Leadership and Strategic Direction

August 13, 2024

Looking ahead with new leaders and a fresh strategic direction, poised for transformative growth and success

In the past year, the School of Nursing has navigated significant leadership transitions while charting a bold course for the future. These changes mark an important phase in the school’s evolution, setting the stage for continued excellence and innovation in nursing education and practice.

Leadership transitions

In April 2024, Patricia Kinser, Ph.D., was appointed interim dean following the departure of Jean Giddens, Ph.D., who accepted a new role as dean of the University of Kansas School of Nursing after a decade service at VCU. Kinser, an alumna of the VCU School of Nursing and faculty member since 2012, has served as assistant dean for the Office of Research in Scholarship, and Innovation. She holds an endowed professorship with a notable program of research focused on helping mothers, families, and children thrive, with funded studies on biobehavioral mechanisms and interventions for perinatal depression, long-term effects of SARS-COV-2, and improved depression screening and prevention methods.

Other leadership transitions in the school in 2023-24 included:

The appointment of Lana Sargent, Ph.D., as associate dean of practice and community engagement, a role that heads up the school's faculty practice and community engagement initiatives, including the Mobile Health and Wellness Program.
The appointment of Terry L. Jones, Ph.D., as associate dean of graduate programs, a role that oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of graduate-level curricula, supports graduate faculty and student success, and fosters advancements in research and clinical practice within the graduate programs.

Strategic Plan

Looking ahead, the school has developed a new strategic plan that will guide its work through 2029. The plan, Charting Futures: A strategic plan for nursing education, will serve as a visionary roadmap to advancing healthcare transformation through education, research and practice.

The strategic plan defines the pillars, strategic drivers, and themes that will empower the school to fulfill its mission of championing health and well-being while positioning itself as the premier institution for those leading healthcare transformation. Guided by core values of curiosity, integrity, compassion, inclusion, and collaboration, the plan establishes a framework for achieving excellence in nursing education, fostering innovative research, and advancing equitable healthcare practices. It outlines objectives that ensure the school is mission-focused and adaptive, spearheading efforts to meet the evolving needs of healthcare and the communities it serves.