use of mixed methods enables her to understand how individuals engage with healthcare teams, how best to support behavior change in diverse populations and with varying disease states, and how to foster stronger engagement with the healthcare system. Additionally, Dr. Lewinski is interested in examining intervention implementation and adaptation as a means to understand how, why, when, and for what populations and settings interventions work. Dr . Lewinski’s career development award examines the association of diabetes distress and related factors using quantitative and qualitative methods in order to develop a novel, nurse-led intervention to improve self-management in Veterans with type 2 diabetes. Dr. Lewinski completed her postdoctoral fellowship in health services research at the Durham Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation at the Durham VA. She completed her PhD in Nursing at Duke University School of Nursing, a Master of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Education at University of Michigan, a Bachelor of Science in Zoology at Michigan State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Maryville University in St. Louis.

Winifred Quinn, PhD
Director, Nursing Workforce & Policy
AARP Center for Health Equity through Nursing

Dr. Winifred Quinn is the director, nursing workforce & policy, at the AARP Center for Health Equity through Nursing within the AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI). She co-leads a national campaign dedicated to improving health care through nursing, the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action. She oversees a team that supports action coalitions in each state and the District of Columbia that work to implement the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations from its landmark 2011 report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Dr. Quinn also assists with the Campaign for Action’s diversity work to help ensure a more diverse nursing workforce, faculty, and leadership. Dr. Quinn also works across AARP to help address public policies that intersect with consumer and nursing issues. She focuses on policy issues related to improving funding for nursing education and legal barriers that prevent all levels of registered nurses from practicing to the full extent of their education and expertise. Her federal policy work includes working on nursing education provisions within the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. She helped to initiate a national-level coalition that successfully moved Medicare to begin supporting graduate-level nursing education. Her state-level policy work entails organizing technical assistance to action coalitions and AARP state offices that are improving funding for nursing education or modernizing the scope of practice laws. Within this role, she places a strong emphasis on building coalitions and engaging stakeholders. She holds a master's in counseling, higher education, and human development from Montclair State University and a PhD in communication processes with a focus on health and public policy from Rutgers University School of Communication and Information.

Speaker

Laura A. Taylor, PhD, CN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN
Founder and CEO, GuIDE to Degree

With more than 26 years in the transplant nursing/community, and 34 years in nursing education, Dr. Laura Taylor has earned national and international recognition as a strong leader who shapes practice, policy and education. Dr. Taylor’s scholarship integrates pioneering technology-based innovations, rigorous scientific methods, inter-professional collaboration, and focused orientation on the advancement of global transplant care and education. Dr. Taylor embodies the innovative and evidence-based approach to contemporary nursing education, practice and healthcare delivery meeting the needs of patients in increasingly complex healthcare environments. 

Dr. Taylor established an educational pathway, The Guiding Initiative for Doctoral Education program (GuIDE ™), a program providing advanced practice nurses informational and problem-solving opportunities regarding PhD, EdD, and DNP education. GuIDE™ is preparing nurses to be competitive for admission to doctoral programs with the goal of increasing the diversity of doctorally prepared nurses.

Speakers

Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, LL
Founder –Director
Watson Caring Science Institute

Dr. Jean Watson is known around the world for her Theory of Human Caring and advancement of Caring Science as disciplinary context for Nursing’s future. She is the Founder of the Non-profit, Watson Caring Science Institute and Distinguished Professor  Dean Emerita University of Colorado Denver. She is the author, co-author, or editor of over 30 books on Caring Science and Unitary Caring. Her latest book is titled Metaphysics of Unitary Caring Science. A Cosmology of Love, (2025 pub. by Springer).  Her work is used globally, promoting academic and clinical partnerships toward theory-guided caring science curriculum and professional Caritas Practice, Research, and Leadership. Watson is the recipient of numerous national and international awards and honors including 15 Honorary Doctorates; she is designated as a Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing, its highest honor.  View full bio.

Sara Horton-Deutsch, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, SGAHN
University of San Francisco
Director of USF/Kaiser Permanente Partnership and Faculty Associate
Watson Caring Science Institute

Dr. Sarah Horton-Deutsch has led in academic and practice settings for over 30 years as an advanced practice psychiatric/mental health nurse, teacher/practitioner, consultant, program director, caring science endowed chair, coach, and academic/practice partnership director. In 2022, she was inducted into the Global American Holistic Nursing. She has contributed to evidence-informed knowledge development throughout her academic and practice career to ensure compassionate, safe, and quality care. As a reflective leader, she focuses on inward development to positively influence change. She has co-authored several books on Reflective Practice, Caring Science, and Caritas Coaching. She is a Caritas Coach & Leader, Reiki Practitioner, and Healing Circle Facilitator. Through her journey, she has learned the necessity of connecting to one’s inner sources of wisdom, power, and healing, as well as the arts and humanities that once defined the discipline of nursing. She is passionate about facilitating critical, deep, and authentic connections that support regeneration, renewal, and the profession’s evolution. Her latest books, Visionary Leadership in Healthcare (2022) and Reflec tive Practice: Reimagining Ourselves, Reimagining Nursing (2024), were published through SIGMA, the former winning an AJN 1st place book of the year award in Leadership. She is currently a champion for the ANCC Essentials within the USF School of Nursing and Health Professions. She is co-director of the Caritas Leadership Program for the Watson Caring Science Institute.

Danny G. Willis, DNS, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN
Dean and Professor
University of Rhode Island College of Nursing

Dr. Danny G. Willis serves as Dean of the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing. He Caritas® Leader Faculty. In his 20-year academic career, he has served as Dean at Saint Louis University Valentine School of Nursing, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, and Department Chair at Boston College, Connell School of Nursing. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and has chaired the Expert Panel on Theory-Guided Practice and is a member of the Expert Panel on Violence. His program of research and scholarship primarily focuses on wellbeing and healing in the aftermath of traumatic experiences. His work has been recognized with many awards, including the Eastern Nursing Research Society "Rising Star" Award, A merican Psychiatric Nurses Association Nancy Valentine "Leadership" Award, and R-level research funding as Principal Investigator from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He has mentored undergraduate, masters, and PhD students from nursing, social work, child and human development, and counseling psychology. Dr. Willis has published widely in nursing and other health- related journals on qualitative research methods, foundations of the discipline, child maltreatment, the aftermath of hate crime, school children being bullied, child witness to violence, mental health, sleep, and healing. He has served as chair of the American Psychiatric Nursing Association (APNA) Research Council and currently co-chairs the Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS) Qualitative Research Interest Group. His publication explicating a central unifying focus for the discipline of nursing ‘facilitating humanization, meaning, choice, quality of life, and healing in living and dying,” published in Advances in Nursing Science, garnered national and international recognition for its relevance to nursing. Dr. Willis enthusiastically shares his work nationally and internationally with invited papers and presentations in the United States, Chile, Colombia, Ireland, England, Portugal, and Japan. 

Speaker

Sarah Oerther, PhD, MEd, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, ANEF
Assistant Professor
Goldfarb School of Nursing
Barnes-Jewish College

Sarah Oerther is an Assistant Professor at Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College. To promote climate resilience, Dr. Oerther seeks to create culturally appropriate tools that can help individuals assess their risk and take necessary action to protect their health. By doing so, her program of research is expected to reduce the economic burden caused by preventable climate-related illnesses and ensure a healthier and more productive society. She is currently part of the 2024 cohort for Environmental Health Research Institute for Nurse and Clinician Scientists (EHRI-NCS) and was recently selected as a CHARTER fellow for 2024 with the Woodruff Health Sciences Center at Emory University.

Speakers

Nelda Godfrey, PhD, ACNS-BC, RN, FAAN, ANEF
Professor and Associate Dean, Innovative Partnerships and Practice
University of Kansas School of Nursing

Dr. Nelda Godfrey is Associate Dean for Innovative Partnerships and Practice at the University of Kansas School of Nursing; and Professor, University of Kansas School of Nursing. She is the founder of the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing and the 2017 recipient of the Amy Ladner O'Brien Women in Science and Medicine Award for Innovation, University of Kansas Medical Center. She previously served as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, and prior to that Chair of the Department of Nursing at William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri. Dr. Godfrey has more than twenty years of experience in academic leadership, entrepreneurialism and innovation. She also has 24 years of bedside nursing experience as both an RN and an advanced practice nurse, working in acute care, rehab, cardiac, ICU, and cardiac step down areas. She received her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Nursing with an emphasis in Ethics at the University of Missouri. She received her Master of Nursing (MN) degree from the Univer sity of Kansas Medical Center as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult/Gerontological Care. In 2010, she was selected as a Fellow of the Harvard Macy Institute Innovations in Health Care and Education and served as invited faculty in 2011 and 2015.  Dr. Godfrey currently serves as chair of the American Nurses Association Ethics and Human Rights Advisory Board, the only national nursing ethics advisory forum. She is the immediate past chair of the International Society for Professional identity in Nursing and formerly served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Nursing and as chair of the Missouri Nurses Foundation.
 

Susan Strouse, PhD, RN
Associate Professor
Grand Valley State University
Kirkhof College of Nursing

Dr. Susan Strouse has been faculty with the Kirkhof College of Nursing since 2013. Her areas of scholarship and interest are the culture of nursing and enculturation process and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Her teaching includes nursing leadership and nursing care for populations, and she has been the clinical coordinator for the RN to BSN program since 2014.

Speakers

Gerry Altmiller, EdD, APRN, ACNS-BC, ANEF, FAAN
Professor
Director, Quality and Safety Innovation Center
School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science
The College of New Jersey

Gerry Altmiller is a professor of nursing, a clinical nurse specialist consultant for Jefferson Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and director of the Quality and Safety Innovation Center at The College of New Jersey. She served on the QSEN Advisory board for over a decade and for 7 years led the QSEN Academic Task Force, creating opportunities for its 120 faculty members to network, share ideas, and conduct academic focused research.

Dr. Altmiller authored the Teamwork and Communication Module of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s Transition to Practice program and in 2014 she received a Lindback Award for distinguished teaching. Her work on constructive feedback led to the development, testing, and dissemination of support tools for nurse educators and learning tools for students to view feedback as an opportunity. Dr. Altmiller serves on the editorial board for Nurse Educator Journal. She is a member of the AACN workgroups that developed the toolkits to support adoption of th e 2021 AACN Essentials and serves as an AACN Coach for implementation of the Essentials. Her research focuses on clinical evaluation, quality and safety integration, and creating a just culture in academia.

Speakers

Marta Okoniewski, MPA
Director of Student Engagement
AACN

Marta Okoniewski, MPA, is the Director of Student Engagement at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She led the development, launch, and growth of the GNSA, a national network providing high value programs, services, and resources to nursing students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs. Prior to joining AACN, Ms. Okoniewski worked as the Program Coordinator at New York University College of Nursing within the Academic and Clinical Affairs Department. She received her master’s in public administration from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Scranton.

Anne Pearson, BA
Student Services Coordinator
AACN

Anne Pearson is the Student Services Coordinator at the Amer ican Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She supports graduate nursing students across the country through the Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA) and Liaison leadership program. She has a background in education equity policy research and received her baccalaureate degree in political science from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Speakers

Cheryl Green, PhD, DNP, RN, LCSW, CNL, CNE, MAC, FAPA
Off-Shift Nurse Administrative Manager
Yale New Heaven Health System
Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus

Dr. Cheryl Green is an Off-Shift Nurse Administrative Manager at the Yale-New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus and Nurse Educator, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Chair and Committee Member within the Graduate School at Abilene Christian University. Dr. Green has been a registered nurse for over 34 years and a licensed clinical social worker for over 30 years. Areas of research include: Incivility, mental illness, medication error prevention, medical-surgical health issues, incivility and discrimination, succession planning, prayer and spirituality, self-care, distraction, stress and anxiety, nursing education, death and dying, the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health, COVID-19 pandemic, health disparities, addictions, simulation, and mindfulness.

Evelyn Jacovino, MSN, RN, CMSRN
Assistant Nurse Manager
Yale New Heaven Health System
Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus

Evelyn Jacovino is an Assistant Nurse Manager on the orthopedic unit at the Yale-New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus.  Mrs. Jacovino has been a registered nurse for over 11 years.  She has experience in homecare and hospital settings.  She has led her team in acquiring The Joint Commissions advanced disease specific certification for hips and knees.  Most recently, Mrs. Jacovino has successfully led the opening of the new, state of the art, orthopedic unit on the Milford Campus which includes virtual nursing.  Her tenure has been marked by a steadfast dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement within the healthcare team. Her focus has been elevating the standard of nursing practice through strategic management and supporting staff in their professional growth and development.  

Speakers

Cynthia Bradley, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, ANEF
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota School of Nursing

Dr. Cynthia Bradley is an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, where she serves as the Director of Simulation. Her program of research is focused on improving the nursing workforce through integrating emerging technologies into nursing education, and enhancing how nurse educators are trained and assessed. She has a history of research funding focused on simulation, virtual reality, debriefing, instrument development, and competency assessment. Dr. Bradley has served as a consultant for simulation programs, and broadly disseminates her work as a regular presenter at national and international nursing conferences and through numerous publications.

Michelle Aebersold, PhD, RN, CHSE, FSSH, FAAN
Clinical Professor
Clinical Associate Professor
University of Michigan School of Nursing

Dr. Michelle Aebersold is a Clinical Professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, a Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Information and an XR Faculty Innovator in Residence. She is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator and a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and a Fellow in the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Dr. Aebersold has extensive experience in using a variety of simulation learning methods including Extended Realities to improve the care of patients through caregiver education and training. Dr. Aebersold has numerous publications, presents on a variety of topics and is often an invited speaker at international, regional, and local conferences. She consults with nursing schools on improving their simulation programs, developing virtual educational assets and other projects.

Speakers

Patricia Morton, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, FAAN
Editor of the Journal of Professional Nursing
Dean Emeritus
University of Utah

Patricia Gonce Morton is Dean Emeritus, University of Utah College of Nursing. She served as Dean, Professor and held the Louis Peery Endowed Presidential Chair at the University of Utah College of Nursing. Prior to her deanship at the University of Utah, Dr. Morton served in various administrative positions at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. An educator and scholar who is known for her work in critical care nursing and nursing education, Dr. Morton has authored multiple editions of three textbooks, numerous book chapters, and over 60 journal articles. She has served on the editorial board of eight nursing journals and for seven years was the editor of the journal AACN Clinical Issues: Advanced Practice in Acute and Critical Care sponsored by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Currently, Dr. Morton has been the editor of the Journal of Professional Nursing sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing since 2013. Dr. Morton is a certified acute care nurse practitioner. In recognition of her contributions to n ursing and healthcare, Dr. Morton was inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 1999.