This Preceptor Celebration Week (August 12-16, 2024), Frontier Nursing University proudly honors the exceptional preceptors who play an essential role in the journey of our students. At Frontier, we are proud to work with nearly 4,000 preceptors nationwide each year.
Preceptor Faith Jones (right) with students.
Among the many dedicated preceptors in the FNU community, three outstanding nurse practitioners won Frontier’s preceptor contest this summer for their unwavering commitment to midwifery and nurse practitioner education and their positive impact on students.
FNU encouraged people to nominate preceptors who go above and beyond to unlock their chance to win a travel gift card. We received more than 100 nominations for the contest! Winners were chosen via a random number generator, and the three winning preceptors each received a $500 travel gift card.
We received many wonderful comments about preceptors:
- “Lori takes the time to understand my strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations as a future PMHNP. She creates a supportive environment where I feel comfortable and empowered to learn.”
- “My preceptor is an FNU graduate who is an excellent mentor…She is grounded, patient, kind, and positively challenged me to learn and grow.”
- “Shelley has impacted my life in several ways. As a labor and delivery nurse, watching how wonderful she was with her patients inspired to me to continue my education as a midwife.”
- “Victoria exemplifies the utmost integrity in her clinical practice and professional relationships. She creates a safe and supportive learning environment for students.”
- “Pete is an enthusiastic and cheerful teacher…He has committed to me being in clinic to learn from him at least weekly for several months.”
- “These preceptors really changed my life by going above and beyond. They made a huge impact on how I saw the world and learned. A great mentor not only teaches but also helps students when things are tough, using their own experiences to give advice.”
- “Helen is beyond a caregiver- she was born to take care of people and teach. She is engaged in keeping herself curious and updated in any women’s health topic. She is loving and caring, and the greatest advocate for her patients.”
We invite you to learn more about the contest winners:
Faith Jones, FNP
Faith Jones, FNP, stands out as an exemplary preceptor, deeply committed to her students’ education and professional growth. Jessica Workman, one of Jones’ students, praises Jones for her willingness to teach at every moment and her understanding nature. She said Jones’s approachability and encouragement built her confidence and belief in her abilities.
“Faith has impacted my life because she is so easy to talk to and to ask questions,” Workman said. “She is so encouraging and helps me believe in myself.”
Jones’ dedication to women’s health and her extensive knowledge in the field make her an invaluable mentor.
Kim Sakovich, DNP, WHNP-C, RN-C
With 17 years of practice, Dr. Kim Sakovich has dedicated herself to ensuring that her students effectively practice evidence-based medicine. Specializing in diabetes in pregnancy, Dr. Sakovich emphasizes the importance of nutritional intake in managing chronic disorders. She challenges her students to think critically, encouraging them to understand the physiology of medical problems and the impact of various medications.
Dr. Sakovich spends considerable time with her students, guiding them through problem identification, differential diagnoses, treatment options, and patient counseling. Her approach fosters confidence in her students, particularly in the field of women’s health. Dr. Sakovich’s passion for teaching and her ability to create a comfortable learning environment make her a standout preceptor.
Linda Norton, PMHNP
When precepting students, Linda Norton, PMHNP, is known for her patience, kindness, and high expectations. Nominated by her student Stefanie Kreidler, Norton consistently provides resources and educational materials, ensuring her students receive comprehensive and high-quality education.
Kreidler highlights Norton’s ability to put her at ease while still expecting high standards in healthcare.
“She motivated me to find answers independently. However, I always knew she would answer any question I had,” Kreidler said. “She was one of the best instructors/preceptors I have ever encountered, and I have been in healthcare for over 15 years.”
We are so grateful for our preceptors who are not only an integral part of the educational experience for FNU students, but also for promoting the nursing profession. If you are interested in becoming a preceptor, fill out our inquiry form to get started!
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Carrie Belin is an experienced board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and a graduate of the Johns Hopkins DNP program, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Georgetown University School of Nursing, and Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She has also completed fellowships at Georgetown and the University of California Irvine.
Angie has been a full-scope midwife since 2009. She has experience in various birth settings including home, hospital, and birth centers. She is committed to integrating the midwifery model of care in the US. She completed her master’s degree in nurse-midwifery at Frontier Nursing University (FNU) and her Doctorate at Johns Hopkins University. She currently serves as the midwifery clinical faculty at FNU. Angie is motivated by the desire to improve the quality of healthcare and has led quality improvement projects on skin-to-skin implementation, labor induction, and improving transfer of care practices between hospital and community midwives. In 2017, she created a short film on skin-to-skin called 
Justin C. Daily, BSN, RN, has ten years of experience in nursing. At the start of his nursing career, Justin worked as a floor nurse on the oncology floor at St. Francis. He then spent two years as the Director of Nursing in a small rural Kansas hospital before returning to St. Francis and the oncology unit. He has been in his current position as the Chemo Nurse Educator for the past four years. He earned an Associate in Nurse from Hutchinson Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bethel College.
Brandy Jackson serves as the Director of Undergraduate Nursing Programs and Assistant Educator at Wichita State University and Co-Director of Access in Nursing. Brandy is a seasoned educator with over 15 years of experience. Before entering academia, Brandy served in Hospital-based leadership and Critical Care Staff nurse roles. Brandy is passionate about equity in nursing education with a focus on individuals with disabilities. Her current research interests include accommodations of nursing students with disabilities in clinical learning environments and breaking down barriers for historically unrepresented individuals to enter the nursing profession. Brandy is also actively engaged in Interprofessional Education development, creating IPE opportunities for faculty and students at Wichita State. Brandy is an active member of Wichita Women for Good and Soroptimist, with the goal to empower women and girls. Brandy is a TeamSTEPPS master trainer. She received the DASIY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty in 2019 at Wichita State University. 
Dr. Sabrina Ali Jamal-Eddine is an Arab-disabled queer woman of color with a PhD in Nursing and an interdisciplinary certificate in Disability Ethics from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Dr. Jamal-Eddine’s doctoral research explored spoken word poetry as a form of critical narrative pedagogy to educate nursing students about disability, ableism, and disability justice. Dr. Jamal-Eddine now serves as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in UIC’s Department of Disability and Human Development and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities (NOND). During her doctoral program, Sabrina served as a Summer Fellow at a residential National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) Summer Institute at Arizona State University (2023), a summer fellow at Andrew W. Mellon’s National Humanities Without Walls program at University of Michigan (2022), a Summer Research Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute (2021), and an Illinois Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) trainee (2019-2020).
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.
Dr. Lucinda Canty is a certified nurse-midwife, Associate Professor of Nursing, and Director of the Seedworks Health Equity in Nursing Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Columbia University, a master’s degree from Yale University, specializing in nurse-midwifery, and a PhD from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Canty has provided reproductive health care for over 29 years. Her research interests include the prevention of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities in reproductive health, promoting diversity in nursing, and eliminating racism in nursing and midwifery.
Dr. Lisa Meeks is a distinguished scholar and leader whose unwavering commitment to inclusivity and excellence has significantly influenced the landscape of health professions education and accessibility. She is the founder and executive director of the DocsWithDisabilities Initiative and holds appointments as an Associate Professor in the Departments of Learning Health Sciences and Family Medicine at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Nikia Grayson, DNP, MSN, MPH, MA, CNM, FNP-C, FACNM (she/her) is a trailblazing force in reproductive justice, blending her expertise as a public health activist, anthropologist, and family nurse-midwife to champion the rights and health of underserved communities. Graduating with distinction from Howard University, Nikia holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in public health. Her academic journey also led her to the University of Memphis, where she earned a master’s in medical anthropology, and the University of Tennessee, where she achieved both a master’s in nursing and a doctorate in nursing practice. Complementing her extensive education, she completed a post-master’s certificate in midwifery at Frontier Nursing University.
Dr. Tia Brown McNair is the Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, DC. She oversees both funded projects and AAC&U’s continuing programs on equity, inclusive excellence, high-impact practices, and student success. McNair directs AAC&U’s Summer Institutes on High-Impact Practices and Student Success, and TRHT Campus Centers and serves as the project director for several AAC&U initiatives, including the development of a TRHT-focused campus climate toolkit. She is the lead author of From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education (January 2020) and Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success (July 2016 and August 2022 Second edition).