Nurse Influencers | School of Nursing Centennial

Mindy Schaffner

Mindy Schaffner

Trail blazes innovations in nursing education regulation
Mindy Schaffner’s commitment to regulatory innovations, particularly in nursing education, have made a lasting difference in the field. Mindy has served on several boards within the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, creating and improving methods to regulate nursing education programs. Her commitment to regulations has built systems to guide clinical standards of programs, promoting patient safety and the health of the public.

Connection: DNP
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Administration Education Public Health
Harriet Cross

Harriet Cross

Redefined outpatient care
Harriet Cross implemented a program at King County Hospital in which patients went home earlier and were cared for by visiting nurses, rather than remaining in the hospital. This outpatient nursing program set precedents for other similar programs across the country. During World War II, she served as a captain in the United States Army Nurses Corps and directed nurses who rehabilitated returning soldiers. Cross also served on the faculties of Yale University, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Nebraska.

Connection: Faculty (1932–1964)
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Administration Education Healthy Aging
Madeleine Leininger

Madeleine Leininger

Founded the field of transcultural nursing
Madeline Leininger established the field of transcultural nursing, which stressed cultural competency, or the ability to understand differences in national, ethnic, societal, or religious backgrounds. She discovered that considering the cultural background of patients improved their health and well-being. Leininger founded the Caring Conference in 1978, which later became the International Association for Human Caring. While Dean of the School of Nursing, she reorganized the school and oversaw a three-fold operational budget increase during her tenure. Leininger fundamentally changed how nurses treat patients.

Connection: Dean (1969–1974)
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Administration Education Global Health Research Population Health Public Health
Margaret Heitkemper

Margaret Heitkemper

Upended treatments for abdominal pain
Margaret Heitkemper pioneered new treatments for women with abdominal pain. She has led studies examining which factors contribute to irritable bowel syndrome and how best to treat its symptoms through behavioral changes. Heitkemper’s research, which focuses primarily on female patients, demonstrates how stress, sleep, and aging affect abdominal and intestinal pain.

Connection: Faculty (1981–present)
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Education Healthy Aging Research Population Health Women’s Health
Dorene Hersh

Dorene Hersh

Leader in public health nursing
As the Chief Nursing Officer at Public Health Seattle-King County, Washington, Dorene Hersh is responsible for clinical practice oversight for over 350 public health nurses employed in management, supervisory, advanced practice, field nursing, ambulatory care, and correctional health roles. She is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Public Health Nurse Leader and Culture of Health Breakthrough Leader in Nursing.

Connection: MSN
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Health Policy Population Health Public Health
Masako Takayoshi

Masako Takayoshi

Attended patients while her family was imprisoned
Masako Takayoshi graduated from the School of Nursing in 1934. She became an instructor and served as the supervisor of the school’s surgical division. In 1942, after the U.S. government forcibly removed and incarcerated anyone on the West Coast with Japanese ancestry, she was forced to leave Seattle and her teaching position. Her family was sent to an incarceration center in Idaho, but Takayoshi, thanks to help from fellow nurses, was able to move to Colorado. There she became the assistant head nurse for the women’s surgical ward at Colorado General Hospital.

Connection: BSN (1934), Instructor (1934–1942)
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Administration Education Global Health
Richard Henker

Richard Henker

Trains nurse anesthetists across the globe
Richard Henker, who teaches at the University of Pittsburgh, has developed training programs and exchanges for nurse anesthetists in Southeast Asia and Latin America. He has worked with public health authorities to develop nurse practicing guidelines in Cambodia and trained faculty in Thailand and Bhutan. Henker serves on the board of Health Volunteers Overseas, a non-profit group working to improve quality and availability of health care professionals in resource-scarce countries.

Connection: PhD (1993)
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Administration Education Global Health Public Health
Verna Hill

Verna Hill

Advocated for women and children
Verna Hill was once told by a faculty member, “You do not have the IQ to be a registered nurse.” Despite such discouragement, she completed both her Bachelors and Masters in Nursing at the University of Washington. Hill served as the Maternal Child Health Coordinator for the King County Department of Public Health. Hill’s research indicated that infant mortality and illness declined if hospitals provided high-risk pregnant women with directed, quality health care. She implemented these findings in health care policy during her time on the National White House Conference on Families Task Force and numerous regional, state, and local boards.

Connection: BSN (1954), Masters (1979)
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Health Policy Infants and Children Population Health Public Health Women’s Health
Louise Kaplan

Louise Kaplan

Transformed health care policy across the globe
Louise Kaplan helped to establish the Washington Center for Nursing, which leads statewide efforts to recruit and retain nurses. She is a professor at the Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing and has worked with a variety of communities across the globe in a number of capacities, including the Colville Reservation in Washington, medical facilities in Israel, and rural clinics across the U.S.

Connection: Masters (1981)
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Administration Education Families Global Health Health Policy Healthy Aging Rural Health
Evelyn H. Hall

Evelyn H. Hall

Helped to create the School of Nursing
Evelyn H. Hall was born in New York and moved to Washington in 1902 to take a position as Superintendent of Seattle General Hospital. She also directed Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in its early years. In 1930, Elizabeth Sterling Soule wrote of Hall, “When the University contemplated establishing a five-year course, leading to a degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Miss Hall was the first to recognize its value.” Hall helped Soule develop courses and structure for the School of Nursing and served as hostess at Harborview from 1931 until her death.

Connection: Early developer of SON
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Public Health Administration Founders Global Health Population Health
Florence Gray

Florence Gray

Spearheaded model curriculum revision
Florence Gray taught at the School of Nursing for over forty years and directed the Undergraduate Program Office for over twenty years. She led an elaborate curriculum revision effort in the 1950s and started the Undergraduate Advising Office during that time. Gray shared her curriculum redesign expertise nationally and served on national committees to professionalize and reshape the nursing baccalaureate degree.

Connection: BSN (1945), Masters (1950), Faculty (1945¬–1980s)

Quote: “The earlier students were mostly a homogenous group that came directly from high school into the nursing program. Now students vary greatly. We have people with other degrees. We have people who are older. In general, the students now are much more independent and have had more experiences.”
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Administration Education Global Health Population Health
Warunee Fongkaew

Warunee Fongkaew

Revolutionized Thai discussions of sexuality
Dr. Warunee Fongkaew researches sexual identity and HIV prevention in teenagers in Thailand. She has developed communication programs to help parents, teachers, and teenagers improve adolescent health through more open discussions of sexuality. Dr. Fongkaew serves as director of the PhD Program and chair of the Youth, Family, and Community Development Project for the School of Nursing at Chiang Mai University in Thailand.

Connection: Masters (1992), PhD (1995)
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Administration Education Families Global Health Health Policy Infants and Children Research Population Health Public Health
Barbara Trehearne

Barbara Trehearne

Advocating for quality care and nursing development at an executive level
Barbara Trehearne has worked as a Vice President for Group Health (now Kaiser Permanente) for more than 30 years. She is responsible for supporting clinical excellence and quality throughout the care delivery system, providing leadership for the development and support of nursing professionals at Kaiser Permanente Washington, and for Infection Control and Employee Health. She also oversees Continuum of Care including Care Management, Home Health/Hospice, and Consulting Nurse services. An active participant in local, regional and national nursing issues, Barbara has long advocated for the continued development of nursing leaders. She has served as chair of the Washington Center for Nursing, is a fellow in the Western Academy of Nursing and the Center for Nursing Leadership.

Connection: Faculty
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Administration Health Policy Population Health Public Health Women’s Health
Elaine L. Larson

Elaine L. Larson

Leads internationally influential infectious disease research
Elaine L. Larson has published more than 200 articles on infectious disease prevention. Her research focuses especially on the connections between home hygiene and the spread of infectious disease. Larson applies these skills to international health systems and she has lent her expertise to health care professionals in the Middle East, Europe, South America, and East Asia. Her accolades include fellowships with the American Academy of Nursing and the Institute of Medicine and partnerships with the Centers for Disease Control and the National Academy of Sciences. She is currently the Associate Dean of Scholarship & Research at Columbia University School of Nursing.

Connection: BSN (1965), Masters (1969), PhD (1981)
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Administration Education Global Health Research Public Health
Mary Lee Pearson Bell

Mary Lee Pearson Bell

Diversified public health nursing
While training at Harborview Hospital, Mary Lee Pearson Bell once had a male patient say to her, “I do not want you to put your black hands on me.” She fought this racism by changing the system. At the King County Department of Health, Bell hired staff who reflected the communities they served. Bell also developed an innovative clinical program in Seattle Public Schools to meet adolescent health needs.

Connection:BSN (1959)

Quote: “Public health provided me with the opportunity to work in many different communities and with many professional nurses who were truly dedicated to diversity and the provision of high quality care to community residents.”
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Health Policy Infants and Children Population Health Public Health
Karen D’Apolito

Karen D’Apolito

Improved health of drug-exposed infants
Karen D’Apolito’s research has transformed the lives of countless infants who were exposed to drugs in utero. She developed a unique observation program for health care professionals to identify withdrawal symptoms in infants with prenatal drug exposure. D’Apolito currently directs the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program at Vanderbilt University.

Connection: PhD (1994)
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Families Infants and Children Research Population Health
Jeanne Quint Benoliel

Jeanne Quint Benoliel

Transformed approach to dying
Jeanne Quint Benoliel transformed how health care professionals approach death. During her childhood, her sister and father died. Impacted by their deaths, Benoliel later spent her career helping patients and their families cope with mortality. She is a founder of the field of palliative and hospice care, or care for dying people, and was the first registered nurse to be president of the International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement.

Connection: Faculty (1970–1990)

Quote: “Dying people are just like living people, some days they feel good, some days they feel bad.”
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Administration Education Global Health Healthy Aging Military
Francis Lewis

Francis Lewis

First to study impact of serious illness in mothers on families Fran Lewis has over 25 years of scientific research and designing behavioral interventions whose goals are to enhance the well-being of patients, caregivers, and the dependent children in families. Her foundational work began in the 1980s with large scale, longitudinal design studies of hundreds of families impacted by serious medical illness in the mother, including the testing of theoretical predictive models of family members’ adjustment. Dr. Lewis was one of the first to study the impact of serious illness in mothers on families and dependents. Her current work focuses on families dealing with advanced stage cancers in either parent, their dependent children, and how to help them thrive as individuals and as a family. Connection:MN (1968), Faculty Make a Gift

Women’s Health Education Families Infants and Children Research
Darcy Jaffe

Darcy Jaffe

Head nurse for Harborview Medical Center
As the Chief Nursing Officer, UW Nursing alumna Darcy Jaffe oversees nursing practice throughout Harborview Medical Center. In addition, her operational responsibilities include Critical Care, Acute Care, Rehabilitation Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Science, Cardiology, Neurosciences, The Burn Center, Pediatrics, Respiratory Care, Sleep Medicine and the outpatient procedural areas. Jaffe has worked at Harborview for more than 20 in multiple leadership positions. She serves as the UW Medicine Co-Chair for service excellence initiatives dedicated to improving the experience of all patients, and those who care about them. In partnership with the UW School of Medicine Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, she co-chairs the UW Medicine Behavioral Health Strategic Planning Committee. She also is a UW School of Nursing adjunct clinical faculty member.

Connection: Alumni, Staff
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Administration Public Health
Vivian Lee

Vivian Lee

Established national public health models Vivian Lee was the first Washington School nurse to win the Washington State School Nurse Award and the first to be hired at both the Seattle Veteran’s Administration Hospital and the U.S. Public Health Service. She fought to improve women’s access to reproductive health and family planning services. For many of the low-income and minority patients for whom Lee advocated, the women’s health clinics Lee supported were their only access to medical care. In partnership with the Center for Disease Control, Lee instituted new protocols to diagnose and treat chlamydia that became a national model. Lee was also an early force behind the nurse practitioner movement. Connection: BSN (1958) Make a Gift

Administration Families Population Health Public Health School Nurses Women’s Health
Azita Emami

Azita Emami

Current dean and healthy aging expert
Azita Emami’s academic nursing leadership experience spans two countries and 25 years. As executive dean at the UW School of Nursing, she has raised awareness of the increasingly global nature of nursing and the importance of educating nurses to deliver care in a wide variety of culturally and economically diverse settings. Her research focuses on cross-cultural care, elder care, the development of cultural competence, and specific diseases and conditions. Her research is extending our knowledge of how music can help diminish agitation and other unwanted behaviors in people with dementia, while improving quality of life for them and their caregivers.

Connection: Executive Dean (2013–current)
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Administration Education Families Healthy Aging Research
Irma Goertzen

Irma Goertzen

Ran a major university research hospital
Irma Goertzen, the Administrator of the University of Washington Medical Center in the 1980s, was the first woman to run a major university research hospital. In 1989, she became president and CEO of Magee Women’s Hospital and Research Institute in Pittsburgh, where she founded international outreach programs to improve the health of women across the globe. Goertzen still volunteers her time to community organizations and currently serves as the president of Seattle’s Nordic Heritage Museum board of trustees.

Connection: Masters (1968)
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Administration Education Population Health Women’s Health
Arthur Flanik

Arthur Flanik

Enrolled as one of the first male students
Arthur Flanik was one of the first male students to graduate from the School of Nursing. He resided in Harborview Hall and graduated in 1956. He went on to work at King County Hospital and then as a nurse in the U.S. Air Force.

Connection: BSN (1956)
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Military Population Health Public Health
Pamela Cipriano

Pamela Cipriano

Leads the nation’s largest nursing organization
Since 2014, Pamela Cipriano has served as the President of the American Nurses Association, an organization representing the interests of the 3.5 million nurses in the United States. She has twice been named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine. Cipriano advocates for the health of nurses so that they can provide for the health of the nation.

Connection: Masters (1981)
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Administration Health Policy Healthy Aging Population Health Public Health
Sue Birch

Sue Birch

Oversees health care in WA State
Sue Birch is the director of the Washington State Health Care Authority, charged with overseeing health care for the state. Prior to this appointment, she oversaw the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Colorado as that state’s Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. She has committed much of her career to improving health care and health systems. Her professional background is in nursing and she carries her passions for caring for patients into her work of transforming quality of life for all Washingtonians through the Health Care Authority.

Connection: Public servant
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Health Policy Population Health Public Health Women’s Health
Florence “SeeSee” Rigney

Florence “SeeSee” Rigney

The nation’s oldest working nurse with 70+ years of nursing experience
SeeSee Rigley is proud of her title as the nation’s oldest working nurse – at age 94, she has worked at Tacoma General Hospital for over 70 years. A video celebrating Rigney’s 90th birthday went viral in 2015. At the time, Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued a proclamation congratulation on being "our nation's oldest working registered nurse." While she has reduced her work schedule to two days per week (after one “failed” retirement), she plans to enjoy a bit more time working before hanging up her scrubs for good.

Connection: community member
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Population Health Public Health
Betty Anderson

Betty Anderson

Founded a baccalaureate nursing program
Betty Anderson founded the first baccalaureate nursing program in eastern Washington. After graduating from the School of Nursing, she moved to Spokane and started the first four-year nursing baccalaureate in eastern Washington. Anderson convinced Washington State University to take over the program in partnership with other universities. The resulting Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education became a model for other nursing school consortiums.

Connection: BSN (1940)
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Administration Education Population Health Rural Health
Priscilla “Patti” Taylor

Priscilla “Patti” Taylor

Extraordinary Nurse, disaster zone first responder and Army Nurse Corps Veteran Patti has devoted her life to serving her country as an Army nurse. Her storied career includes being a clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, manager, educator, consultant, and researcher. Her positive impact on the veteran community is most clearly seen in her work with America’s Wounded Warriors, UCLA Health Operation Mend, and her work done while deployed as an Army nurse. In addition, she is an educator, practitioner, and researcher. Her work in this area is peppered with numerous awards and recognition. Most notably the DAISY award for extraordinary nurse, Nurse Week National Nurse of the Year and the UCLA Humanitarian Nursing award for her work supporting operation Haiti. Speaking of Haiti, Patti also has volunteered as a front line first responder to disaster zones – such as the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Her expertise and calmness in ciaos is exactly the qualities needed in disaster response. For over 50 years, the dedication Patti has demonstrated towards military and veteran populations as well as the broader community is truly remarkable. Her service, impressive record, and tireless dedication is unique. Connection: BSN (1993), MN (1996) Make a Gift

Families Military Research
Patricia Hurn

Patricia Hurn

Discovered links between gender and brain injury
Patricia Hurn’s research established new links between gender and strokes. She discovered how hormones that occur more abundantly in females can protect against long-term brain tissue damage. Hurn has improved treatments to repair brain injuries after stroke or neurological diseases. She currently serves as the Dean of the University of Michigan School of Nursing.

Connection: Masters (1981)
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Administration Education Healthy Aging Research Women’s Health
Kristen Hosey

Kristen Hosey

Launching nursing education in rural Washington
Kristen Hosey is the Director of the Nursing Program at Wenatchee Valley College. She has launched and directed the institution’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from UW School of Nursing in 2013 and was previously a clinical assistant professor in the school’s Psychosocial and Community Health Department. Her expertise is in nursing education, global health, community/public health nursing and health policy.

Connection: DNP, faculty
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Administration Education Global Health Health Policy Population Health
Virginia Olcott

Virginia Olcott

Developed nursing educational standards
Virginia Olcott began at the university as a teaching fellow in 1930, one of the earliest faculty members at the School of Nursing. She played an instrumental role in developing the curriculum and standards for the school’s nursing degree programs. Olcott served in the International Council of Nurses Quadrennial Congress and was often asked to consult other schools as they developed nursing programs. Olcott was also well-known for playing Mrs. Reynolds, a problem patient, in a 1963 educational film, “Mrs. Reynolds Needs a Nurse,” that many nursing schools used for instructional purposes.

Connection: BSN (1927), Masters (1931), Faculty (1930–1968)
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Administration Education Founders Global Health Healthy Aging
Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer

Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer

Fought the Army’s discriminatory policies
Margarethe Cammermeyer served as a nurse in the Army Reserves. In 1989, she was discharged from the service after she disclosed during background checks that she was a lesbian. Cammermeyer sued the federal government over this dismissal. Her case resulted in the implementation of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, and she continues to fight for the rights of LGBTQ individuals in the military. Amidst all of this, Cammermeyer completed a PhD in nursing and has contributed to dozens of research publications in the field of neuroscience.

Connection: Masters (1976), PhD (1991)
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Global Health Health Policy Military Research Women’s Health
Heather M. Young

Heather M. Young

Founded UC Davis nursing school
Heather M. Young is the founding Dean of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at the University of California Davis. She co-directs the school’s Latino Aging Research Resource Center and its Family Caregiving Institute. Previously, Young directed the de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging at the UW. Her research promotes the use of community-based strategies to improve health care for older adults. Young worked with retirement communities to develop environments that promote healthy aging

Connection: Masters (1989), PhD (1991), Faculty (1991–2003)
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Families Healthy Aging Research Population Health Public Health
Rebecca Kang

Rebecca Kang

Improved the health of immigrant families
Rebecca Kang, a professor emeritus at the School of Nursing, researches improving the health of Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants. She found that building resilient communities and relationships can improve public health, especially in immigrant communities. Kang is also a founding member of First Relationships, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving infant mental health and relationships between caregivers and infants in Hawai’i.

Connection: PhD (1985), Faculty (1989–2012)
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Families Global Health Healthy Aging Infants and Children Research Public Health Women’s Health
Avis Wray

Avis Wray

Established local health department in Nevada Avis Wray was the second graduate of the UW nursing program 1923. Her career spanned many important developments including working as a public health nurse in Seattle until 1927. She was one of only a few women accepted to Northwestern Medical School, Chicago. Unable to continue her education when her husband was transferred to Washington University in St. Louis, she returned to her work as a public health nurse. After practicing in St. Louis, she participated in a pilot project for public health Salem Missouri. She then cared for premature and ill babies in Nevada, where her husband was a physician. Her expertise in public health nurses was called upon in Nevada to help establish the local health department. Avis was a true pioneer and a constant advocate for public health. Connection: BSN 1923 Make a Gift

Infants and Children Research Population Health
Bobbie Berkowitz

Bobbie Berkowitz

Leads internationally renowned nursing program
Bobbie Berkowitz, a global leader in public health, is the Dean of the Columbia University School of Nursing, a member of the National Academy of Medicine, and a former president of the American Academy of Nursing. Berkowitz built public health programs from the ground up and advised communities across the United States and Canada how to do the same. Her research examines how health care policy is translated into practice, and how nursing education programs and public health institutions can adapt to changing policies. Berkowitz is a global leader of the nursing profession who translates vision into reality.

Connection: BSN (1972), Masters (1981), Faculty (1998–2010)
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Administration Education Global Health Health Policy Research
Basia Belza

Basia Belza

Leading researcher in Healthy Aging
Dr. Basia Belza is a committed researcher and educator. Her work seeks to disseminate and implement evidence- and community-based health promotion programs for older adults with a focus on physical activity interventions. Basia and her team authored the first mall walking: a program resource guide and is well known as being a strong supporter and mentor of nursing students and early career researchers. Basia is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the director of the de Tornyay Center.

Connection: Faculty
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Administration Education Healthy Aging Research Population Health
Karen J. Matsuda

Karen J. Matsuda

Transformed women’s health regionally
Karen J. Matsuda was one of Seattle’s first nurse practitioners and an instrumental force in providing reproductive health care to women in need. She was first exposed to the nursing profession from her aunt, who had volunteered as a nurse during World War II, while incarcerated at a federal prison camp for Japanese Americans. In addition to directing Washington’s federal Family Planning Program, Matsuda worked as a public health nurse for King County, a school nurse at Seattle Public Schools, and a nurse practitioner at Planned Parenthood. Matsuda opened clinics, obtained additional funding for women’s reproductive health, and expanded access to crucial preventative tools like pap smears.

Connection: Masters (1978)
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Families Health Policy Population Health Public Health School Nurses Women’s Health
Helen Behan

Helen Behan

Transformed career opportunities for nurses
After an accident prevented Helen Behan from providing bedside care, she focused on classroom education and taught at Seattle Central, Everett, and Umpqua Community Colleges. She developed a “Career Mobility LPN to RN” program that helped nurses trained as Licensed Professional Nurses (LPN) gain accreditation as Registered Nurses (RN), a move that often comes with pay and status increases. Behan then replicated this career mobility program in Alaska.

Connection: BSN (1953), Masters (1969)
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Administration Global Health Population Health Rural Health
Mae K. Nishitani

Mae K. Nishitani

Completed her nursing degree during wartime
When the United States entered World War II in 1941, Mae K. Nishitani was a student at the School of Nursing. In 1942, the federal government forcibly removed and incarcerated 120,000 individuals of Japanese ancestry for the remainder of the war. Dean Elizabeth Soule arranged for Nishitani and two other Japanese American students—Hane Akiyama and Mary Hayachi—to transfer to the University of Colorado School of Nursing in Denver, outside of the forced evacuation zone, so they could continue their studies. All three women completed nursing school, and even though she finished her studies in Denver, Nishitani’s degree officially came from the UW.

Connection: BSN (1944)
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Education Population Health Public Health
Marla Salmon

Marla Salmon

Dean and Global Health Scholar
Marla E. Salmon is professor of Nursing and Global Health. She is former dean of both the University of Washington and Emory University Schools of Nursing, and has worked in academic, policy, and practice settings in both nursing and public health schools over the course of her career. Her career has focused on health workforce policy and capacity building in both global and US contexts, working with governments, international agencies and other health–related entities. Her recent work focuses on social finance and enterprise in the health sector, particularly with respect to opportunities for investment in nursing and midwifery as means for strengthening health systems, empowering women, and providing decent work and career possibilities for poor and marginalized people. She is also engaged in work focusing on women in governance roles.

Connection: Faculty, Dean
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Women’s Health Administration Global Health Population Health Public Health
Frances Workcuff Frazier Demisse (Frances Demisse)

Frances Workcuff Frazier Demisse (Frances Demisse)

Mentored young black nurses
Frances Workcuff Frazier Demisse was born in Butte, Montana, the granddaughter of a runaway slave. She decided to become a nurse after she contracted tuberculosis as a child and spent over two years in a hospital north of Seattle. Demisse applied and was admitted to the university in 1953. She and Vivian Lee were the only black students enrolled at the time. After graduation, Demisse worked as one of the first black nurses at Group Health Cooperative Hospital. Through the Mary Mahoney Registered Nurses Organization, a professional group for black nurses, Demisee encouraged many other black women to become nurses

Connection: BSN (1958)
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Administration Population Health Public Health
Gail Powell-Cope

Gail Powell-Cope

Developed innovative interventions for a better systems of care in rehabilitation outcomes for veterans
Dr. Gail Powell-Cope is a highly sophisticated intervention researcher and director of the only nurse-led VA Center of Excellence, the Tampa VA HSR&D Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Her research focuses on adaptation, optimizing function and creating systems of care that promote optimal rehabilitation outcomes for older and disabled veterans and their families. Her work addresses both individual level risks and system-level approaches to improving both health and healthcare, for timely and important issues such as traumatic brain injury and its implications for veterans and their families. She has provided the evidence behind a national system-wide emphasis on improving both patient and health care professional safety around lifting. In partnership with industry, she recently founded Mobility is Medicine (MiM), a campaign urging healthcare facilities to reduce cost, caregiver injury, and patient recovery time by prioritizing safe patient handling and mobility. Her work is particularly noteworthy for two major reasons: 1) it is highly interdisciplinary, integrating health sciences as well as biomedical engineering in highly collaborative teams who can address complex problems in novel ways; 2) it is highly relevant and readily translated into practice. Dr. Powell-Cope received the Special Recognition Award for Leadership in Nursing Research in 2009 from the Veterans Health Administration, the Partnering Award for Worker Health and Safety from National Occupational Research in 2008, and the Magnet Prize from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2003. She is dedicated to developing the next generation of nurse scholars, serving on the VA HSR& D National Mentoring Network (MNET), Career Development Award (CDA) Enhancements Initiative (CDAei).

Connection: PhD (1992), Faculty
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Military Research
Judith “Judy” Huntington

Judith “Judy” Huntington

Leader in bringing people together, established Washington Center for Nursing Judy Huntington served as Executive Director of the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) for nearly 19 years. During that time, she built the organization’s finances, doubled membership and presided over remarkable policy and contract gains for nurses in Washington. Thanks to Judy’s leadership, the WSNA is the leading voice and advocate for registered nurses in Washington. Her influence extends beyond her role with WSNA, she was a nurse at Seattle Children’s for 13 years and served as chair of the Seattle Area Hospital Councils nurses negotiating team, director of the ANA, educator and policy advocate. She is a leader in bringing people together. Her work with the ANA and in establishing the Washington Center for Nursing, which is charged with developing a comprehensive solution to nursing workforce issues has successfully allowed for collaboration between nurse educators, nurse executives and nursing unions. She is a true advocate for the nursing workforce and patient safety. Her impact on WSNA, ANA and the nursing profession is boundless. Connection:BSN (1968), MN (1985) Make a Gift

Health Policy Population Health Public Health
Frankie Manning

Frankie Manning

First nurse to serve on the King County Board of Health
For nearly five decades, Frankie T. Manning, MSN, RN has dedicated herself to public service through a nursing career spent in a number of roles within the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), on professional boards, as a faculty member for several academic nursing programs and through her service in the U.S. Army. Frankie has consistently developed programs to enhance services to patients and communities. This is reflected in her early work improving services to women veterans. In the early 1970s, prior to the many program initiatives for women veterans, she established basic procedures and procurement of equipment to support women veterans. In the 1980s, she chaired and guided the Women Veterans’ Program for Western Region of DVA. The standards of care, policies and procedures including the improvement in clinical guidelines, research and resources still remain in place today. Frankie was selected as the first nurse to serve on the King County Board of Health in 2003. In 2004, she was appointed by Governor Locke to serve as board member for a three-year term on the Washington State Board of Health. She has been characterized by her nursing colleagues as a strong leader, visionary nurse, mentor, coach, and guide.

Connection:Faculty
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Women’s Health Administration Military Population Health Public Health
Antwinette O. Lee

Antwinette O. Lee

Champion for public health nursing
Dr. Antwinette Lee is a champion for public health nursing, working both in direct care and leadership roles for over 14 years with Public Health - Seattle and King County. Group Health subsequently recruited her as a Nurse Manager. There she established new practice protocols to link nurses with evidence-based practice resources. She is a leader in promoting the image of nursing, teaming together Schools of Nursing to support nursing students from under-represented backgrounds. Through her leadership, many Schools of Nursing have formed closer relationships with professional nursing organizations to mentor students while they matriculate in nursing school. Dr. Lee is currently directing the undergraduate nursing program as Associate Dean at Seattle Pacific University.

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Education Population Health
Muriel Softli

Muriel Softli

Served her country on three continents
After starting her career as a school nurse in Seattle, where she inspired students to become nurses, Muriel Softli joined the United States Air Force Reserve Nurse Corps in 1970 and served her country for twenty-six years. She was called to active duty during Operation Desert Storm and taught pediatric nursing in Europe, Asia, and Canada. Dismayed at the very few women of color in the Air Force, Softli personally recruited other nurses of color to join the military.

Connection: BSN (1961)
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Global Health Infants and Children Military School Nurses
Janice Ellis

Janice Ellis

Prepared students to work in long-term care
Janice Ellis served as Director of Nursing Education and Assistant Division Chair at Shoreline Community College. She integrated content on caring for elderly patients into standard nursing curriculum. Ellis’s work has strengthened relationships between long-term care facilities and community college nursing programs. Her textbooks on nursing education are widely used in nursing schools.

Connection: Masters (1971)
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Administration Education Healthy Aging Public Health
Frances Terry

Frances Terry

Led mental health initiatives
Frances Terry received her BSN from Seattle University in 1951, prior to the desegregation of the School of Nursing. She later completed her Masters at the UW and became a school nurse. She eventually directed the UW Health Services Program for the Northwest Center, an organization that provides opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Terry taught courses at several colleges throughout the Puget Sound region and organized therapy groups for women and men to improve their mental and physical health.

Connection: Masters (1981)
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Women’s Health Infants and Children Population Health Public Health School Nurses
Joie Whitney

Joie Whitney

Innovated wound-healing methods
Joie Whitney’s research has helped develop new ways of preventing and healing wounds. She and her team developed a new method of heat therapy to manage bed sores, which occur in chronically ill patients who must spend prolonged periods at rest. Whitney has developed new interdisciplinary wound care training programs at the university, in addition to leading the School of Nursing’s overall research goals.

Connection: Faculty (1991–present)
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Education Global Health Healthy Aging Research
Carol June Strickland

Carol June Strickland

Innovated American Indian women’s health care
Carol June Strickland, a member of the Cherokee Nation, has revolutionized public health among Pacific Northwest tribes. She teaches cultural competency to nursing students and has helped to identify how communication patterns and belief structures shape diagnoses and disease prevention plans. Her early research examined the relationship between colonization and youth suicide risk, which led to a new understanding of how historical trauma affects suicide risk in individuals. Strickland also supports tribes as they build health care capacity and infrastructure.

Connection: Masters (1976), Faculty (2014–2018)
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Administration Education Global Health Public Health
Louise Murray

Louise Murray

Developed maternal and child nursing programs
Louise Murray completed her Masters in Nursing at the university in 1950 and then returned to UW to teach after completing her doctorate in education at Columbia University. She developed the maternal and child nursing programs at the university in partnership with the Pediatric Unit at King Country Hospital and the Child Health Center at the University of Washington Hospital. Murray later became Dean of the University of New Mexico School of Nursing, where she implemented innovative and interdisciplinary curriculum changes.

Connection: Masters (1950), Faculty (1962–1969)
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Administration Families Infants and Children Population Health Public Health Women’s Health
Margaret Kerrigan

Margaret Kerrigan

Improved quality of care in neighborhood clinics
Margaret (Meg) worked tirelessly for many years to improve the quality of care at UW Neighborhood Clinics by cultivating a positive and open relationship with her executive team, which in turn, improved the relationship between administrative and clinic staff. Meg paid close attention to feedback from clinic staff and patients in order to make care teams cohesive and patient-centered. Despite her incredibly busy schedule, she visited the clinics on a regular basis so the staff knew her opinion of their importance. Meg is a wonderful person who believes in the mission of UW Medicine and always worked to put patients first. Though she is retired, her positive focus and dedication to an engaged clinic staff and the highest standard of patient care continues at UW Neighborhood Clinics. Meg has positively impacted many nurses and implemented positive, patient-centered stands in all the neighborhood clinics.

Connection:MN, UW MC
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Administration
Mary Tschudin

Mary Tschudin

Revolutionized how nurses are taught
Mary Tschudin served as Dean of the School of Nursing from 1955 to 1969. During her tenure, she made major improvements in the nursing program, including the development of a research program and expanded degree programs. Other hospitals and medical centers, including Harvard Medical School, Vanderbilt University, Duke University, and many others, asked Tschudin for assistance in developing nursing education programs after seeing her success at the university. She also helped the American Nursing Association develop early criteria for evaluating nurses.

Connection: BSN (1935), Masters (1939), Faculty (1942–1969), Dean (1955–1969)
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Administration Education Healthy Aging Research
Sandy Dyer

Sandy Dyer

Passionate volunteer and public health nurse
Sandy Dyer worked as a public health nurse and a school nurse over her 25-year career. After a long career in nursing in the Seattle area, Dyer also earned a master’s degree in education from Seattle University in 1986. In 2003, she received Kappa Delta’s award for her non-sorority community service. She has served on many boards including Eastside Alcohol Center, Home Health Care of King County and Seattle Symphony Volunteer Association. Dyer and her late husband Peter Dyer served as honorary co-chairs on the School of Nursing Campaign Advisory Board, and Sandy Dyer is currently one of the longest standing board members. Her dedication to volunteerism is truly inspirational.

Connection: community member
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Population Health Public Health School Nurses
Marie Cowan

Marie Cowan

Changed how people recover from heart attacks
Marie Cowan led the American Heart Association’s cardiovascular nursing council. She discovered new methods of determining the extent of injury to the heart muscle after a heart attack and lengthy recovery time. In 1997, she left the university to become the Dean of the UCLA School of Nursing, where she reestablished a defunct nursing baccalaureate program and doubled the size of the nursing faculty.

Connection: BSN (1964), Faculty (1979–1997)
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Mary Salazar

Mary Salazar

Wrote the book on occupational health nursing
Mary Salazar, an internationally renowned expert in occupational health nursing, researches health issues in migrant and seasonal farm workers. She has developed innovative collaborations between researchers, health care professionals, and members of the agricultural community to address health risks of pesticide exposure in farmworkers. Salazar’s textbook on occupational health nursing is the standard in the field, and her work at UW has contributed directly to the region’s reputation for having the best occupational health nurses in the nation.

Connection: BSN (1982), Masters (1986), Faculty (1986–2009)
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Public Health Education Health Policy Research Population Health
Jenny Hsin-Chun Tsai

Jenny Hsin-Chun Tsai

Improves the health of immigrants on the job
Jenny Hsin-Chun Tsai’s research examines the working conditions and health of Asian immigrants in the United States She studies how connections between gender, race, class, and occupational hazards affect rates of diseases in immigrant workers. Tsai volunteers her time and expertise to various immigrant community organizations to translate her theories into practice.

Connection: Masters (1994), PhD (2001), Faculty (2010–present)
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Global Health Public Health Women’s Health
Elieen Cody

Elieen Cody

Advocating for equitable healthcare via legislative change
House Representative Eileen Cody has worked at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle for the past 35 years. She is a neuro-rehab nurse certified in both rehabilitation nursing and multiple sclerosis care. First appointed and subsequently retained to the House of Representatives in 1994, Eileen has dedicated her legislative career to achieving affordable, quality healthcare for all residents of Washington State. Eileen currently serves as chair of the House Health Care & Wellness Committee, where she has worked for improved patient safety, mental health parity, public health services, and to restore the universal purchase of vaccines. More recently, she has led efforts to implement the federal Affordable Care Act at the state level.

Connection: public servant
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Linda Cronenwett

Linda Cronenwett

Leader in nursing education and quality improvement
Dr. Linda Cronenwett is the Co-Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Executive Nurse Fellows program. She is also Emeritus Dean and Emeritus Professor of the School of Nursing, University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Prior to her appointment as Dean, she was the Sarah Frances Russell Distinguished Professor of Nursing Systems at UNC-Chapel Hill. From 1984 to 1998, she was an administrator in the Department of Nursing, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, providing leadership in nursing professional practice, research utilization and quality improvement initiatives. In 2012, she completed seven years as principal investigator of a national initiative, Quality and Safety Education for Nurses with four phases of funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Connection: MSN
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Kathleen M. Leahy

Kathleen M. Leahy

Blazed trails in public health nursing
Kathleen M. Leahy joined the School of Nursing faculty in 1927, after completing her nursing degree at Stanford University. After the Rockefeller Foundation awarded her a grant to study collegiate public health nursing programs on the East Coast, Leahy returned to UW to develop a world-class public health nursing program in the Pacific Northwest. She became an international leader in public health, serving as a nurse consultant for the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, where she trained public health nurses from around the world.

Connection: Faculty (1927–1961), Director of Public Health Nursing (1937–1961)
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Administration Education Founders Global Health Public Health
Charyl Kay Sedlik

Charyl Kay Sedlik

Committed volunteer and passionate alumnus Charyl Kay Tyndell Sedlik graduated from the UW SON in 1967 and fulfilled major nursing career responsibilities and trail-blazing achievements for the next 40 years. Most importantly, Charyl Kay has served UW SON on its Advisory Board for over 25 years (Chair for the first 10 years), where she contributed to its forward progress by listening to others and challenging established norms. Charyl Kay’s major career move shattered the restricted and closed traditional world of detail-men’s when she was selected from a pool of over 300 medically-knowledgeable applicants to become Upjohn’s first woman Pharmaceutical Sales Representative in the West. While setting notable performance records, she endured systemic gender-bias in a bastion of male-dominated power. Successful in every assignment, and renown for her savvy and sensitive ability to navigate among medical school influencers, Charyl Kay was elevated to the prestigious Upjohn Academy at the company’s 100th-anniversary celebration. She was part of the team that introduced Motrin (ibuprofen) in 1974. Throughout her professional career, she has been devoted to UW. When the UW Alumni Associated restructured, Charyl Kay was elected to the Alumni Board, where she was a founding leader of the innovative Multi-Cultural Alumni Partnership (MAP). As a civic leader and political activist, she has continued to lead in racial relations, diversity support, and healthcare initiatives. In response to the Sandy Hook massacre, she energized her friends as a founding Board Member of Grandmothers Against Gun Violence in 2013, which has become a national leader in common sense advocacy for effective gun safety laws. Connection: BSN, Advisory Board member Make a Gift

Administration
Margaret Ouchi

Margaret Ouchi

Fought for the rights of patients
Margaret Ouchi began her undergraduate education at the School of Nursing in 1940 but was interrupted in 1942, when the federal government forced the unjust imprisonment of American citizens and residents of Japanese ancestry. Undeterred, Ouchi completed her BSN in Minnesota after the war and later enrolled in the UW School of Nursing for her Masters in Nursing. Ouchi led the advocacy arm of the Washington State Nurses Association for over a decade. Her work led to advances in patient care, insurance reform, and professional improvements for nurses. In 1980, Ouchi was named a Distinguished Citizen of the State of Washington for her contributions to the health and well-being of the state’s citizens.

Connection: Masters (1963), UW undergraduate
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Global Health Health Policy Public Health
Barbara Bartlett

Barbara Bartlett

Taught UW’s first nursing graduate course
Barbara Bartlett taught the first course for graduate nurses at the university in 1919. She had moved to Washington to assist in treating the outbreak of Spanish influenza that swept the globe from 1918 to 1920. She taught public health nursing, which was funded by the Washington State Tuberculosis Association. Bartlett also partnered with the Washington Children’s Bureau along with the founder of the School of Nursing, Elizabeth Soule.

Connection: Instructor (1918–1919)
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Education Founders Infants and Children Population Health Public Health
Fuqin Liu

Fuqin Liu

Pioneering improvements in global maternal health
Fuqin Liu is an Associate Professor at Texas Woman’s University College of Nursing, Denton campus. She teaches across RN-BSN, MS, and doctoral programs. Fuqin’s overall program of research is related to global maternal and child health. Fuqin’s goals are to generate the evidence needed for better pregnancy outcomes. Fuqin is interested in working in the following areas that can affect pregnancy outcomes: preconception care policy, reproductive life planning, fertility control, domestic violence, pre-pregnancy obesity, near misses, and failure to rescue. Fuqin's research and professional interests include nursing education from a global perspective and various women's health topics. She leads a study abroad women’s health course every other year.

Connection: DNP
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Administration Education Families Global Health Infants and Children Population Health Women’s Health
Kennie Amaefule

Kennie Amaefule

Provides access to health care in Nigeria
Kennie Amaefule has revolutionized access to health care, education, and clean water in Imo, her home state in Nigeria. After immigrating to the United States, she founded Caring Hearts International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care and social services in Nigeria. Imo’s leaders recognized her significant humanitarian contributions to the region by naming her the state’s first female chief in 2002. Amaefule has done all of this while also working as Nurse Manager for Rehab Care at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Seattle. She was also once named Nurse of the Year at Harborview Medical Center.

Connection: BSN (1987), Masters (2002)
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Global Health Health Policy Public Health
Theresa Braungardt

Theresa Braungardt

Head nurse for UW Medicine, Valley Medical Center
Theresa Braungardt, a UW Nursing alumna, has 29 years of experience in clinical care and hospital operations management from staff nurse to senior vice president. She has an educational background in nursing leadership and healthcare management. Having a passion for creating opportunities to inspire and motivate all members of the healthcare team to achieve clinical excellence, she has managed many outstanding teams to improve clinical care systems. As a result, she has improved quality and safety for patients. Braungardt currently serves as a board member of Seattle Pacific University, Renton Technical College, and on the Clinical and Community Advisory Board at the University of Washington School of Nursing.

Connection: Alumni, staff
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Administration Education Public Health
Marie Annette Brown

Marie Annette Brown

Pioneer in Nursing Curriculum for DNP, advocate for nursing profession For more than four decades, Marie Annette Brown has been a pioneer and a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the nurse practitioner movement. She was a founding member of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and served in multiple leadership roles including president and vice-president. She was one of the first nurse practitioners to combine a continuous clinical practice and full-time teaching with an active program of research, community service, and leadership on local, national and international levels. For many years, she has served both as a professor at the University of Washington School of Nursing and a primary care provider and nurse practitioner at the UW Medical Center Women’s Health Care Clinic. She has been devoted to improving the quality of patient care and promoting evidence-based clinical practice throughout her career. She has conducted research, published, presented and applied in practice on healthcare topics including the effect of premenstrual symptomotology on women, their partners and family; the role of light, exercise and vitamin therapy on women with depression and anxiety; and how pregnancy affects women, their partners and families. Connection: Faculty, Alumni Make a Gift

Administration Research Public Health Women’s Health
Katherine Hoffman

Katherine Hoffman

Advanced nursing research
Katherine Hoffman’s efforts transformed the School of Nursing from a nurse training program to a research powerhouse. She worked with Dean Mary Tschudin to establish the first grants for faculty research development and doctoral research. Hoffman promoted collaboration between disciplines, was instrumental in the establishment of the build UW Health Sciences Center, and served as the university’s first female Assistant Vice President for Health Affairs. Hoffman’s initiatives elevated the role of research within the nursing profession.

Connection: Masters (1941), PhD (1956), Faculty
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Administration Education Global Health Research
Shirley Williams Ticeson Gilford

Shirley Williams Ticeson Gilford

Redefined the role of school nurse
Shirley M. Gilford’s commitment to the health and well-being of students redefined the role of school nurse. The first black school nurse hired by Seattle Public Schools, Gilford initiated programs such as an AIDS awareness play for middle schoolers and the “Adopt a School Project,” which helped encourage middle-school students to consider the nursing profession. Gilford recruited other black school nurses and led the city in developing new standards for school nurses.

Connection:BSN (1958)
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Infants and Children Population Health Public Health School Nurses
Carolyn Webster-Stratton

Carolyn Webster-Stratton

Transformed parenting techniques
Carolyn Webster-Stratton developed new parenting theories as a result of work as a nurse practitioner with several indigenous communities in the United States and Canada. She founded The Incredible Years, a training series for parents, teachers, and children, whose programs have helped to lessen aggression and treat emotional problems in children. Webster-Stratton’s programs have changed the lives of children and families in over twenty countries.

Connection: Faculty (1983–2003)
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Global Health Infants and Children Population Health Public Health
Willa Theresa White Lee

Willa Theresa White Lee

Founded community organizations
After giving birth to her first child, Willa Theresa White Lee spent over a year at Harborview Hospital due to complications from the delivery. She met several black nurses at Harborview, including Ira Gordon, Katie Ashford, and Mary Davis Hooks, founding members of the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization. Lee was instrumental in the establishment of the Capitol Hill Community Council and co-founded the Black Achiever’s Program at the Seattle Central District YMCA to reward academic excellence. A plaque at the facility still honors her contributions to the community.

Connection: BSN (1962)
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Beverly Horn

Beverly Horn

Teaches nursing students cultural competency Beverly Horn studied other cultures to provide nursing care that fit with those cultures, rather than imposing an Anglo-American model. Her dissertation examined social and cultural factors affecting pregnant women in the Muckleshoot Tribe. Horn has also worked with the Seattle Indian Health Board Clinic, Seattle Job Corps, King County Juvenile Court System, and many other organizations. Her students credit her with re framing how they saw health care, to take into account social and cultural context. Horn is a national leader in trans cultural nursing. Connection: PhD (1976) Faculty, appointed Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of Community Health Care Systems, School of Nursing (1976-2001) Make a Gift

Administration Education Families Global Health Infants and Children Research Public Health Women’s Health
Lela Duffel Morris

Lela Duffel Morris

Fought unsafe occupational environments
Lela Duffel Morris, the first black graduate of the School of Nursing, overcame persistent discrimination to champion public health issues over a fifty-year career. Morris initiated programs on behalf of minority workers experiencing occupational diseases that generated broader public health reforms. Morris founded the Department of Continuing Education at the Northern California Occupational Health Center.

Connection: BSN (1948)
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Healthy Aging Population Health Public Health
Marjorie Batey

Marjorie Batey

Built nursing research program
Marjorie Batey was an early developer of nursing science. She built the School of Nursing’s research program from the ground up. She co-founded the Western Society for Research in Nursing and started the university’s Office for Nursing Research Facilitation. Nursing schools across the nation now see research as central to the profession, thanks in large part to Batey’s efforts.

Connection:BSN (1953), Faculty (1956–1993)
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Administration Education Founders Research Population Health
Susan Blackburn

Susan Blackburn

Wrote the book on neonatal health
Susan Blackburn wrote the widely used book, Maternal, Fetal and Neonatal Physiology: A Clinical Perspective. Now in its fourth edition, the text has become standard reading in nursing education around the world. Blackburn has lectured internationally on neonatal care and has received awards from the National Association of Neonatal Nurses.

Connection: Faculty (1973–2013)
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Education Families Infants and Children Research Population Health Women’s Health
Patty Hayes

Patty Hayes

Public Health Nurse and 1st Nurse Director of Public Health Seattle King County
Patty Hayes is the Director of Public Health Seattle King county and has over 25 years of experience in public health, policy development and advocacy. Patty previously served as the Executive Director of Within Reach, a statewide non-profit that connects families to food and health resources. She also worked for the Washington State Department of Health in various positions including Assistant Secretary of Health for Community & Family Health as well as the Director of Legislative, Policy and Constituent Relations. In 2015, Patty received the Cynthia F. Shurtleff Award, a statewide honor that recognizes extraordinary leadership and dedication to the health and well-being of women, children and families in Washington. In 2014, Patty received the Heroine of Health Care award from the Center of Women and Democracy. Patty has a nursing and a masters degree from the University of Washington School of Nursing and was inducted into the Washington Nursing Hall of Fame in 2002. Most recently, Patty was appointed as honorary Assistant Dean to the University of Washington School of Nursing. In November 2017, Patty was named one of the most influential people of the year by Seattle magazine.

Connection: Alumni

Quote:“She doesn’t ride a white horse or wear a badge, but Patty Hayes, RN., M.N., is the closet think King County has to a sheriff for health.” - Seattle Magazine, “Most Influential Seattleites of 2017, Print Edition November 2017”
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Thelma Jacobs Pegues

Thelma Jacobs Pegues

Advocated for the elderly and low-income
Thelma Jacobs Pegues was only the fifth black student at the School of Nursing. After completing her degree, she taught at Seattle Central Community College, where she assisted non-traditional and low-income students, developed curriculum for the school, and initiated programs specifically targeted at increasing racial and ethnic diversity in nursing programs. Pegues also served as the Assistant Washington Director for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) for a decade. She received accolades from AARP for her advocacy for a universal health plan in the 1980s and is a leader in civil rights advocacy.

Connection: BSN (1955), Masters (1969)
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Public Health Administration Education Healthy Aging Population Health
Sue T. Hegyvary

Sue T. Hegyvary

Instituted international partnerships
As dean, Sue T. Hegyvary increased minority enrollment, entered new partnerships with community organizations and corporations, and established three new endowed professorships. She established the eponymous Hegyvary Citizens of the World Scholarship, which funds student immersions in cultures and health care systems different from their own, whether internationally or within the United States. As dean emeritus, Hegyvary researched how financial, demographic, and other factors influence lifespan and child mortality in over 160 nations.

Connection: Dean (1986–1998), Faculty (1986–2010)
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Administration Global Health Infants and Children Research
Nancy Fugate Woods

Nancy Fugate Woods

Revolutionized women’s health
Nancy Fugate Woods research revolutionized understanding of the menstrual cycle and menopause, enabling women to better understand their bodies. She founded the Center for Women’s Health Research at the university and now co-directs the de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging. While leading the School of Nursing, Woods established a diversity, equity, and inclusion plan that became a model for other nursing schools. Woods is a member of the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine and has served as the president of the American Academy of Nursing and the North American Menopause Society.

Connection: Masters (1969), Faculty (1978–2017), Dean (1998–2008)
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Administration Education Healthy Aging Research Women’s Health
Susan McCurry

Susan McCurry

Improves care for patients with age-related diseases
Susan McCurry is a clinical psychologist on the faculty of the School of Nursing who focuses on elderly patients with chronic diseases. Her research has been instrumental in the development of non-medicinal methods to improve quality of life for these patients. She has studied how sleep disturbances affect people with conditions like Alzheimer’s, chronic pain, and issues related to menopause. McCurry has made major advances in the understanding of how sleep affects cognitive decline.

Connection: Faculty (2007–present)
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Education Healthy Aging Research Population Health Women’s Health
Paula Foltz

Paula Foltz

Assistant administrator for Harborview Medical Center
Paula Foltz started her 17-year career at Harborview as the Manager of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation. For the past 10 years she has been the Assistant Administrator for Education, Quality, Patient Safety and Professional Practice. Before coming to the west coast, she initially worked as staff nurse at the National Cancer Institute, then as a nurse and manager at Columbus Hospital. For more than a decade she was a CNS and AVP with Rush System for Health. She has been appointed to the National Quality Forum Board (2011, 2014), which analyzes and sets standards for metrics from an evidence and practicality-based viewpoint. Paula is also on the Washington State Hospital’s Ten Best Practices Council.

Connection: Staff
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Administration Education Public Health
Doris Carnevali

Doris Carnevali

Helps people cope with aging
Doris Carnevali has spent her career helping patients with terminal diseases and aging, writing several textbooks, including The Cancer Experience. At age 94, Carnevali launched a blog to help others deal with aging. Through “Engaging with Aging,” she discusses health care, finances, friends, death, and other concerns and joys that come with getting older.

Connection: Faculty (1966–1995)
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Administration Education Healthy Aging Research
Barbara Innes

Barbara Innes

Led major innovations in nursing education
As an instructor at the School of Nursing and then the Dean of the Seattle Pacific University (SPU) School of Nursing, Barbara Innes developed innovative educational programs. She created the first online coursework for nursing students at SPU and expanded partnerships between the university and community organizations. Her collaborative approach to curriculum development and partnership building has influenced nursing schools and students across the region.

Connection: BSN (1963)
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Gretchen Schodde

Gretchen Schodde

Created free retreats for cancer patients and caregivers
Gretchen Schodde founded the Harmony Hill Retreat Center on the Kitsap Peninsula. She developed a program there to offer free wellness retreats to patients battling cancer. This initiative has become a national model for physical and mental renewal of cancer survivors, caregivers, and family. The Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses awarded Schodde with the organization’s first ever lifetime achievement award to recognize her innovative contributions to the field.

Connection: BSN (1968), Masters (1975)
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Administration Families Healthy Aging Public Health Rural Health
Lois Price Spratlen

Lois Price Spratlen

Championed students and nurses of color
Lois Price Spratlen was appointed the UW Ombudsman (a role meaning mediator and advocate) for Sexual Harassment in 1982 and was later appointed the University Ombudsman, the first woman in that role. She facilitated communication between the university and its students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and vendors. Spratlen argued that nurses were particularly well-suited to be mediators and introduced other nurses to similar roles. She also served as an ambassador for nurses of color in Seattle, and in 2001, she wrote a book chronicling the careers of dozens of black nurses in Seattle.

Connection: BSN (1976), Faculty (1983–2011), Ombudsman (1982–2009)
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Health Policy Population Health Public Health
MaryAnne Lindeblad

MaryAnne Lindeblad

Established national models for women’s health care
As state Medicaid director of Washington State Health Care Authority, MaryAnne oversees the Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) program, which serves more than 1.8 million Washington residents. MaryAnne serves on the executive committees of both the National Association of Medicaid Directors and the National Academy for State Health Policy. She also chairs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Managed Care Technical Advisory Committee.

Connection: public servant
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Women’s Health Administration Health Policy Population Health Public Health
Shanda Taylor Boyd

Shanda Taylor Boyd

Advocating for disabled veterans
Shanda Taylor Boyd entered the United States Army after college, then returned to school to complete her nursing degree at the UW. She returned to the military as an Army nurse. In 2004, she suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of an automobile accident and learned that she could no longer work as a nurse. She has since dedicated herself to advocating for disabled veterans and military families through the R4 Alliance and other organizations.

Connection: BSN (1994)
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Healthy Aging Military Public Health
Elizabeth Thomas

Elizabeth Thomas

Improved the lives of children
Elizabeth Thomas was the first African American to complete the nurse practitioner degree at the School of Nursing and the first black pediatric nurse practitioner in the state of Washington. She practiced for twenty-three years at the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Seattle’s Central District and was instrumental in the implementation of immunization laws in Washington State. Thomas also volunteered with dozens of organizations and started a community parenting program. The King County Nurses Association now offers the annual Elizabeth Thomas Memorial Grant for projects that support infant, children, and families from diverse communities.

Connection: Masters (1975)
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Families Global Health Health Policy Infants and Children Population Health Public Health Women’s Health
Pat Greenstreet

Pat Greenstreet

Defends patients through the legal system
After working her way to up to the head nurse position at Seattle Children’s Hospital, Pat Greenstreet earned a law degree from the University of Washington. As an attorney, she represents families of infants injured during birth. Greenstreet has been an outspoken advocate for equal pay and environmental health and volunteers her expertise to the Battered Women’s Project and Catholic Community Services. Greenstreet also founded the Nurses Law School, a popular statewide event that teaches nurses how legal issues affect their work.

Connection: BSN (1975)
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Health Policy Population Health Public Health Women’s Health
Debbie Martin

Debbie Martin

Merging nursing and tech to mitigate infectious diseases
Debbie Martin is President of Optimal Healthcare Solutions, LLC, which she founded in early 2012 and runs out of her home. She assists healthcare professionals in optimizing their use of the software products developed by her previous employer, BD Diagnostics. After she received her Master’s in Nursing at UW School of Nursing she spent three years teaching at The University of Texas at Austin (UT), where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She left UT to work for the State of Texas Department of Health in the late 1970s where she traveled the state consulting on infection control and investigating infectious disease outbreaks. In the 1980s, Debbie testified as an expert in a famous case against Genene Jones, a nurse later convicted of killing several children under her care at multiple hospitals in Texas. She went on to work in various capacities improving systems for infection control, eventually starting the company she still runs today.

Connection: MSN
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Administration Education Public Health
Linda Teri

Linda Teri

Innovated treatments in dementia care
Linda Teri is one of the world’s leading experts in non-medicinal treatments for dementia. She has developed new community-based treatment for dementia and other age-related diseases by working directly with older adults, their families, and their caregivers. Her breakthroughs in community approaches to dementia care have revolutionized how families and medical practitioners care for adults with cognitive decline.

Connection: Faculty (1998-present)
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Education Families Global Health Healthy Aging Research
Cindy Hecker

Cindy Hecker

Northwest Hospital and Medical Center Leader
Cindy Hecker oversees strategic direction, manages overall operations and clinical care, and represents Northwest Hospital & Medical Center as part of the UW Medicine system leadership team. Hecker began her 35-year career with UW Medicine as bedside registered nurse, moving quickly into nursing leadership and then to successive senior administrative positions. She was Chief Nursing Officer for and Senior Associate Administrator or Inpatient Operations at Harborview. In addition she was Assistant Dean for Clinical Practice, UW School of Nursing; Senior Associate Administrator, Clinical Operations/Integration for UW Medicine; and Interim Chief Health System Officer for the entire UW Medicine Health System.

Connection: Faculty, Assistant Dean
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Sherri Del Bene

Sherri Del Bene

Dedicated to top quality patient care
Sherri is the assistant administrator for UW Medical Center Patient Care Services. She ensures that patient care is consistently top of mind and all those who are cared for through UW Medicine benefit from the expertise of their healthcare providers. She received her Master’s in Nursing at UW School of Nursing in 1999 and has served as a volunteer on the School of Nursing advisory board since 2014.

Connection: MSN, staff
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Kathryn Lee

Kathryn Lee

Pioneer in women’s health and sleep research
Dr. Kathryn Lee’s research focuses on women’s health, with an emphasis on sleep patterns. She has authored more than 150 publications on sleep and women’s health. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the University of Washington School of Nursing’s Distinguished Research Award (2006), the Helen Nahm Research Lecture Award from UCSF (2004), and the STT International Nurse Research Hall of Fame in 2011. Lee has also twice been recognized by UCSF for her mentorship of future nurse researchers, receiving the School’s Mentor of the Year Award in 1996 and 2001.

Connection:MN (1977), PhD (1986)
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Research Women’s Health
Joan Shaver

Joan Shaver

Discovered links between menopause and sleep
Joan Shaver’s research revolutionized the understanding of the connections between hormonal fluctuations and sleep. She and her team were among the first in the world to investigate these connections. She found that women who experienced hot flashes or high levels of emotional distress experienced significant disruptions in sleep during menopause. In addition to setting precedents with her research, Shaver has become a national nursing leader and currently serves as the Dean of the University of Arizona School of Nursing.

Connection: Masters (1970), PhD (1976), Faculty (1985–1996)
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Healthy Aging Population Health Women’s Health
Marcia Killien

Marcia Killien

Defined postpartum depression
Marcia Killien was the first graduate of the School of Nursing’s PhD program. Her research focuses on the intersection of women’s health and employment. Her studies on postpartum depression in the 1980s helped to define the term and initiated discussions on how to address the condition. As a professor in the Department of Family & Child Nursing, Killien spearheaded women’s health initiatives and serves on committees relating to child care, parental leave, and other family issues.

Connection: Masters (1974), PhD (1982), Faculty (1974–present)
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Education Families Health Policy Infants and Children Population Health Women’s Health
Cindy Sayre

Cindy Sayre

Head Nurse for UW Medical Center
With 32 years of nursing experience, UW Nursing alumna Sayre has spent 16 years at UW Medical Center, which included staff nursing positions in hematology/oncology, pediatric blood and marrow transplant, and administrative roles. As a strong proponent of nursing education, she helped lead the increase of nurses prepared at the BSN and higher level at UWMC to more than 80 percent through her robust relationships with the UW School of Nursing and other local nursing programs. Sayre is especially proud of the work she has done with UW Continuing Nurses Education to create and build the Medical Surgical Specialty Program course offerings and the impact to improved patient care and nurse education that has resulted.

Connection: Alumni, Staff
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Administration Education Public Health
Kathryn Barnard

Kathryn Barnard

Revolutionized infant care
Kathryn Barnard was one of the first medical professionals to conduct extensive research on physical and emotional connections between parents and children. Barnard invented a rocking bed for infants after discovering that rocking motions help babies gain weight and develop motor functions. These rocking beds are now standard in hospital nurseries, an accomplishment that Barnard called one of her greatest achievements. In 2001, Barnard founded the UW Center for Infant Mental Health and Development, now named for her.

Connection: Faculty (1963–2006)
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Families Infants and Children Research Population Health Women’s Health
Mary Virginia Cauthorn

Mary Virginia Cauthorn

Committed to mental health for people of all backgrounds
After receiving her BSN in 1945, Virginia worked as a hospital nurse in Dayton, Ohio and in Seattle at Providence Hospital. She also worked in several different doctors' offices, as a store nurse for the Bon Marche and a school nurse for Woodside School for the Handicapped. In the late 1960s while her three oldest children were in college, Virginia joined them at the University of Washington where in December 1969 she was awarded a Master of Nursing. Her concentrated field of study was in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. Virginia used her training to work in a mental health outreach clinic. The nurses would provide the patients with counseling and medicines to help keep them stable to function in society, their jobs, and keep their housing. Occasionally patients would miss their appointment and Virginia believed it was her job to go out and find the patient. She was committed to going to great lengths to provide care.

Connection: BSN, MSN
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Population Health Public Health
Betty Giblin

Betty Giblin

Pioneered sleep research
In 1979, Betty Giblin established the UW sleep research laboratory, the nation’s first nursing school sleep research lab. Her research on associations between sleep patterns and illness, including sleep apnea and Alzheimer’s, inspired future research regarding the role sleep plays in many different illnesses. Following Giblin’s lead, the National Institute of Nursing Research made these issues of sleep patterns a research focus area. Thanks to her foresight, the School of Nursing remains one of the only nursing schools in the nation with a sleep research lab.

Connection: BSN (1943), Faculty (1959–1982)
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Administration Education Healthy Aging Research
Sofia Aragon

Sofia Aragon

Affecting health policy to improve care for all
Sofia Aragon is the executive director of the Washington Center for Nursing, which aims to address the shortage of nurses. She previously served as governmental-affairs adviser for the Washington State Nurses Association and is a former legislative liaison for the state Department of Health. Sofia worked as a nurse before getting a law degree and delving into health policy. She is also a board member of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance.

Connection: public servant
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Administration Health Policy Population Health Public Health Rural Health Women’s Health
Janet Primomo

Janet Primomo

Innovated public health and career development programs
Janet Primomo is one of the three founding faculty members of the UW Tacoma School of Nursing. As part of the school’s development, she partnered with high school nursing camps to encourage local students to go into nursing. Meanwhile, Primomo’s research analyzes the efficacy of community-based public health programs. Her findings have prompted the creation of new chronic disease clinics for low-income residents and the improvement of asthma prevention programs.

Connection: PhD (1989)
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Public Health Administration Healthy Aging Infants and Children Population Health
Rheba de Tornyay

Rheba de Tornyay

Transformed UW into top-ranked nursing program
Rheba de Tornyay’s landmark textbook, Strategies for Teaching Nursing, set a new standard for international nursing education. She oversaw the development of a doctoral program in nursing science, one of the first in the country. De Tornyay’s leadership led the School of Nursing to its first ranking as the top nursing school in the nation. Her research focused on healthy aging and senior citizens grappling with difficult decisions. She was co-chair of the University of Washington Retirement Association Housing Facility Committee, member of the National Advisory Council of the San Francisco Institute on Aging, trustee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the first president of the American Academy of Nursing. She founded the de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging.

Connection: Faculty (1975–1996), Dean (1975–1986)
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Administration Education Healthy Aging Research
Lillian B. Patterson

Lillian B. Patterson

Expanded the reach of nurses across the globe
As Dean of the School of Nursing in the early 1950s, Lillian B. Patterson strengthened the program’s academic rigor and worked with the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) to increase the professional status of nurses. President Harry S. Truman recognized Patterson as a global leader in the nursing field when he appointed her Special Advisor to the World Health Organization. The WSNA called Patterson “The driving force behind many of the major progressive initiatives at WSNA from the early 1940s until her untimely death in 1954.”

Connection: Dean (1950–1954), Faculty
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Administration Education Global Health Health Policy Public Health
Sam Miller

Sam Miller

Set new standards in home care
Sam Miller co-founded and serves as CEO of Careforce, Inc., a home health care company. At Careforce, nurses manage individualized home care plans for clients, allowing individuals to remain in their homes as they age. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Home Care Association of Washington (HCAW) and the de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging.

Connection: Masters (1982)
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Administration Healthy Aging Population Health Public Health
Anne Hirsch

Anne Hirsch

Anne Hirsch is a tried and true educator and clinician. At Washington State University she helped to establish the PhD. program and the Doctor of Nursing program. She has led statewide innovative programs to improve education access and co-chaired a design team to formulate a master plan for nursing education in Washington. As a leader, Anne is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs currently, and sits on the Western Governor’s University Nursing Advisory board. As a clinician, Anne works to provide care to homeless families and teens. Connection: Alumni, faculty Make a Gift

Public Health
Pamela Holsclaw Mitchell

Pamela Holsclaw Mitchell

Researches how to enrich care for patients Pamela Holsclaw Mitchell has served on the School of Nursing faculty for nearly fifty years. She has led research on how clinical care affects the health of patients with chronic cardiovascular diseases. She has spearheaded interdisciplinary research on how best to help patients recover from brain injury. Mitchell’s leadership in the School of Nursing has ushered several generations of students into the nursing profession. Connection: BSN (1962), PhD (1991), Faculty (1969−present), Executive Associate Dean (2014−2018) Make a Gift

Administration Education Healthy Aging Research
Pearl Ayers

Pearl Ayers

Graduated the nursing program first, in 1922
Pearl Ayers was the first graduate of the School of Nursing, completing her studies in 1922. Coursework at the time focused on public health and combating the spread of infectious diseases. She went on to work at Minor Hospital on Spring Street (Minor eventually merged with Swedish Hospital). Ayers eventually married and moved to California.

Connection: Nursing Degree (1922)
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Founders Global Health Population Health Public Health
Maxine Davis Haynes

Maxine Davis Haynes

Taught after being rejected because of her race
Maxine Davis Haynes enrolled at the School of Nursing in 1936 to study pre-nursing, but when she applied to the nursing program, she was rejected because of her race. She completed her undergraduate degree in sociology and then finished a nursing degree out of state. She became the first black nurse at Providence Hospital, prior to her appointment as a UW professor in the 1960s. Haynes finished her career as a Professor of Community Health Nursing at Seattle Pacific University.

Connection: Faculty (1960s)
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Administration Education Global Health Public Health
Stefan Torres

Stefan Torres

Nurse Social Media Influencer and Advocate for Public Health Stefan Torres, a UW Bothell School of Nursing BSN alum is an award-winning nursing professional who established Nurse Weekly, an educational video channel available for worldwide viewing on Facebook and YouTube. With videos that surpass 200,000 views, he grabs the attention of viewers with humor and energy to cover a wide range of topics that help to inform everyone about important health topics. From breastfeeding to heatstroke, Nurse Stefan is ensuring viewers have well researched, accurate and important health information. Connection:BSN Make a Gift

Education Public Health
Susan Manfredi

Susan Manfredi

VP for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer for UW Medicine, Northwest Hospital and Medical Center
Susan Manfredi’s nursing career spans more than 30 years of nursing leadership in both academic and community-based hospitals and includes experiences from California to Massachusetts. She has worked for UW Medicine for more than 22 years. As Chief Nursing Officer, she is responsible for planning, organizing, directing all administrative and clinical functions for patient care. Having designed numerous quality enhancing programs including Comprehensive Stroke, Sleep Disorders, Gamma Knife, Epilepsy Monitoring, and Fragility Fracture Programs, she has a great interest in care transitions for patients with complex clinical and social needs. In addition, she has designed and implemented process improvements to enhance care coordination to improve outcomes and improve efficiency of care.

Connection: Staff
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Administration Health Policy Public Health
Elizabeth Sterling Soule

Elizabeth Sterling Soule

Dubbed the “Mother of Nursing” of the Northwest
Elizabeth Sterling Soule moved to Seattle in 1912 as a public health nurse to treat persistent diseases like typhoid and tuberculosis. In response to the influenza epidemic in 1917 and 1918, Soule organized the first nursing classes at the university, a process that led to the creation of the School of Nursing. Soule then served as its first director. She developed the first nursing school in the Pacific Northwest in partnership with public health organizations and local hospitals to best serve community needs. As dean, Soule expanded the school and created a model for nursing schools across the country. Upon her retirement in 1950, Time magazine called Soule the “Mother of Nursing in the Pacific Northwest.”

Connection: Founder (1918–1921), Dean (1921–1950), Masters (1930)
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Administration Education Founders Population Health Public Health