Frontier Nursing University Alumni Hall of Fame inductee Karen Tepper, DNP (Class 35), ANP-BC, HHCNS-BC, LNHA, is a nationally recognized nursing leader whose career spans more than 35 years of advancing clinical excellence, operational innovation, and veteran-centered care.
Currently, Dr. Tepper serves as the Director of the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 1 Clinical Contact Center for the Veterans Health Administration. She also serves as the APRN Practice Lead for Legacy VISN 1 and is detailed to a Veteran Health Administration Program Office supporting modernization of Clinical Contact Centers. Her remarkable life and service-led career was formed by humble beginnings.
Dr. Tepper was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, but her heritage is in Europe. Her mother was an immigrant who survived World War II in Germany and her father’s family fled oppression in Eastern Europe.
“My family’s history shaped my understanding of resilience and service. Their experiences meant I grew up with an awareness of hardship and inequity,” Dr. Tepper said. “My parents instilled in me the belief that education is the great equalizer. They emphasized respect, hard work, and the duty to serve. Those values guided me through challenges and continue to influence my leadership and lifelong commitment to equity.”
Her exposure to nursing as a profession came via her childhood friend Christine, whose mother was the nursing director at a pediatric–geriatric nursing home. She would often bring the girls along with her to volunteer at the nursing home.
“Those early experiences were my first exposure to nursing. I watched how Christine’s mother led with compassion, improved care quality, and made a meaningful difference for patients and families,” Dr. Tepper said. “Seeing the impact of her work inspired me to pursue nursing and grounded my commitment to quality care, service, and supporting underserved communities.
“I am thankful for my faith, family, and friends, whose unwavering support remains my foundation. In particular, my husband, Jay, has been an incredible champion for both my career and volunteer work, constantly inspiring me to envision what is possible. Jay is a collaborative partner whose steady presence and thoughtful engagement support my work.”
Dr. Tepper earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Massachusetts, where a senior internship at the campus health center first inspired her path toward advanced practice nursing. Following several years of foundational clinical experience, she pursued a Master of Science in Community Health Nursing at Northeastern University, subsequently earning board certification as an Adult Nurse Practitioner.
Driven by her commitment to comprehensive care delivery across the patient continuum, Dr. Tepper also holds board certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Home Health Nursing and is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. In 2020, she graduated from Frontier Nursing University with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
“While writing the Request for Proposal for a Nurse Practitioner Residency Program, I realized I needed additional preparation to effectively co-direct the program and lead broader clinical and organizational initiatives. Pursuing my DNP strengthened my ability to serve at a higher level and support the development of advanced practice clinicians with the quality and leadership they deserve.”
She was referred to Frontier by a colleague who informed Dr. Tepper about FNU’s commitment to underserved populations.
“That mission resonated deeply with me. I was also drawn to Frontier’s focus on supporting students and preparing clinicians rooted in service, equity, and community focused care,” said Tepper, who received the Frontier Nursing University DNP Leadership Award in 2021. “I appreciated Frontier’s legacy campus in Hyden. Being there allowed me to experience the university’s rich history. Meeting my cohort in person and connecting with professors was deeply meaningful. I valued the traditions that unite the Frontier community—circling up, ringing the bell, and spending quiet moments of reflection in the chapel. Today, a photograph of our cohort, DNP 35, loops on the digital frame in my home, serving as a reminder of where our journey began. I am also grateful to (FNU Assistant Professor) Dr. Judy Butler for her mentorship. Her guidance and encouragement made a lasting impact on my professional path.”
Similarly, Dr. Tepper has made a lasting impact in a number of ways over her 41-year career. Beginning in 2018, she contributed to enterprise-wide Clinical Contact Center development through roles in the Office of Nursing Service, Veteran Access to Care, and Integrated Veteran Care. Her VISN 1 team, which serves the New England region, became a national leader in performance and innovation after launching the VISN 1 Clinical Contact Center within one year. The Center delivers four core virtual services — scheduling and administration, nurse clinical triage, medical providers for telehealth visits, and pharmacy.
Additionally, Dr. Tepper assisted in the development of APRN reference materials, supported the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team privileges, and provided consultation across VISNs. She co-directed the VHA Office of Academic Affiliation funded Primary Care NP Residency Program and contributed to national OAA curriculum development. Since 2020, the program has graduated NP residents with an 83% VA retention rate.
“I remain active as a subject matter expert on the Medical Professional Standards Board and continue providing clinical care,” Dr. Tepper said. “In 2022, I helped lead the VISN 1 Virtual Test to Treat COVID-19 model, which was later expanded nationally with outstanding clinical outcomes and zero deaths to date.
Dr. Tepper’s comprehensive background and unique experiences have taken her career in a variety of directions. For instance, for over 14 years, she has served as an Expert Witness for the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, as well as a peer review expert for Clinician Reviews.
Her governance and organizational advisory experience include 11 years of service in Board roles with the Nurse Practitioner Associates for Continuing Education (NPACE). She helped lead the strategic transition of NPACE to a hybrid educational conference model during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring uninterrupted, high-quality continuing education for advanced practice clinicians nationwide.
She has also served on the Duxbury Board of Health for 19 years, currently serving as its chair. In this role, she has guided critical community safeguarding initiatives, notably shaping local COVID 19 response policies and strategic mitigation efforts against PFAS environmental contamination.
Dr. Tepper looks back on her experiences with pride and a sense of satisfaction knowing that she has carried forward the respect, hard work, and duty to serve they instilled in her.
For 41 years, she has dedicated her career to caring for underserved populations, including 31 years as an advanced practice nurse. Her background spans outpatient and telehealth settings. She has served with the Veteran Health Administration for more than a decade and spent 19 years with UnitedHealth Group working with special needs Medicaid and Medicare populations.
“I am grateful for the privilege of serving underserved populations and making a meaningful difference every day. I am deeply committed to continuing this work and look forward to contributing to my community in meaningful and impactful ways.”
Away from work, Dr. Tepper enjoys the theater and has been a Broadway Series member for over two decades. She has also been a Boston College football season ticket holder for nearly 25 years.
In recognition of Dr. Tepper’s more than 40 years of service as a nurse, leader, innovator, and so much more, Frontier Nursing University is proud to induct Dr. Karen Tepper into the Frontier Nursing Alumni Hall of Fame.
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Vanessa Cameron works for Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nursing Education & Professional Development. She is also attending George Washington University and progressing towards a PhD in Nursing with an emphasis on ableism in nursing. After becoming disabled in April 2021, Vanessa’s worldview and perspective changed, and a recognition of the ableism present within healthcare and within the culture of nursing was apparent. She has been working since that time to provide educational foundations for nurses about disability and ableism, provide support for fellow disabled nursing colleagues, and advocate for the disabled community within healthcare settings to reduce disparities.
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