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  • Frontier Nursing University Names Kristin Ashford as New Dean of Nursing

    Frontier Nursing University Names Kristin Ashford as New Dean of Nursing


    Dr. Kristin B. Ashford, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) announced that Dr. Kristin B. Ashford, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN, will be the university’s new Dean of Nursing effective July 1, 2025. Dr. Ashford replaces Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN, who retired at the end of February having served as FNU’s Dean of Nursing since 2018. Dr. Diane John, PhD, ARNP, FNP-BC, CNE, who has served as the Interim Dean of Nursing since March 1, will continue in that role until July 1.

    “After a thorough and competitive search, we are very proud to welcome Dr. Ashford as our new Dean of Nursing,” said FNU President Dr. Brooke A. Flinders, DNP, RN, APRN-CNM, FACNM. “Dr. Ashford brings a wealth of experience as a practitioner, educator, and administrator. I am excited to see her leadership and expertise advance the tremendous work of her predecessors in service to our students and our mission.”

    Dr. Ashford comes to FNU from the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Nursing, where she is a professor and Endowed Good Samaritan Chair for Community Nursing. She is the founder and director of the UK College of Nursing Perinatal and Research Center, leading an interprofessional team to translate research into practice while informing policy makers on maternal and child health issues. She is also the co-director of UK’s BREATHE (Bridging Research Efforts and Advocacy Toward Healthy Environments).

    “I am honored to accept the position of Dean of Nursing at Frontier Nursing University,” Dr. Ashford said. “Frontier has a long-standing record of excellence and a well-earned reputation for commitment to its students and the communities they serve. I have a love for teaching and mentoring students. I am humbled and excited for the opportunity to work with Frontier’s students and empower them to positively impact access to quality, compassionate healthcare across the country,” Dr. Ashford said.

    Her extensive administrative experience at the UK College of Nursing includes serving as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Health Policy (2022-2024), Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Interprofessional Education (2017-2022), and Assistant Dean of Research (2015-2017).

    Dr. Ashford received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Washburn University, her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisville, and a PhD in nursing from the University of Kentucky. Among her many accomplishments, she is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow at the National Academy of Medicine in 2021. She received the Florence Nightingale Outstanding Nurse of the Year Award from the University of Louisville in 2016.

    Dr. Ashford is a dedicated researcher with over 60 scholarly publications and more than $10 million in funding as a primary investigator. The majority of her research focuses on improving health for pregnant and postpartum women with addiction, primarily tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and opioid use disorder. She is an internationally known nursing expert in the field of perinatal tobacco use, immune response research, and preterm birth (PTB).

    “I am excited and honored to be joining the Frontier Nursing University community,” Dr. Ashford said. “The mission of Frontier Nursing aligns closely with my values, likely stemming from my rural upbringing and my commitment to improving community health through collaborative partnerships.

  • Graduate Spotlight: Emily Levingston Luna, CNM, MSN, opens Vida Midwifery in rural New Mexico

    Graduate Spotlight: Emily Levingston Luna, CNM, MSN, opens Vida Midwifery in rural New Mexico

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

    Frontier graduate Emily Levingston Luna, CNM, MSN, is making a significant impact on midwifery care in her home community of Las Cruces, New Mexico. As the founder of Vida Midwifery, she is dedicated to expanding access to quality maternal healthcare in the region. Luna earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) specialty from FNU in 2018.

    Her journey into midwifery began long before attending FNU. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from New Mexico State University in 2009, Luna gained extensive experience working as an RN in hospital settings. Starting as a float pool nurse, she developed skills across multiple specialties, including medical-surgical, postpartum, pediatrics, and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). After three years, she transitioned full-time to Labor and Delivery, where her passion for midwifery was solidified.

    Luna said she dreamed of pursuing midwifery since her first experience with pregnancy and birth, which is what drove her to pursue nursing school with the eventual goal of becoming a Certified Nurse-Midwife.

    “Midwifery stood out to me as a vocation that included many of the things I feel strongly about: bodily autonomy, trauma-informed care, and reproductive justice in particular,” she said. “I chose the CNM pathway to midwifery because I wanted to be able to offer the fullest scope of care possible.”

    Luna said she was drawn to FNU’s program due to its rich history and accessible distance-learning model.

    “I loved the history of the Frontier Nursing service and their work improving healthcare in rural communities,” she said. “The way FNU’s nurse-midwifery program was set up also just felt very accessible to me.”

    In the summer of 2020, Luna launched Vida Midwifery as a home birth practice. By April 2023, the practice expanded into a group model with two additional midwifery professionals from the local community.

    “We all had solo practices, and all agreed that we wanted to try to build something more sustainable, so we decided to try a practice model where we rotate through roles and have regular time off as well,” she said.

    Vida Midwifery offers a wide range of services, including prenatal, birth, postpartum, newborn, gynecological, and contraceptive care, as well as lactation support. They are also preparing to introduce intrauterine insemination (IUI) services. Their service area extends about 1.5 hours from Las Cruces.

    Recognizing the lack of obstetric providers in nearby Sierra County, Vida Midwifery partnered with the New Mexico Department of Health to launch a twice-monthly prenatal clinic at the Public Health Office. The practice is also committed to education, regularly precepting student midwives.

    “I think midwives tread lightly and respectfully in some of the most significant and vulnerable experiences of our clients’ lives,” Luna said of her profession. “We’re extra mindful of the weight of that, and also we’re responsible for guarding safety and providing sound, evidence-based information and guidance. We take extra time and move a little more slowly in an effort to really get to know our clients and also in an effort to help them feel known and seen.”

    Earlier this year, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced over $40 million in funding to enhance rural healthcare, with Vida Midwifery among the recipients. Through the Rural Healthcare Access Fund, they plan to establish the Vida Birth and Health Center, increase staff, expand capacity, and mentor more student midwives.

    The new birth center will provide a centralized location for patients from rural communities while ensuring proximity to hospital services when needed. Luna said they also envision the center being a hub for community activities and support, offering classes and resources such as a clothing closet. The birth center is expected to be open late this year or early 2026.

    Outside of her work with Vida Midwifery, Luna is involved with Border Area Midwives (BAM), which is a group of midwives and student midwives that live in and around Las Cruces, El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The group meets monthly, and holds an annual mini-conference, along with other training sessions. They also rely on each other for peer reviews and debriefing.

    Outside of her career, Luna enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and pets. She also enjoys traveling, a long walk-and-talk with a friend, playing music and writing.

    Reflecting on her time at FNU, Luna credits the university with helping to shape her career.

    “I had such a supportive experience as a student at FNU, and it was helpful to hear the experiences of faculty members,” she said. “I think the variety there really helped solidify for me that practicing midwifery could look lots of ways, and empowered me to really pursue what felt right for me. I loved Frontier Bound and Clinical Bound, and still keep in touch with some of the wonderful people I met those weeks.”

    In addition to the education she has received, Luna said she is also thankful for the work of midwives who came before her and carved out a path forward, especially Indigenous and Grand Midwives, who she said were not treated with the enormous respect they deserved.

    “I often think about how my work would not be possible without the vision and hard work of many others,” she said. “Like them, I hope to be part of building something that will outlast me.”

    Thank you, Emily, for your dedication to midwifery, your commitment to expanding healthcare access in rural communities, and your passion for empowering future generations of midwives.

    To read more graduate stories, visit the FNU graduate stories page.

  • Faculty and Staff Representatives Appointed to Frontier Nursing University’s President’s Cabinet

    Faculty and Staff Representatives Appointed to Frontier Nursing University’s President’s Cabinet

    Frontier Nursing University recently announced that two new members have been appointed to the university’s President’s Cabinet. Jenkins Michelle Lawhorn, DNP, CNM, RNC-OB, and Chris Turley, MS, BS, will serve on the President’s Cabinet throughout 2025.

    FNU’s President’s Cabinet collaborates with the Board of Directors and university leadership to offer internal guidance and expertise on initiatives, policies, and operations that support FNU’s mission, vision, and culture of caring. To expand perspectives within the Cabinet, FNU adds two members on a rotating basis, one faculty and one staff member, to serve for a one-year term. Dr. Lawhorn and Turley will also be mentored by the members of the President’s Cabinet throughout the year, facilitating transparency and education about how leadership decisions are made.

    Dr. Lawhorn is a two-time FNU graduate, obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in midwifery and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. A graduate of Clemson University, she holds additional certifications in inpatient obstetrics nursing and electronic fetal monitoring.

    In addition to serving as a faculty member, Lawhorn continues to practice as a nurse-midwife at the University of North Carolina Health. She provides full-scope midwifery care in both the community and hospital settings. “As a former student, current preceptor, and faculty member at Frontier Nursing University, I hope to share my viewpoint based on my connections with the university to help influence future decision-making,” Dr. Lawhorn said.

    “As an FNU Student Mentor, Student Interest Group Advisor, and Clinical Bound Team Lead, I plan to bring the transparent voice of our students to the Cabinet since they are the ones we serve. As a young faculty member, I would love to witness multiple leaders in action and learn from their complementary styles, strengthening my leadership style and skills.”

    Chris Turley joined FNU in May 2019. He holds a Master of Science in Sports Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from Eastern Kentucky University. Chris has over ten years of experience with federal grant management, program development, and marketing.

    Turley earned the governor’s prestigious designation of a “Kentucky Colonel” for his community engagement work. He developed programs to help over 2,500 At-Promise participants gain vocational/technical skills to advance their careers and expand their opportunities.

    While at Frontier, Turley has been instrumental in the execution of annual conferences, a quarterly speaker series, and in facilitating federal grant scholarship and stipend programs. He has co-chaired the faculty/staff council and the Mission and Philosophy committee. Currently, he serves on the Culture of Caring committee.

    With their extensive backgrounds, these new President’s Cabinet members will help provide important insights and perspectives.

  • Frontier Seeks Feedback on CE program

    Frontier Seeks Feedback on CE program

    The mission of Frontier’s Continuing Education Program is to create CE offerings, in collaboration with the community, that respond to the professional development needs of advanced practice nurses and midwives in the areas of scholarship, practice, entrepreneurship and service to work with all people, with an emphasis on rural and underserved communities.

    As we develop new courses, we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to give us feedback on YOUR continuing education needs.

    Take the Survey

    For up-to-date information on our current offerings, please visit our Continuing Education page. Prior topics include treatment of obesity, peripartum mental health disorders, caring for pregnant people after Roe and more. Course offerings change regularly.

  • A Century of Stories: Ruth Beeman, MPH

    A Century of Stories: Ruth Beeman, MPH

    In 2025, Frontier Nursing University honored the 100-year anniversary of the inception of the Frontier Nursing Service. We are grateful for the alumni, students, couriers, donors, volunteers, friends, and employees who have made an incredible impact on FNU’s century-long journey. We celebrated this milestone year by capturing and sharing some of the countless stories that make up our history. Whatever your connection to FNU, we hope you enjoy these stories.


    Ruth Beeman, MPH

    Ruth Beeman was born on January 10, 1925, in Harriston, Virginia. After graduating from high school, she entered the Army Nursing Corps in 1943, beginning a lifelong career in nursing.

    After her stint in the Army, she received a Diploma in Nursing from Baltimore General Hospital (1946), a Nurse Midwife Certificate from the Maternity Center Association School of Nurse-Midwifery in New York (1950), a B.S. in Public Health Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania (1950), a Diploma in Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium (1953) and a MPH from Columbia University (1957).

    Ruth’s career as a nurse-midwife and educator spanned six decades and multiple countries. She worked as a nurse-midwife in the Bronx, New York, providing low-income families with maternal care as well as basic health care. From 1953-56 she served as a medical missionary for the United Christian Medical Society in the Belgian Congo, West Africa. As a consultant, she assisted nursing programs and health agencies in the Caribbean, Africa, Central America and Europe.

    In addition to providing care, Ruth was passionate about educating others to do the same work she was doing. She taught nurse-midwifery at several universities and then was recruited to the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing (FSMFN) in 1983. She was tasked with assisting Frontier in maintaining its national accreditation, recruiting faculty, maintaining funding, and establishing an affiliation with an institution of higher learning.

    Assisted by her midwifery and nursing contacts, Ruth succeeded in strengthening the curriculum to meet the challenges of the growth of the profession in the United States. She later worked with Kitty Ernst, Kate Ireland, Ruth Lubic, and Joyce Fitzpatrick, along with consultation from other leading nursing and midwifery educators, to translate that curriculum for the development of the plan for a comprehensive distance learning program for nurse-midwives; the Community-Based Nurse-Midwifery Education Program.

    Ruth served as Dean of the FSMFN from 1983-1989. After her stint as Dean, she became the first person to be named to the Chair of Midwifery position at Frontier. In later years, Ruth continued to contribute through her parish nursing work and mentoring Frontier doctoral students. In recognition of her many contributions, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Frontier Nursing University in 2011. Upon her death in 2012, she left a bequest to FNU in support of its ongoing growth and success.

    >> Read More from “A Century of Stories” 

  • Featured Preceptor: Deena Parsons, CNM

    Featured Preceptor: Deena Parsons, CNM

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

    In the world of healthcare, there are individuals who go beyond their job descriptions to make a lasting impact on their patients and the next generation of professionals. Deena Parsons, CNM, with TriHealth Associates in Ob-Gyn, is one such individual.

    Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Parsons has devoted more than a decade to serving women of all ages at her practice, from teens to postmenopausal individuals, providing compassionate care in all stages of their lives.

    Parsons also serves as a preceptor to midwifery students, like Brandi Pace, who recently earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Frontier Nursing University. Pace was mentored by Parsons during her clinical experience, and she said she couldn’t have been more grateful.

    “I could not have been luckier in finding a preceptor,” Pace said. “Dee supported and encouraged me the entire way, and I have learned so much with her throughout my clinical time. She would make a phenomenal preceptor for any future student looking for placement in the Cincinnati area.”

    Pace said Parsons’ approach to midwifery care serves as a model for any student pursuing a career in midwifery.

    “She is so empathetic and understanding with patients of all ages and backgrounds and does a fantastic job making her patients feel comfortable and supported,” Pace said.

    Preceptors serve as teachers, supervisors, and evaluators for students during their clinical practicum. Preceptors are not only an integral part of the educational experience for FNU student practitioners, but also for promoting the nursing profession. To learn more, visit our Clinical Preceptors page. 

    To read more preceptor stories, click here.

  • Dr. Diane John Named Interim Dean of Nursing

    Dr. Diane John Named Interim Dean of Nursing

    FNU has named Dr. Diane John, PhD, ARNP, FNP-BC, CNE, as the Interim Dean of Nursing in the wake of former Dean Dr. Joan Slager’s retirement.

    Dr. John is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Associate Professor. She earned a doctoral degree (PhD) from Barry University and a master’s degree from Florida Atlantic University. She has spent over 40 years in the nursing profession, including more than 20 years in academia.

    Dr. John joined FNU as faculty in 2012 and has served as curriculum and course design coach, committee member/leader, and mentor for faculty and students. Her contributions to the nursing profession include scholarly presentations and publications, and she has served as a grant reviewer for numerous HRSA (federal grants). Her focus has been and remains on health promotion, cardiovascular health, epidemiology, intimate partner violence, and other topics.

    Dr. John has served as program director for an entry-level BSN program and program director for an RN-BSN program. As a nurse educator and community advocate, she founded Independent Nurse Providers (INP), a for-profit organization supported by advanced practice nurses who provide healthcare and education for local organizations. She has received meaningful grant funding to engage, educate, and support the community.

  • A Century of Stories: Dr. Michael Carter

    A Century of Stories: Dr. Michael Carter

    In 2025, Frontier Nursing University honored the 100-year anniversary of the inception of the Frontier Nursing Service. We are grateful for the alumni, students, couriers, donors, volunteers, friends, and employees who have made an incredible impact on FNU’s century-long journey. We celebrated this milestone year by capturing and sharing some of the countless stories that make up our history. Whatever your connection to FNU, we hope you enjoy these stories.

    Dr. Michael Carter’s long history with Frontier Nursing University dates to 2003 when he joined what was then the Frontier Nursing Service Board of Governors. Dr. Carter has been a board member ever since and has served as the Board Chair since 2009.

    During his more than 20 years at Frontier, Dr. Carter has seen and been instrumental in many milestones for the university. He was on the Board of Governors when what was then known as the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing launched the Doctor of Nursing Practice program in 2008. He was the Board Chair when the university officially changed its name to Frontier Nursing University in 2011.

    In 2017, he helped lead the way as Frontier purchased the land that is now its home in Versailles, Kentucky, in order to foster growth in program offerings and enrollment. A year later, with Board approval, FNU launched the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty track. Then, in 2022, after the completion of renovations and construction, FNU held the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the Versailles campus. Most recently, he initiated the successful search and implementation of FNU’s second president, Dr. Brooke A. Flinders, in 2024.

    Dr. Carter attended the University of Arkansas College of Nursing, earning his BSN in 1969 and his MNS in 1973. He served in the United States Army Nurse Corp from 1968-71 during the Vietnam War. He earned his doctorate in 1979 from the Boston University School of Nursing and DNP from the University of Tennessee in 2009.

    Dr. Carter practiced as a family and geriatric nurse practitioner and served as the Dean of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing from 1982-2000. He held many teaching positions including serving as an adjunct professor at the Curtin University School of Nursing and Midwifery in Perth, Australia. He also worked to develop nurse practitioner education in Australia. In recognition of his expertise and dedication to nursing in Australia, he was made a Fellow of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners.

    Dr. Carter’s extensive list of awards and honors include but are not limited to: Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1982; Outstanding Alumnus from the University of Tennessee College of Nursing in 2000; Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Tennessee Health Science Center Student Government Association in 2005; Lifetime Achievement Award, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties in 2015; the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019.

    In 2021, Dr. Carter, his wife Dr. Sarah Carter, and their daughter Elizabeth Carter, JD. announced a $500,000 commitment beginning in 2026 to create a health policy institute at FNU. This gift furthers Dr. Carter’s commitment and lifelong work to enrich the nursing profession across the globe.

    Dr. Sarah Carter was one of six women in her class when she earned her M.D. from the UAMS College of Medicine in1965. Board-certified in internal medicine and geriatrics, she devoted much of her career to working with the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. She was the Chief of Ambulatory Care and Chief of Staff at the Memphis VA Medical Center but also treated patients at VAs across the country.

    Like her husband, she has also shared her knowledge and dedication to improving public health with others, previously serving as the Associate Dean at the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

    Elizabeth Carter has been a professor at LSU Law since 2010. She earned a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry and a B.A. from the University of Memphis in 2002, where she graduated magna cum laude. She earned her J.D. from Tulane University Law School in 2007, where she graduated magna cum laude, was elected Order of the Coif, and awarded a Civil Law Certificate.

    Professor Carter was awarded the 2007 Louisiana Bar Association Civil Law Award for attaining the highest grade in civil law studies. Professor Carter earned her LL.M. in Tax from the University of Alabama in 2010.

    >> Read More from “A Century of Stories” 

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