Speakers

Carol J. Howe, PhD, RN, CDCES, FAAN
Associate and Parker Endowed Professor
Texas Christian University

Dr. Carol Howe is an Associate and the Paula R. and Ronald C. Parker Endowed Professor of Nursing in the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Her research focuses on the health literacy skills of patients, clinicians, and hospital systems to drive improved patient outcomes. Her focus is on implementation research and quality improvement to increase clinician uptake of health literacy practices to improve patient outcomes. Dr. Howe is currently a principal investigator, collaborating with colleagues at Children’s Health, on three studies using implementation science frameworks and strategies to implement clinician health literacy practices in pediatric ambulatory clinics. Dr. Howe has received honors for her efforts, including the Big 12 Faculty of the Year, the Leadership Award from the American Diabetes Association, the Excellence in Education Award from the Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society, the Penn Nursing Alumni Award for Clinical Excellence and Dr. Howe is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
 

Lindsey Patton, PhD, APRN, PCNS-BC
Sr. Director Nursing Excellence, Research and Innovation  
Children’s Health System of Texas

Dr. Lindsey Patton leads strategic initiatives that elevate nursing practice, advance research, and foster innovation across Children’s Health. As Senior Director of Nursing Excellence, Research and Innovation, she has been instrumental in shaping a culture of inquiry and evidence-based care. Her leadership has driven the development of a robust academic partnership with Texas Christian University (TCU), expanding opportunities for collaborative research, professional development, and clinical scholarship. 
 

Danielle Walker, RN, PhD, CNE
Associate and Parker Endowed Professor    
Texas Christian University

Dr. Danielle Walker is an Associate Professor in the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas Christian University. A learning scientist focused on nursing education, Dr. Walker’s research centers on improving the quality of teaching and evaluation through evidence-based practices. Her expertise in psychometrics supports the development and validation of reliable instruments across diverse educational and clinical settings. She has been recognized for her contributions to nursing education research with awards such as the 2020 QSEN Researcher of the Year and the Generating Evidence for Nursing Education Practice Award at the Nursing Education Research Conference.  
 

Tammy Webb, PhD, RN, NE-BC  
Chief Nurse Executive  
Children’s Health System of Texas

President
California Association of Colleges of Nursing

Precision Health & Genomics Work Group Co-Chair
American Nurses Association

Dr. Tammy Webb leads nursing strategy and drives clinical excellence in a large children’s hospital system, while fostering a culture of patient- and family-centered care and nursing excellence. She has led multiple ANCC Magnet designations and pioneered both new and evolving professional nursing governance structures empowering nurses through accountability, autonomy and authority.    

She is responsible for executing strategies aimed at achieving high reliability, advancing quality and patient safety and performance improvement culture. She has published numerous articles in prominent nursing journals and conducted significant research on the role of pediatric nursing.?She serves in multiple local, regional and national professional nursing and healthcare organizations advancing and promoting the i mpact of nurse leaders.

Speakers

Nancy Edwards, PhD, MSN, ANP-BC, FAANP
Professor Emerita
Purdue University

Dr. Nancy Edwards is an associate professor of nursing. Edwards is also Director of the Purdue Primary Care Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner program. She is known for her research into non-chemical ways to improve quality of life for those with all forms of dementia, their loved ones and caregivers, and their communities at large. She has studied the effects of animal-assisted therapy, including robotic dogs, and chair-based exercise therapy for patients, as well as the differing needs of family caregivers based on the challenges posed by various kinds of dementia. As a faculty member and clinical preceptor, she has guided the education of 89 nurse practitioner students and served as chair for 42 master's students as well as 21 students seeking their doctor of nursing practice degrees.

Jennifer Coddington, DNP, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC

Assistant Dean of Online, Professional and Clinical Education, Clinical Professor, Director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Graduate Program
Purdue University  

Medical Director, Director of Practice and Outreach
Central Nursing Clinics  

Dr. Jennifer Coddington is Clinical Professor, Director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program, Director of Practice and Outreach, and Medical Director of North Central Nursing Clinics for the School of Nursing, and HHS Assistant Dean of Clinical Practice, Professional and Online Education. She has over 35 years of experience in pediatrics and currently practices part-time as a CPNP-PC in primary care. Dr. Coddington’s research focuses on quality outcomes of nurse-managed health systems. She implements and evaluates unique models of care that address current challenges in healthcare delivery in the United States including: increasing access to health care for vulnerable populations, innovating rural health care, removing barriers for practice for Advanced Practice Nurses, and improving pediatric health.

Speakers

Molly Kokenge, PhD, RN, CNL, CEN
Associate Dean for Strategic Partnerships and Practice
University of Nevada

Dr. Molly Kokenge is an Associate Professor and the inaugural Associate Dean for Strategic Partnerships and Practice at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Orvis School of Nursing (OSN). She leads initiatives that strengthen partnerships to advance OSN’s Mission of education, research, and practice. Dr. Kokenge oversees the OSN’s Faculty Practice Plan, a mission-driven program designed to address health equity through faculty-led care delivery and systems-focused practice initiatives. Drawing on her background in emergency nursing and systems leadership, Dr. Kokenge’s research examines health behavior engagement and adherence among populations historically marginalized from care, with a strong emphasis on policy-driven systemic change.

Loni Jones, MSN, RN, CNL
Student Coordinator
Renown Health

Loni Jones serves as a Student Coordinator and Adjunct Clinical Faculty at the Orvis School of Nursing, where she plays a key role in advancing student learning and clinical readiness. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the Gerald “Jerry” Smith Academic Practice Partnership, ensuring smooth coordination that supports student success and seamless transitions into professional nursing practice. With a strong foundation in nursing education and a clinical nurse leader's background, Loni brings a collaborative, systems-focused approach to her work. Her leadership fosters meaningful improvements across both acute care and academic environments, contributing to high-quality clinical experiences and impactful practice transformations.

Shannon Richard, PhD, RN, CHSE
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor 
University of Nevada

Dr. Shannon Richard is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at the Orvis School of Nursing, University of Nevada, Reno. She is an accomplished nurse educator and researcher with more than thirteen years of teaching experience across undergraduate, associate-to-baccalaureate, and accelerated nursing programs. She brings a dynamic, student-centered approach to nursing education grounded in civility, approachability, and continuous evaluation and refinement to support student success and professional development.

Her areas of expertise include pathophysiology, pharmacology, clinical development, simulation, and emergency and acute care nursing. Dr. Richard integrates innovative pedagogical strategies into both didactic and clinical settings, including conceptual learning frameworks, flipped classroom models, and advanced educational technologies to enhance engagement, clinical reasoning, and knowledge application.

Dr. Richard earned her PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and holds master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees in nursing. Her research focuses on health disparities affecting Hispanic/Latinx populations, gender-ethnic differences in disease processes, and the intersection of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and psychological well-being. She has a particular interest in modifiable lifestyle factors and early electrocardiographic abnormalities as predictors of disease risk. She has held national certifications in emergency nursing, nursing education, and healthcare simulation. Her excellence in teaching has been widely recognized, including the F. Donald Tibbitts Distinguished Teaching Award, multiple Most Inspirational Faculty Awards from the Orvis School of Nursing, and the Sigma Nu Iota Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurse Educator. Dr. Richard is deeply committed to optimizing the student experience, strengthening academic-practice partnerships, and advancing innovative nursing education to improve workforce readiness and health outcomes.

Charles Yingling, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN 
Dean and Professor 
University of Nevada

Dr. Charles Yingling is Dean and Professor of the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he provides strategic leadership to advance and sustain academic–practice partnerships that strengthen nursing education, workforce development, and health system impact.

Dr. Yingling serves as a steward of the long-standing partnership between the Orvis School of Nursing and Renown Health, which was established prior to his tenure and later formalized as the Gerald “Jerry” Smith Academic–Practice Partnership. Building on this strong foundation, he has focused on strengthening the partnership’s structure, visibility, and outcomes, supporting its evolution into a nationally recognized model and its designation as a 2025 AACN Exemplary Academic–Practice Partnership. Under his leadership, the partnership has expanded its focus on sustainable workforce pipelines, transition-to-practice alignment, and practice-based scholarship. These efforts include advancing tuition-supported pathways, enhancing retention of new graduate nurses, supporting embedded nurse scientist roles, and developing systems-focused graduate practica that align academic preparation with health system priorities. His approach emphasizes shared governance, mutual investment, and measurable outcomes that benefit both academic and clinical partners.

Dr. Yingling’s scholarly and leadership interests center on academic–community–clinical partnerships, faculty practice integration, and the role of nursing leadership in improving access to care, particularly in rural and frontier settings. He is actively engaged in national nursing leadership and policy conversations focused on the future of nursing education and the nursing workforce.

Melodie Osborn, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Nurse Executive 
Renown Health

Melodie Osborn is Chief Nurse Executive at Renown Health, where she provides executive leadership for nursing practice across the organization and serves as the professional voice for more than 2,700 nurses. As a member of Renown’s executive leadership team, she is responsible for advancing patient-centered care by fostering high-quality, consistent nursing practice across acute, ambulatory, and community settings. In her role, Ms. Osborn is a key practice leader in Renown’s long-standing academic–practice partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing. She has played an integral role in sustaining and strengthening this partnership, helping to align nursing education, workforce development, and practice priorities to support the preparation and retention of nurses in Nevada. Her leadership emphasizes shared accountability, practice readiness, and the integration of nursing education with real-world clinical and system needs. Ms. Osborn began her career in critical care and cardiovascular services and previously served as Administrative Director for Critical Care and Cardiovascular Services at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center. She joined Renown Health in 2011 and has held progressive leadership roles supporting nursing excellence and professional development.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Nevada, Reno, and her Master of Business Administration in Health Care Administration from Columbia Southern University. Ms. Osborn served as President of the Nevada Organization for Nurse Leaders in 2015 and is currently active in the re-incorporation of the group.

She is deeply committed to advancing nursing leadership and partnering with academic colleagues to strengthen the nursing workforce and improve patient and community outcomes.

Erin VanKirk, DNP, RN, NE-BC 
Director of Nursing Education 
Renown Health

Dr. Erin VanKirk is Director of Nursing Education at Renown Health, where she leads strategic initiatives to strengthen clinical learning environments, advance simulation-enhanced education, and support workforce readiness in collaboration with academic partners. In this role, Dr. VanKirk drives training innovation for nurses and interprofessional learners and aligns educational programs with system priorities that support high-quality care and professional excellence. She has been instrumental in expanding Renown’s clinical training infrastructure, including implementation of the Helmsley Simulation Center, a state-of-the-art facility that enhances experiential learning and prepares clinicians for complex practice across diverse settings. This work directly supports the full scope of the academic–practice partnership between Renown Health and the Orvis School of Nursing, strengthening student preparation, transition-to-practice success, and ongoing professional development. Dr. VanKirk began her nursing career as a frontline clinician and has since built a career focused on education, mentorship, and transformational learning design. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and is board-certified in nursing leadership. Her professional interests include simulation-based pedagogy, competency-based progression, and creating supportive learning ecologies that connect academic preparation with real-world clinical expectations.

Committed to cultivating the next generation of nurses, Dr. VanKirk champions partnerships that bridge academic preparation with health system workforce needs and elevate the role of nursing education as a driver of clinical excellence and patient-centered outcomes.

Kristen Gurnea, MPH, CCRC, ACRP-PM 
Director of Clinical Research 
Renown Health

Kristen Gurnea is Director of Clinical Research at Renown Health, where she leads the health system’s clinical research infrastructure and works to expand access to innovative clinical trials that support patient care and evidence-generation. In this role, she oversees the design, implementation, and operational excellence of research activities while fostering collaboration among clinicians, academic partners, and research staff to improve health outcomes and build research capacity.

Ms. Gurnea’s leadership bridges frontline clinical learning, research workforce development, and academic–practice scholarship. She is a passionate advocate for integrating clinical research as a care option and for creating training pathways that align research with broader clinical and educational missions. Her work contributes directly to advancing mutually beneficial academic–practice partnerships by strengthening opportunities for students, clinicians, and learners to engage in research that informs practice and system improvement. She holds a Master of Public Health and is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator and ACRP-PM (Association of Clinical Research Professionals – Program Manager), credentials that reflect her expertise in research operations, regulatory oversight, and strategic program growth. Her professional interests include expanding community-centered research, building research workforce pipelines, and supporting evidence-based innovation within health systems.

Alexa Colgrove Curtis, PhD, MPH, APRN, FAANP, FAAN 
Associate Dean for Research and Innovation & Endowed Professor 
University of Nevada

Dr. Alexa Colgrove Curtis is a nursing scholar with extensive experience in nursing education, research, clinical practice partnerships, and academic leadership. Her work prioritizes improving access to high-quality healthcare for underserved populations, with particular emphasis on rural communities, integrated behavioral health in primary care, the prevention and management of substance use disorders, and adolescent health. She has led and contributed to multiple funded workforce development initiatives aimed at expanded access to care and strengthening the pipeline of nursing practitioners prepared to serve underserved communities. Dr. Curtis is the co-editor of Nurse Practitioner Clinical Education: A Guide for Educators, Preceptors, and Clinical Partners. In her role as Administrative Lead of the Office of Research and Innovation at the Orvis School of Nursing, she focuses on developing clinical and community partnerships that support community-engaged scholarships, with particular attention to nursing care delivery and nurse-sensitive outcomes.

Speakers

Carol F. Durham, EdD, MSN, RN, ANEF, FAAN 
Professor Emeritus
University of North Carolina School of Nursing

Dr. Carol Durham is Professor Emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. Over her 45-year tenure, she served as Director of the Education–Innovation–Simulation Learning Environment, overseeing skill acquisition and simulation-based learning across prelicensure and graduate nursing programs. She has also held multiple leadership roles within the School of Nursing, including Faculty Chair and the Inaugural Director of Interprofessional Education & Practice.

Dr. Durham is recognized as a national and international leader in the fields of quality and safety, simulation and interprofessional education. A past President of the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL), she collaborated with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and other experts to establish simulation guidelines for nursing programs. As a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project, Dr. Durham’s work has had a sustained impact on preparing faculty to integrate quality, safety, and evidence-based pedagogy into their teaching.

She is a contributor to the AACN Essentials Assessment Expert Working Group and chairs the AACN Essentials Scenario Working Group, leading national efforts to integrate simulation as a methodology for coaching students to meet the AACN Essentials.  

Dr. Durham continues to support prelicensure students in developing strong clinical reasoning and judgment skills through robust case-based learning and situated coaching/debriefing. She has an extensive record of publications and is frequently invited to present nationally and internationally on simulation and healthcare education.

Her contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2023 Society for Simulation in Healthcare Director of the Year, INACSL’s 2018 “Spirit of Simulation” Leadership Excellence Award, the 2017 Presidentia l Citation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, and the 2025 DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), the National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education (ANEF), and the Society for Simulation in Healthcare Academy (FSSH). 

Jennifer T. Alderman, PhD, MSN, RN, CNL, CNE, CHSE, NEA-BC 
Clinical Professor & Interprofessional Education and Practice Director
UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing

Dr. Jennifer T. Alderman is a Clinical Professor and Director of Interprofessional Education and Practice at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing, where she has been a faculty member for over 15 years. As Interprofessional Education and Practice (IPEP) Director of the school, she works to ensure that IPE and simulation are integrated across programs and properly leveled across the curriculum. Dr. Alderman and colleagues have presented nationally and internationally about simulation outcomes, including the impact of virtual simulation on the clinical judgment in pre-licensure nursing students. She has published in the Journal of Interprofessional Care and the Journal of Nursing Care Quality, co-authored book chapters on simulation in Quality and Safety in Nursing: A Competency Approach to Improving Outcomes (3rd ed.), Clinical Simulation in Nursing: From Conceptualization to Evaluation (3rd ed.), Reflective Practice: Reimagining Ourselves, Reimagining Nursing (3rd ed.), and

The Nexus between Nursing and Patient Safety and has given over 25 presentations at national and international conferences over the past decade. Dr. Alderman is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, American Nurses Association, North Carolina Nurses Association, and a lifetime member of the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL). Dr. Alderman chaired INACSL's Membership Engagement Committee where she worked on webinars, national conference planning, and served as the inaugural season one host of the Let’s Talk Sim podcast.   

Leah Burt, PhD, APRN-FPA, ANP-BC, CHSE, FAANP
Clinical Assistant Professor  
Director, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program
Director of Simulation Assessment & Research, M. Christine Schwartz Experiential Learning & Simulation Laboratory
University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing

Dr. Leah Burt is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing, as well as Director of Simulation Research in the College of Nursing's M. Christine Schwartz Experiential Learning and Simulation Laboratory. After completing her PhD in Nursing Science with a focus on diagnostic reasoning, Dr. Burt engaged in postdoctoral training as a Fellow in Diagnostic Excellence through the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine as well as postdoctoral training in simulation education and research. She is a current Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Faculty Scholar. A Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator, Dr. Burt’s scholarship blends expertise in educational design with mixed methodology research to discover evidence-based ways to assess and enhance learner competency through innovative simulation. Dr. Burt collaborates with nurse practitioner educators across the country and her leadership has been honored with the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine’s Emerging Leader Rising Star Award, the Barbara Berger Excellence in Teaching Award, and the DAISY Faculty Award for extraordinary educational contributions.

Mindi Anderson, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CHSOS, CHSE-A, ANEF, FSSH, FAAN 
Associate Dean for Simulation and Immersive Learning
Professor
Director for Healthcare Simulation Program 
University of Central Florida

Dr. Mindi Anderson is an early pioneer in healthcare simulation education who is today one of the world’s foremost experts in the field. She is the inaugural and current program director of the Healthcare Simulation graduate program at the UCF College of Nursing. Anderson’s research, which includes virtual and game-based simulation, new simulation technologies, standardized patients, interprofessional education using simulation and use of simulation in preparing students for nursing practice, has been widely published and presented both nationally and internationally. Her findings over the last 14 years have advanced nursing science and helped to establish best practices in healthcare simulation education. In addition, Anderson is part of an interdisciplinary team at UCF that has been issued two patents on advances in simulation and training.

Speakers

Susan M. Grant, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Chief Clinical Officer
Symplr

Dr. Susan Grant is the chief clinical officer for Symplr, a leading provider of enterprise health care operations software. Prior to joining Symplr in February 2025, she served as executive vice president, chief experience officer and chief nurse executive at Wellstar Health System and has served as a chief nurse for five different U.S. health systems including The Dana Farber Cancer Institute, University of Washington Medical Center, Emory Healthcare and Beaumont Health. Her experience as a nurse executive has led to achievements including leading the nursing practice of over 10,000 nurses across all care settings and successful Magnet designation and redesignation of nine different hospitals. She has led through public health crises, including Ebola and COVID-19.

Dr. Grant currently serves on the Daisy Foundation Board of Directors, co-chair of the AACN/AONL Task Force on Academic Practice Partnerships, Vanderbilt University’s Dean’s Advisory Board, the JONA editorial board, and is immediate past chair of the Wellstar Medical College of Georgia Health board. Dr. Grant, a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing since 2010, is currently on the Academy’s Board of Directors and serves on the Academy’s Models of Care Task Force. She recently spearheaded the Academy’s Policy Dialogue on nursing’s role in virtual models of care. Dr. Grant is a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow, Johnson & Johnson Wharton Nurse Executive Fellow and Nurse Executive in Residence at Georgetown University. She received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Medical College of Georgia, master’s degree in nursing from the University of South Carolina, and Doctor of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt University.

Angela Clark, PhD, RN, CNE, FAA N
Maxine Clark and Bob Fox President, Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing, BJC HealthCare

Dr. Angela Clark is the Maxine Clark and Bob Fox President at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing and a Voluntary Research Professor of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. A nationally recognized nursing leader, she currently serves as co-chair of the AACN/AONL Academic-Practice Advisory, where she is committed to redefining how nursing education and health care institutions collaborate.

At Goldfarb, Dr. Clark is leading one of the most robust examples of this work through the BJC Full Ride Scholars Program. Since launching in May 2022, the program has become the largest of its kind in the nation, with 354 scholars to date—including a record 85 in the fall of 2025—and creating direct workforce pathways aligned with BJC HealthCare’s RN Career Ladder. Under her leadership, Goldfarb has experienced enrollment growth despite a highly competitive market, including a 43% increase in new students and a 73% increase in graduate program enrollment in 2025. Her leadership emphasizes reflexive academic-practice partnerships—dynamic collaborations that evolve in real time to meet the needs of students, employers, and communities.  

Nationally, Dr. Clark has been recognized as a Coldiron Fellow, an Apple Distinguished Educator, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. She was named a 2025 “Rising Star” in Modern Healthcare’s Women Leaders recognition program and is an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow. Passionate about advancing health equity and stabilizing the nursing workforce, Dr. Clark continues to champion innovative solutions that expand access to nursing education and strengthen the profession for generations to come.

Elizabeth G. NeSmith, PhD, RN
Dean and Professor
Augusta University

Dr. Elizabeth NeSmith is Chair of the Department of Physiological and Technological Nursing and Associate Professor in the College of Nursing with adjunct status in the AU Graduate School. Dr. NeSmith has more than 30 years of experience in trauma, emergency, and disaster nursing, with nursing leadership roles in these areas at the local, regional, and national levels.  

Having obtained her Doctor of Philosophy degree with a focus on translational and interdisciplinary research, Dr. NeSmith’s federally funded grants have focused on the effects of lifetime chronic stress on the inflammatory response and how it impacts healing and vulnerability to complications following acute life-threatening injury. Dr. NeSmith’s research will lead to advances in tailoring individual treatments to prevent and improve acute outcomes of trauma. Dr. NeSmith is also very active at the state and national levels as an advocate for nursing research and faculty development. She was recently awarded more than $399K from the University System of Georgia to launch a research-based, interdisciplinary nursing faculty expansion program. In collaboration with her research team, Dr. NeSmith has multiple trauma-related publications and nationally presented abstracts and co-founded the Trauma Interdisciplinary Group for Research (TIGR). Together with her TIGR co-founder, Dr. Regina Medeiros, Dr. NeSmith developed and authored publications and national presentations which focus on the implementation of their PhD/DNP Operational Collaborative (P-DOC) Model of clinical and research collaboration among doctorally-prepared nurses. 

Mark Schreiber, MBA, RN
Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Wellstar MCG Health System

Mr. Mark Schreiber is the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Wellstar MCG Health. Mark is responsible for strategic leadership and operational guidance for all aspects of nursing across the Medical Center and Health System, focusing on efficient and cost-effective operations, service excellence, patient safety and quality initiatives in partnership with the Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

Mark is a nursing executive with more than 36 years’ experience in health care. He has worked as a transporter, patient care tech, registered nurse in the Emergency Department, and his role progressed to charge nurse, nurse manager, and Director of ED Clinical Operations. In 2016, Mark was promoted to Dir ector of Emergency and Critical Care Services, which encompassed multiple ICUs and an Intermediate Care area. In 2021, Mark led the development and implementation of MCG Health’s AirCare Helicopter Transport Program and MCG Health’s first-ever Adult Critical Care Transport Team. In November 2022, Mark assumed responsibilities for the Histocompatibility/Immunology Lab, Pathology Services, Radiology, Rehabilitation Services and Respiratory Therapy.  In September of 2023, with the alignment with Wellstar Health System, Mark became the VP and Chief Nursing Officer for Wellstar MCG Health, where he continues to serve in that role.  

Mark earned a BS degree in biology from Augusta College, a BSN from the Medical College of Georgia and an MBA in healthcare management from Western Governors University. Mark is certified as a Nurse Executive through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). In 2014, Mark was recognized as the CSRA Nurse Manager of the Year. In 2018, he was awarded the Patient and Family Centered Care Partnership Award and in 2022 he was awarded the Pat Sodomka Leadership Award. Mark, a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor, has recently discovered a passion for fundraising for cancer research.  For 2024, Mark was named the regional Visionary of the Year for LLS when his team raised the highest amount during the fundraising campaign.  Mark now serves on the local LLS leadership team.