Leadership in Action

Nursing Leaders

September 2022

By School of Nursing Communications

William Holzemer Named Living Legend

William Holzemer, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor emeritus and former associate dean for research, has been named a Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing. The honor recognizes nurse leaders who have made an indelible impact on policy and public health through their tenacity, vision and leadership.

Holzemer is a renowned expert on HIV/AIDS care whose research and contributions have transformed the quality of life for people living with the disease. He has won numerous awards, including the Distinguished Research Lectureship Award from the Western Institute of Nursing, the Margretta Styles Leadership Award from Sigma, and the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan.

Alumna Jennie Chin Hansen Receives Health Care Leader Award and UCSF Medal

Jennie Chin Hansen, MS '71, RN, FAAN, past CEO of the American Geriatrics Society and former president of AARP, has received the Health Care Leader Award from the American Academy of Nursing. The honor recognizes an influential national leader dedicated to improving the health of the nation through contributions to organizational excellence.

Hansen is a dedicated advocate for the care of older adults. Under her leadership, San Francisco-based On Lok advanced innovation in whole person care and pioneered the Program of All-Inclusive Care to the Elderly (PACE). PACE makes it possible for older adults to maintain their independence and receive comprehensive medical and social services at home instead of being placed in a nursing home. PACE is now a federally established Medicare benefit and has been replicated in 31 states.

Hansen is also a receipient of this year's UCSF Medal. The campus' most prestigious award, the honor recognizes individuals who have made outstanding personal contributions in areas associated with the university and its mission as well as those who inspire the work of those at UCSF To push the boundaries of what's possible. Watch a video to learn more about Hansen and her work.

Four Will Be Inducted as AAN Fellows

Congratulations to four from the School of Nursing — associate professor Elena Flowers, PhD, RN, Assistant Dean Elizabeth Gatewood, DNP, FNP, FAANP, and assistant professor Orlando Harris, PhD, MPH, RN, and alumnus and volunteer faculty member Richard Fidler, PhD, CNRA — who will be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing’s 2022 Class of Fellows.

The honor recognizes distinguished nurse leaders for their significant contributions to health and health care. They are among 250 nurses who make up the 2022 fellows, and will be inducted at the academy’s annual conference from Oct. 27-29 in Washington D.C. Read the full announcement.

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Are Common in Cancer Survivors

Christine Miaskowski, PhD, RN, FAAN, is the senior and corresponding author for a first-of-its kind study demonstrating that hearing loss and tinnitus are common in cancer survivors. While children receiving chemotherapy routinely undergo hearing tests, adults don’t, and a new study by UC San Francisco reports for the first time that significant hearing issues often occur among adult survivors of the most common forms of cancer.

The researchers found that more than half the survivors in their study who had been treated with chemotherapy experienced significant hearing problems. “While individuals often underestimate hearing problems, our findings point to the need for cancer survivors to have their hearing tested,” said Miaskowski. Read the full story.

IGHS, UCSF Health and SON to Launch New Center for Global Nursing

The UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences, UCSF Health and the UCSF School of Nursing are pleased to announce the launch of the UCSF Center for Global Nursing, a new home for UCSF nurses involved in global health efforts. The Center for Global Nursing represents a partnership between IGHS, UCSF Health and the School of Nursing through the UCSF Leadership Institute. The newly launched Center's mission is to provide a place for nurses across UCSF to collaborate, learn, explore and contribute to global health solutions.

The Center for Global Nursing will be led by Rebecca Silvers, assistant clinical professor at the school. Read the full announcement.

Mica Estrada Named Associate Dean of Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach

Mica Estrada, PhD, has been appointed the School of Nursing's next Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach. Estrada has been a member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences and the Institute for Health & Aging facutly since 2014. Her background is social psychology and she holds degrees from UC Berkeley and Harvard University. Read the full announcement.

Cecilia Chang Named Associate Dean for Administration and Finance

Cecilia Chang has been appointed the School of Nursing's next Associate Dean for Administration and Finance. Chang joined the school as the Assistant Dean for Finance in 2015. Since this time, she has been instrumental in the development and implementation of business reforms to bring the school in to compliance with university policies and to support the chairs and associate deans in designing and monitoring their budgets. Read the full announcement.

Monifa Willis Named Chief of SF DA Victim Services Division

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has named Monifa Willis, MS, PMHNP, assistant professor in Community Health Systems, as the new chief of the office's victim services division. She began the role in August and will continue to teach at the School of Nursing.

As chief of the victim services division, the office’s main point of contact for victims of crime and their families, Willis will be instrumental in providing support and resources to survivors and their advocates. Willis’ appointment received news media coverage, including in the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner.

Kate Melino Will be Inducted into AME

Kate Melino, MS, PMHNP, assistant professor in Community Health Systems, will be inducted as a new member of the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators at its Sept. 21 celebration. The academy is a community of dedicated educators who work together to strengthen their teaching and promote teaching excellence across UCSF.

Andrew Penn Developing Certification Exam, Standards of Care

Andrew Penn, MS, RN, PMHNP, associate professor in Community Health Systems, is working as a subject matter expert for the Board of Psychedelic Medicines and Therapies to create their board certification exam. In addition, he is working with Brain Futures and the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association to create standards of care for psychedelic therapy.

Celebrating Preceptors: Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas was the UCSF School of Nursing’s August Preceptor of the Month. A UCSF alumnus and volunteer faculty member, Thomas has been precepting for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care specialty since 2018. He has often taught two to three students per quarter, providing full age range, full scope primary care pediatrics to a diverse patient population in the East Bay. Students thrive through his clinical teaching and strive to emulate his warm rapport with families.

In addition to precepting, Thomas has supported didactic teaching on campus and contributed to the redesign of the specialty’s clinical evaluations to a progressive, competency-based format. Read more about Thomas on the Preceptor Portal.

Beth Phoenix, Whitney Bagby Contribute to Release of Mental Health Workforce Report

Beth Phoenix, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor in Community Health Systems, served as a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association's Workforce Task Force that recently released the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Workforce Report. In addition, alumnus Whitney Bagby, MS '22, assisted with data analysis as an APNA Board of Directors student scholar. The report disseminates data from a comprehensive survey of 9,200 psychiatric nurses throughout the country. The goal of the survey was to understand the demographic, education, employment characteristics and earnings of the nation’s psychiatric mental health nurses.

Faculty, Postdocs Awarded Grants to Support Innovative Research

Julia Brown, postdoctoral scholar, received a K01 career development award in the amount of $153,923 from the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute for her project "The Emergence of Prenatal Gene Therapy: An 'Embedded Ethics' Ethnography Investigating Clinical, Scientific and Societal Values."

Jennifer Jain, postdoctoral scholar, received a K01 career development award in the amount of $186,435 from the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse for her project "Women, Intersectionality, Substance Use and HIV (WISH)."

Jeremiah Mock, associate professor in the Institute for Health & Aging, received $359,331 from the UC Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program for his project "Environmental Toxicity of Electronic Cigarette and Heated Tobacco Product Components and Waste."

Shannon Smith-Bernardin, assistant professor in Social and Behavioral Sciences, received a K01 career development award in the amount of $189,594 from the NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for her project "Evaluation of Paramedic Decision Making in Triage and Transport of Adults with Acute Uncomplicated Alcohol Intoxication to the Emergency Department Versus Sobering Center."

In the News

Joanne Spetz, PhD, was cited in The Nevada Independent’s July 24 article “Elected Officials, Health Care Companies Seek Solutions to Nurse Shortage.”

Christine Miaskowski, PhD, RN, FAAN, and a study for which she is the senior author were featured in several news articles including in UPI’s July 27 article “Hearing Loss After Chemotherapy Common, Study Finds.”

Renee Mehra, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar, and a study for which she is the lead author were featured in Quartz’s July 28 article “Aspiring Midwives of Color Are Mainly Motivated by Racism Witnessed During Childbirth.”

Van Ta Park, PhD, MPH, was among the experts quoted in Everyday Health’s July 29 article “Discrimination Raised the Risk of Depression for Latino and Asian Americans in the Early Days of COVID-19 .”

Kristen Harknett, PhD, and her research team released a report on job conditions for fast food workers in California, which was featured in The Sacramento Bee's Aug. 9 article “Should California Set Wages in Fast-Food Restaurants? State Bill Would Make it Happen.”

Linda Franck, PhD, RN, FAAN, and a report she co-authored was highlighted in the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine’s Aug. 16 story “CalWORKs Home Visiting Program: A Lifeline for Families During the Pandemic.”

Pat Patton, DNP, chief nursing executive at UCSF Health, was prominently featured in Daily Nurse’s Aug. 29 piece “It Feels Different Having My DNP.”