Melissa Faulkner (PhD 1991)
Atlanta, Georgia
Melissa Faulkner, PhD, RN, FAAN is a PhD 1991 graduate of the UAB School of Nursing. She is currently the National Director of Nursing Research at Ascension. Previously, she was Professor and Lewis Distinguished Chair in Nursing at the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions at Georgia State University, where she still holds an adjunct appointment. Prior to her time at Georgia State, she held academic appointments at the University of Arizona, Southeast Missouri State University, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Arizona State University. She has extensive experience in child health, particularly pediatric diabetes. She has taught undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students, as well as interdisciplinary courses.
Dr. Faulkner has an established program of research focusing on adolescents and the psychosocial and physiological alterations they may encounter, particularly the cardiovascular risks that are associated with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Dr. Faulkner’s research is aimed at the development and testing of a community-based, personalized exercise intervention for teens diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Faulkner is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. She served as the only nurse representative on the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Medical and Scientific Oversight Committee. She was named a UAB School of Nursing Visionary Leader in 2010.
Linda Norman (DSN 2001)
Franklin, Tennessee
Linda Norman, DSN, RN, FAAN is a DSN 2001 graduate of the UAB School of Nursing. She is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in nursing and health profession education. She was named dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in July 2013 and served until June 2021. She is currently Dean Emerita and Valere Potter Menefee Professor of Nursing at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Dr. Norman joined Vanderbilt in 1991 and served in a variety of capacities at the school for 30 years, including as Senior Associate Dean of Academics. During her tenure, she had led innovative curriculum transformations, introduced several new academic programs and helped VUSN rise to become one of the top graduate nursing programs in the country.
Dr. Norman started her career as a staff nurse on a neurosurgical unit and expanded her role in nursing after graduate school to care of the chronically ill. She found herself drawn to nursing education as a way to make a profound difference on the profession she loves. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. In 2010, she was named a UAB School of Nursing Visionary Leader.
Larry Slater (BSN 2008, PhD 2011)
Memphis, Tennessee
Larry Slater, PhD, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN is a BSN 2008 and PhD 2011 graduate of the UAB School of Nursing. Dr. Slater currently serves as the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Clinical Professor at the University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing.He was previously the Director of Undergraduate Programs and Clinical Associate Professor at the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing in New York, NY. He has established a national reputation as a cutting-edge nurse educator. His expertise includes the design and implementation of active, learner-driven strategies; curriculum development, improvement, and assessment with a focus on technology-enhanced education; program outcomes assessment and accreditation; and faculty/staff governance in academia.
He has co-created educational products used by nursing programs and students nationwide; established himself as a recognized presenter at state, national, and international professional meetings; and is a well-published author for leading journals and book chapters. Dr. Slater’s extensive experience in leadership development has guided his work in nursing honors education, an educational model designed to provide high-achieving students with comprehensive mentoring, expanded educational opportunities, and leadership development to prepare them to lead in the transformation of healthcare globally. In collaboration with expert colleagues, he co-chaired a national committee of interprofessional educators to develop the International Nursing Consortium of Honors Educators and Scholars (INCHES), which supports nursing honors students, faculty, and programs globally.
Dr. Slater was honored as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the New York Academy of Medicine in 2020. He also participated as a Fellow of the Leadership in Academic Nursing Program in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in 2018 and a Senior Fellow for the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing in 2017. He is an active leader in several professional organizations, currently serving as Chair-Elect of the Committee on Bylaws for the American Nurses Association, as Secretary for the Foundation of the National Student Nurses Association, and as a member of the National League for Nursing Certification Commission. He was named a UAB School of Nursing Visionary Leader in 2020.
Jenny R. James (BSN 1969)
Asheville, North Carolina
Jenny James, MS, RN, CCM is a BSN 1969 graduate of the UAB School of Nursing. She is a national and international pioneer in the field of nurse management and administration, and has served her entire career in the nursing profession. She is regarded as an expert in her field who has made substantial contributions to nursing administration.
Ms. James has held positions such as Chief Nursing Officer at Danbury Hospital and Chief Nurse Executive and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Oregon Health and Sciences University. Most recently, she is retired as the Emergency Department Case Manager at Legacy Emmanuel Hospital. She has provided transformational nursing leadership and management experience to numerous hospitals, universities, and medical centers across the United States.