Three Vanderbilt University School of Nursing assistant deans have been promoted to associate dean, while two faculty members have been named to new roles in the school.
Ruth Kleinpell, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN, FAANP, FCCM, is now the associate dean for clinical scholarship, Kleinpell, who holds the Independence Foundation Chair in Nursing Education, had been assistant dean. She will add additional responsibilities to her role in overseeing the VUSN Faculty Scholarship Program; providing support and consultation to faculty for scholarship and clinical research initiatives; supporting the VUSN DNP program by coordinating DNP project opportunities; and serving as the Senior Nurse Scholar and VUSN liaison for the National VA Quality Scholars program. Kleinpell also serves as VUSN immersion faculty coordinator, charged with matching Vanderbilt undergraduates with clinical project work, and as a VUSN Learning Health Care System operational liaison. She started her Vanderbilt career in 2012.
Rolanda Johnson, PhD’98, MSN, RN, has been promoted to associate dean for equity, diversity and inclusion; she was previously assistant dean for diversity and inclusion. In that role, she directed VUSN’s efforts to support and foster culturally appreciative and inclusive environment, particularly for historically underrepresented and marginalized groups and individuals. As associate dean, she will continue those efforts while also overseeing VUSN’s equity, diversity and inclusion strategic plan. Johnson will also continue to work collaboratively with the Vanderbilt University Office of the Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the VU Provost’s Office for Inclusive Excellence where she is a Dean Diversity Designate. She will also support student efforts, collaborate on curricula particularly in the areas of diversity and inclusion, and provide insight in areas that include admissions, faculty recruitment and continuing education of VUSN faculty and staff. Johnson joined VUSN in 1998, the same year she received her PhD from Vanderbilt.
Betsy Kennedy, PhD, MSN’93, BSN’89, RN, CNE, is now associate dean for non-tenure track faculty affairs and advancement. She had been assistant dean. In her new role, she is charged with planning, development, review and implementation of matters relative to non-tenure track faculty. These include faculty recruitment, retention and onboarding, as well as aspects of faculty appointment, reappointments, promotion and compliance. She also directs non-tenure track faculty development activity and works collaboratively with school and university committees. Kennedy has been a member of the VUSN faculty since 1993.
Abby Luck Parish, DNP, MSN’05, AGPCNP-BC, GNP-BC, FNAP, has been named to the new position of director of education innovation, In her new role, Parish is charged with leadership in the development of initiatives that support excellence in VUSN education. Among her responsibilities are assisting in the development of strategies that enhance teaching-learning experiences in online and blended settings; providing leadership for innovative, inclusive, accessible course design/redesign; and collaboration with experts in VUSN and throughout VU to design and evaluate innovative teaching-learning strategies. Parish joined the VUSN faculty in 2010.
Assistant Professor Tamika Hudson, DNP, MSN’12, APRN, FNP-C, has accepted the position of assistant dean for student affairs. She serves as the school’s chief liaison with students and directs student activities. She also works with and oversees organizations such as the Graduate Council. Hudson acts as the primary student advocate and referral source in responding directly to nonacademic student matters. Her experience as faculty and a VUSN alumna gives her particular insight into the needs of nursing students. Hudson has been a member of the VUSN faculty since 2016 and has been active in a variety of school-wide initiatives. She served on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, most recently as chair, and with Jannyse Tapp, developed and managed one of the school’s signature education programs, the Poverty Simulation. She will continue teaching but in a reduced capacity. Hudson succeeds longtime Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Sarah Ramsey, who is leaving Vanderbilt to devote more time to her family.