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  • Staff Spotlight: Turning her own experience into impact, Tai Bates helps FNU students thrive

    Staff Spotlight: Turning her own experience into impact, Tai Bates helps FNU students thrive

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented community of students, graduates, 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 work with all people, with an emphasis on rural and underserved communities.


    In October 2025, Bates was recognized with the Kentucky State University National Alumni Association 40 Under 40 Award.

    Since joining the staff at Frontier Nursing University in 2024, Tai Bates, MPA, has been dedicated to helping students thrive, both academically and personally. As Student Success Coordinator, Bates plays a key role in the Student Engagement, Access, and Success team, leading initiatives that enhance student performance, promote personal growth and align with FNU’s mission and culture.

    Whether it’s connecting students with interest groups, offering mentorship opportunities, or simply being a listening ear, Bates’ goal is to create a space where students feel a sense of belonging. She also ensures that students are aware of the many resources available to them at Frontier.

    “I have a true passion for making sure our students feel supported, connected, and confident throughout their journey at Frontier,” Bates said. “I want to do all that I can to serve them as they prepare to serve their communities as advanced practice nurses.”

    In her role, Bates collaborates with faculty, staff, and administration to address student needs and foster an inclusive educational environment, promoting a culture of support and community engagement. In addition to her on-campus responsibilities, she also is involved in recruitment and partnership development, attending career fairs, campus visits, and professional conferences.

    “I love being connected throughout the Frontier community and beyond,” she said. “It helps me to understand our goals as a leader in graduate nursing education and how to offer support that promotes the success of all students.”

    Bates values the work-life-balance the university offers for staff members and the university’s Culture of Caring.

    A Kentucky Army National Guard Veteran, Bates brings a wealth of experience to her role at FNU. She has worked with a variety of organizations over the years, including the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and more. She earned her Master of Public Administration degree from Kentucky State University in 2015 and is a Certified Academic Life Coach.

    In addition to her work with FNU, Bates is the founder of Not Easily Combated, Inc., a faith-driven, veteran-founded boutique consulting firm designed to address the unique challenges faced by female veterans in Central Kentucky. The organization was created to amplify the voices of female veterans, provide tailored transition and wellness support, and ensure that they receive the same opportunities and resources as their male counterparts.

    Among the organization’s signature initiatives are HER PATH, a women-focused transition program combining career coaching, VA navigation, and spiritual grounding to prepare for post-service success; Warrior Grace Circles, a peer-led, faith-based healing circles for women veterans to address MST, PTSD, and trauma in a supportive environment, and more.

    “We aim to help institutions that lack holistic empowerment or veteran-inclusive environments,” Bates said. “As a female veteran, I know there are a lot of things that are not provided for us academically, in healthcare or professionally.”

    In October 2025, Bates was recognized with the Kentucky State University National Alumni Association 40 Under 40 Award. The award is given to KSU alumni who exemplify excellence in leadership, service, and professional achievement.

    Bates said receiving the recognition alongside her mother and daughter was an incredible honor. Looking back on her time at the university, she reflected that achieving success as a working single mother required determination and perseverance.

    “They took a kid that had a 2.1 GPA and 12 on the ACT, and at the end of the day, I am a two-time alum there who graduated with honors,” she said.

    Bates attributes her accomplishments to her deep faith.

    “None of this would be possible without my Lord and Savior because he has kept me through, especially as a veteran who’s recovering from PTSD,” she said. “Without having my strong foundation in my faith, I don’t even know if a lot of things that have happened within the last two months would be possible.”

    Outside of her professional endeavors, Bates enjoys spending time with her family, working out at the gym, enjoying good food, shooting at the range, traveling and researching.

    Thank you, Tai, for your leadership, compassion and dedication to others. You are a true asset to FNU.

  • A Century of Stories: Wendy Valhoff, CNM, FNP, MSN

    A Century of Stories: Wendy Valhoff, CNM, FNP, MSN

    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.

    Wendy Valhoff, CNM, FNP, MSN, is a 1980 graduate of the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing and a Fellow of the American College of Nurse Midwives.

    She grew up in California but moved to Kentucky when her husband was drafted and sent to Fort Campbell during the Vietnam War. Valhoff went on to attend Eastern Kentucky University, then obtained her MSN from the University of Kentucky.

    Upon graduating from Frontier, she worked at Booth Maternity Centre in Philadelphia, including a stint as director of their midwifery practice. In 1983, Ruth Beeman recruited her to return to Hyden and assume a faculty position. She eventually became the Educational Coordinator, working with the FSMFN from 1983 – 1990.

    “While part of the FSMFN faculty, I went with Nancy Clark to Nigeria for six weeks, where the two of us precepted midwifery and FNP students from Case Western Reserve University,” Valhoff said. “I also did a one-month clinical stint in Nepal in 2014, supervising nurse-midwifery students and giving gynecology care.”

    In 1991, Cathy Collins-Fulea recruited Valhoff to join her new practice at Henry Ford Health Systems.

    “For the last four years of my employment, I was sent by Henry Ford Health Systems to Dearborn, Michigan, to work at ACCESS, the largest Arab-American organization in the U.S.,” Valhoff said. “There I gave prenatal, gynecology, postpartum and newborn care, and precepted students.”

    Valhoff worked there until she retired in 2010 and moved to London, Ontario, Canada. She became a Canadian citizen 2012 and continues to live there today.

    “Now I devote a great deal of my time to the Canadian Celtic Choir in London, Ontario,” Valhoff said. “Besides singing with the choir, I have held several positions on their non-profit Board of directors, including President, Past President and Secretary.”

    Very active in retirement, Valhoff also serves on the Board of Directors of the London Women’s Canadian Club (LWCC). The LWCC is a philanthropic organization that also promotes Canadian talent and values.

    >> Read More from “A Century of Stories”

  • Graduate Spotlight: Marli Parobek, APRN, DNP, FNP, PMHNP, receives AANP State Award for Outstanding Contributions

    Graduate Spotlight: Marli Parobek, APRN, DNP, FNP, PMHNP, receives AANP State Award for Outstanding Contributions

    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 work with all people, with an emphasis on rural and underserved communities.

    Frontier Nursing University graduate Dr. Marli Parobek, APRN, DNP, FNP, PMHNP, is using her education from FNU to make a lasting difference in the lives of her neighbors. After earning her Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) post-graduate certificate and later her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from FNU, Dr. Parobek has continued to embody the university’s mission of serving communities through compassionate, accessible care as the owner of Precision Psychiatry in Vashon Island, Washington.

    In recognition of her impactful work, Dr. Parobek recently received the 2025 State Award for Outstanding Contributions from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners for her work in Washington state. The award recognizes those who have made significant strides in advancing health care through practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership, and have demonstrated efforts to advance the image, profile and visibility of nurse practitioners. Dr. Parobek accepted the award during the 2025 AANP National Conference in San Diego, California in June.


    Dr. Brooke A. Flinders with Dr. Marli Parobek in Vashon Island, Washington

    Dr. Parobek credits FNU for instilling in her a deep understanding of what it means to give back, noting that the university’s online learning model allows students to remain rooted in their home communities, applying what they learn directly to the people they serve.

    “Frontier keeps the dedication by keeping it small and personable,” she said.

    Dr. Parobek’s practice is focused on medication treatment that is tailored to meet the specific mental health needs of patients. Through her practice, she is dedicated to delivering modern medical solutions with a practical application.

    “I knew that there was such a need for mental health, and I wanted to venture into that as an entrepreneur,” she said. “It was explained to me once that we have these volumes of knowledge in our brain, and you can take the nurse out of the clinic, but you can’t take the clinic out of the nurse.”

    Dr. Parobek said she finds caring for patients in a rural community especially rewarding

    “I love being in a community where I’m serving my neighbors,” she said. “I see them at the grocery store, I see them at church, and that connection is what makes rural medicine in my eyes the most fulfilling. There’s no greater accomplishment than to have one of my current clients refer me to a family member, that they entrust me with someone that they love. That’s what I love about rural medicine: you are caring for the people that you know.”

    In addition to running her own practice, Dr. Parobek leverages her expertise to mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals and advocate for health care policy in Washington State. She credits earning her DNP from Frontier Nursing University with equipping her for these leadership and advocacy roles.

    “I feel so well-prepared when I’m in committee settings and I’m representing the island, or I’m at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, or as I’m marketing my own business,” she said. “I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment because Frontier has such a good-quality program.”

    We had the opportunity to visit Dr. Parobek during the Northwest leg of our Presidential Tour. Join us in the video below as we visit with her and other alumni in California and Oregon along the way:

    Thank you, Marli, for exemplifying the excellence of FNU graduates by providing compassionate care for patients in your community and by helping shape the future of healthcare.

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

  • Two FNU Leaders Earn Prestigious National Nursing Honors

    Two FNU Leaders Earn Prestigious National Nursing Honors

    Frontier Nursing University is proud to celebrate two outstanding leaders who have been recognized for their contributions and impact in nursing.

    Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing Welcomes Dr. Torica Fuller as Fellow

    FNU graduate and assistant professor Dr. Torica Fuller, DNP, MSN, FNPBC, FNP-C, WHNP-BC (Class 217), CDP, CGRN, NRCME, has been accepted as a Fellow of the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing. Dr. Fuller will officially be inducted on December 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine. The academy selected Dr. Fuller in recognition of her “demonstrated leadership, commitment, and contributions to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in nursing, health, and healthcare.”

    Dr. Fuller was also recently elected and sworn in as the Chair of the Commission on Advanced Practice Nursing at the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA). Additionally, her abstract was accepted to be presented at the NCNA’s 2026 Nurse Practitioner Spring Symposium. The abstract is entitled Mental Health in Primary Care: Recognizing Unipolar versus Bipolar Depression.

    Dr. Fuller received further recognition when she received the 2025 J.H. Carney Leadership Award. The award recognizes graduates of Norwayne High School (North Carolina) for their “outstanding leadership, community service, and alumni work.”

    Dr. Khara’ Jefferson Selected for NLN Strategic Action Group

    FNU DNP Program Director Dr. Khara’ Jefferson, DNP (Class 21), APRN, FNP-C, CHC, was recently selected to serve on the National League for Nursing’s (NLN) Outcomes and Competencies for Graduates of Nursing Programs Strategic Action Group (SAG). Dr. Jefferson was one of 18 individuals selected from a pool of over 300 applicants.

    SAG members were selected based on their academic nursing expertise, previous work in developing outcomes and competencies, and alignment with programs across the continuum from practical/vocational nursing, prelicensure registered nursing, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs.

    SAG members will continue their work through December 2026 with public dissemination in 2027. This work group will update the NLN’s 2010 outcomes and competencies with a focus on nursing education of the future.

  • Building Leadership Skills Through a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree

    Building Leadership Skills Through a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree

    As today’s healthcare professionals take on more responsibility and advocate for system-wide improvements, leadership development becomes a cornerstone of advanced nursing education. Earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is one of the most effective ways to build the leadership skills necessary to drive meaningful change in healthcare settings and beyond.

    Wherever you are in your nursing journey, pursuing a DNP can equip you with the tools to step confidently into executive and educational roles.

    Why Leadership Matters in Nursing

    Leadership in nursing is more than just supervising others. It can include:

    • Guiding interdisciplinary teams
    • Shaping health policy
    • Improving clinical outcomes
    • Educating the next generation of nurses

    Frontier Nursing University’s online DNP program is designed to prepare nurses for these roles through a combination of advanced coursework, clinical experience and scholarly projects.

    Earn Your DNP at Frontier Nursing University

    At Frontier Nursing University, leadership development is woven into the core of the Post-Master’s DNP curriculum. The program consists of 30 credit hours, including ten clinical credit hours, and is designed to strengthen both theoretical knowledge and practical leadership application skills. View the program of study here.

    Flexibility with Frontier’s Online DNP Program

    The online DNP program at Frontier Nursing University makes it easier than ever to balance school, work and day-to-day responsibilities while advancing your education. FNU’s program offers flexible learning models, allowing students to complete coursework while continuing to serve patients in their home communities.

    Students begin Frontier’s DNP program with a three-day on-campus orientation experience where they meet and build a support network with their faculty and peers. Upon completion of didactic coursework, students collaborate with their chosen clinical site to lead a rapid cycle quality improvement project.

    Gain Practical Experience Through Quality Improvement Project

    At FNU, DNP students strengthen their leadership skills by organizing and leading quality improvement projects that directly address needs within their clinical sites. Working with faculty coaches, site mentors and site sponsors, students learn to translate evidence into practice through focused, rapid-cycle initiatives that are small in scope but big in impact. Students complete planned improvements using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement “Model for Improvement” over an eight-week period.

    Dr. Nagavalli Thiruvalluvan

    For instance, DNP graduate Dr. Nagavalli Thiruvalluvan developed a weight management program for her primary care clinic, where most patients were overweight or obese. Her project emphasized lifestyle modifications, resulting in improved comorbidities, enhanced body image, and reduced reliance on medications.

    Dr. Julie Percefull

    Likewise, fellow graduate Dr. Julie Percefull increased mammogram rates at her clinical site by 40 percent, introducing screening reminders, decision aids, and case management tools that boosted both patient engagement and quality of care.

    Through projects like these, DNP students gain hands-on leadership experience while leaving a lasting impact on the organizations and communities they serve.

    Ready to Lead with a DNP?

    If you’re ready to take the next step in your nursing career and lead with confidence, a DNP degree could be the path for you. FNU’s Post-Master’s DNP program combines flexibility with rigor, equipping you with the leadership tools to improve care, empower teams, and inspire change.

    To learn more about earning your online DNP through Frontier Nursing University, click here.

  • Dr. Beverly Malone Gives Keynote Address at Frontier Nursing University Commencement

    Dr. Beverly Malone Gives Keynote Address at Frontier Nursing University Commencement

    Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, President and CEO of the National League for Nursing (NLN) was the keynote speaker at the 2025 Frontier Nursing University (FNU) commencement ceremony. Commencement took place at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, on Saturday, September 27.

    “Frontier Nursing University was honored to welcome Dr. Malone as our 2025 commencement speaker,” said FNU President Dr. Brooke A. Flinders. “Her distinguished career and dedication to advancing healthcare serves as a powerful inspiration to our graduates as we celebrate their achievements and ongoing contributions to the communities in which they serve.”

    Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, FNU’s Inaugural Dean of Student Success, introduced keynote speaker Dr. Malone.

    “This is the opportunity to step into greatness,” Dr. Malone said, addressing the graduates. “This is the time to say, ‘What door is going to be opened to me by this event. What is my next step? How can I step into greatness?’ Do not put blinders on yourself, do not contain yourself. Understand that this is your opportunity, your option, to step up into greatness.”

    She encouraged the graduates to remain positive and confident as they furthered their careers in healthcare in service to their communities.

    “A vision without action is hallucination,” she said. “We are nurses. We bring the hope with us. We have a self-generating mechanism of hope with us at all times.”

    Dr. Malone is a noted health care leader, accomplished innovator, and nursing champion. Under her leadership, the National League for Nursing (NLN) has advanced the science of nursing education through enhancing stakeholder collaboration, increasing diversity in nursing scholarship, and championing evidence-based practice. Dr. Malone’s distinguished career has blended policy, education, administration, and clinical practice, including as Federal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health under President Bill Clinton.

    Dr. Malone serves as vice chair at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Board of Directors, co-leads the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Health Professional Education and Communication Working Group, and serves on NAM’s Steering Committee.

    The American Nurses Association (ANA) named Dr. Malone as their 2024 Hall of Fame Award recipient. The American Academy of Nursing honored Dr. Malone with their 2024 Mary Elizabeth Carnegie Leadership in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) Award. The National Black Nurses Association recognized Dr. Malone as a 2024 inaugural Fellow in the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (FADLN).

    Modern Healthcare honored Dr. Malone as one of the nation’s leading health care executives by naming her to the 2023 list of the Top 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives in Healthcare. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) presented Dr. Malone with the prestigious 2023 HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein Award for her commitment to advancing the nursing profession and excellence in nursing professional practice across international borders.

    In 2020, Dr. Malone was given the University of Cincinnati’s Linda Bates Parker Legend Award, named an Honorary Member of the Philippine Nurses Association of America, and presented with an Award of Distinction by the NLN Board of Governors. Also, she was bestowed the Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award by the National Center for Healthcare Leadership and conferred by the American Academy of Nursing with their Highest Nursing Honor, “Living Legend.”

    Frontier Nursing University awarded 1,139 certificates and degrees this year in advanced practice nursing and nurse-midwifery specialties, including Post-Graduate Certificates, the Master of Science in Nursing, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice.

    Dean of Student Success Paula Alexander-Delpech, PhD, PMHNP-BC, APRN, President Brooke A. Flinders, DNP, RN, APRN-CNM, FACNM, and Dean of Nursing Kristin B. Ashford, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN

    Pictured L to R: Dean of Student Success Paula Alexander-Delpech, PhD, PMHNP-BC, APRN, President Brooke A. Flinders, DNP, RN, APRN-CNM, FACNM, and Dean of Nursing Kristin B. Ashford, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN

  • FNU Dean of Student Success Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech Selected for Insight Into Academia Editorial Board

    FNU Dean of Student Success Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech Selected for Insight Into Academia Editorial Board

    Frontier Nursing University Dean of Student Success Paula Alexander-Delpech, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAANP, has been appointed to Insight Into Academia’s 17-member editorial board. Insight Into Academia is a leading publication serving the higher education community for over 50 years.

    Dr. Alexander-Delpech has over 25 years of experience teaching and leading in both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. Her extensive experience and expertise will play a pivotal role in advancing the mission of Insight Into Academia to inform, inspire, and drive meaningful impact across the higher education landscape.

    “We are honored to welcome Dr. Alexander-Delpech to our editorial board,” said Lenore Pearlstein, Co-Publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine. “Her shared commitment to advancing best practices and having a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing higher education today will be invaluable as we continue to expand our platform and enhance our impact.”

    As a member of the editorial board, Dr. Alexander-Delpech will contribute strategic insights, thought leadership, and guidance on editorial direction and company growth.

    “I am honored to join the editorial board of Insight Into Academia at a time when higher education faces both unprecedented challenges and remarkable opportunities to transform student success,” Dr. Alexander-Delpech said. “Throughout my career, I have witnessed how intentional strategies around equity, inclusion, and student support can fundamentally change educational outcomes, particularly in graduate and professional education. I look forward to contributing insights that help institutions not only support students from enrollment to graduation, but truly prepare them to be leaders who will serve diverse communities. This platform offers an important opportunity to elevate conversations that drive meaningful change across the higher education landscape.”

    With this appointment, Insight Into Academia continues to expand its board of nationally recognized educators and administrators whose collective expertise strengthens the publication’s role as a trusted source for advancing best practices, innovation, and collaboration in higher education.

  • Frontier Nursing University Introduces Office of Student Engagement, Access, and Success

    Frontier Nursing University Introduces Office of Student Engagement, Access, and Success

    Frontier Nursing University has established an Office of Student Engagement, Access, and Success. This strategic initiative places student success as the university’s central priority while ensuring comprehensive support from enrollment to graduation and beyond.

    “The development of this new office underscores Frontier Nursing University’s commitment to students,” FNU President Dr. Brooke A. Flinders said. “Frontier fosters a culture and an environment where every student is empowered to thrive and make a lasting difference.”

    The Office of Student Engagement, Access, and Success consolidates critical student services under unified leadership, ensuring seamless support throughout each student’s academic journey. Students will benefit from integrated academic coaching and advising, mental health and wellness programs, peer-to-peer mentoring, student interest groups and accessibility services. These services are all designed to work together rather than in isolation. By centralizing these essential functions, the university creates clear pathways to success while eliminating barriers that might otherwise prevent students from reaching their full potential.

    “This is not about reorganizing existing services, it’s about creating a unified support ecosystem where every touchpoint reinforces our commitment to student success,” said Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, the inaugural Dean of Student Success. “Our dedicated team has stepped up to transform how we serve students, ensuring that from day one, every student feels genuinely supported and empowered to thrive.”

    FNU remains committed to its mission of providing a high-quality education that prepares nurses to become competent, entrepreneurial, ethical and compassionate nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. The mission can only be fulfilled through a learning environment that values every individual and honors diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

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