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  • Student Spotlight: Deanna Hercik receives inspiration from family in pursuit of PMHNP degree 

    Student Spotlight: Deanna Hercik receives inspiration from family in pursuit of PMHNP degree 

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

    Deanna Hercik, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) student, has been a nurse for over two decades. She is now attaining her Master of Science in Nursing and is set to graduate later this year.

    With a focus on lifetime care for individuals, PMHNPs are committed to promoting mental health through assessment, diagnosis and treatment of behavioral problems, mental disorders and comorbid conditions.

    A resident of Springfield, Virginia, Hercik has served as an Infection Preventionist for the past 10 years. Through her role, she provides surveillance for healthcare-acquired infections for a health system with over 700 beds. She is responsible for submitting healthcare-associated infections to the Center for Disease Control’s National Healthcare Safety Network and tracks catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line bloodstream infections, surgical site infections and healthcare-associated clostridioides difficile infections. She has earned her Certification in Infection Prevention and Control, or CIC, credential.

    Hercik’s decision to transition to mental health was influenced by her adopted 10-year-old son, who lives with mental health disorders and requires therapy and pharmacological treatment.

    “It has been extremely difficult to find mental health care practitioners who understand his situation and know how to treat it,” Hercik said. “This has led me to have an interest in transitioning to mental health and becoming a compassionate and excellent provider.”

    Hercik said she was attracted to FNU because of the selective admissions process and online program. She said she has enjoyed leveraging the Frontier network, and has been able to reach out to graduates who live in her area to ask advice or inquire about clinical sites. In fact, Hercik said one of her preceptors is an FNU alumnus.

    “After researching schools with a PMHNP program, FNU pulled ahead of its competitors. I liked that admission was selective, the program was online, and there were programs to assist students in completing their degree. I liked the idea of both Frontier Bound and Clinical Bound to provide opportunities to connect with faculty and other students.”
    – Deanna Hercik, PMHNP Student

    “After researching schools with a PMHNP program, FNU pulled ahead of its competitors,” she said. “I liked that admission was selective, the program was online, and there were programs to assist students in completing their degree. I liked the idea of both Frontier Bound and Clinical Bound to provide opportunities to connect with faculty and other students.”

    Thank you, Deanna, for taking this big step toward becoming a PMHNP.

    If you are interested in pursuing your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC) in psychiatric-mental health at a top-ranked online university, visit our website to learn more about our PMHNP program.

  • Student Spotlight: Carrie Baker uses nursing experience to advocate for public health

    Student Spotlight: Carrie Baker uses nursing experience to advocate for public health

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse 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 Nursing University (FNU) student Carrie Baker, MSN, FNP, PMHNP, is utilizing her experience as a nurse practitioner to advocate for the health of her community. Baker is pursuing a Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at FNU (Class 40) and is set to graduate this year.

    A former U.S. Army officer, Baker lives on a Marine Corps housing installation in Hawaii with her two children and her spouse, who is an active member of the U.S. military. There, she serves as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) for a local nurse practitioner-owned telepsychiatry practice and as a Periodic Health Assessment provider.

    Baker’s patient base is wide-ranging, including urban and rural, male and female and local and military. By completing psychological evaluations and medical management via telehealth, Baker is able to reach patients through most of Hawaii’s chain of islands.

    Recently, Baker has served as an advocate for the public health and safety of her community. On Nov. 20, 2021, 14,000 gallons of jet fuel spilled at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, a military storage facility in Hawaii that is operated by the U.S. Navy. As a result, the Navy’s water distribution system, which Baker’s community uses, became contaminated. Soon, residents began complaining of a visible oil sheen on the water, odor and a variety of illnesses.

    Seeking accountability and solutions from local leaders, Baker co-organized a community town hall meeting.

    “Due to a lack of acknowledgement, validation and communication, our community has taken a stand to be heard,” Baker said. “Somehow, I have found myself at the forefront of this.”

    Several key stakeholders were invited to the meeting, including the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Hawaii, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, local housing leadership, local water board personnel and members of the media. During the meeting, community members were given the opportunity to ask questions to leadership personnel.

    Baker said some key takeaways from the meeting included increased communication, further water testing, flushing of the community water system, entitlements (such as funds for hotel lodging until the issue is resolved) and continued water points on the installation for retrieval of clean water.

    “We are far from having this situation resolved, but we now have the attention of those leaders who matter,” Baker said. “There is still some discord between the community and the leadership in that we still have not been acknowledged as affected.”

    Baker said her experience as a nurse practitioner gave her the confidence to advocate for the health of her community. To that end, she said she has decided to earn her DNP to gain confidence in being a leader and advocate for her patients and the community. She said FNU was the right choice in her pursuit of this goal.

    “I decided to become a DNP to gain confidence in being a leader and advocate for my patients and community.”
    – Carrie Baker, MSN, FNP, PMHNP

    “I decided to become a DNP to gain confidence in being a leader and advocate for my patients and community,” Baker said.

    Thank you, Carrie, for exemplifying FNU’s Culture of Caring, both in your professional endeavors and in your community activism.

    To learn more about FNU’s Doctor of Nursing Practice, click here.

  • FNU Celebrates National Nurses Week

    FNU Celebrates National Nurses Week

    Each year, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) looks forward to May when we join with the American Nurses Association (ANA) in celebrating National Nurses Week May 6-12.

    In 2021, the ANA officially recognized the entire month of May as National Nurses Month. This year’s theme is Nurses Make a Difference, honoring the varying roles nurses play and the positive impact they have on our lives. Nurses have an immense impact on health care and the well-being of our communities and are trusted advocates who ensure patients and their families receive quality care.

    Here is a message to all nurses, especially our FNU students, alumni, and preceptors, from FNU President, Dr. Susan Stone:

    National Nurses Week, which is recognized annually from May 6-12, is a yearly reminder to acknowledge and express gratitude for nurses across the United States. At Frontier Nursing University, we are acutely aware of the important roles that the more than 8,000 nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives who have earned advanced practice degrees from FNU hold in their communities, large and small. Though we are particularly proud of our alumni, our respect, admiration, and appreciation extend to all members of the nursing profession. Nursing, regardless of the specialty or type of practice, requires personal sacrifice, support from friends and family, and years of education and training. It can be exhausting, both physically and mentally, but the results are worth it. The reward comes in service to others. Across all of the nursing specialties and professions, one constant is the call to serve. It is a call that nurses are proud to answer, and one that is deserving of our gratitude not only during National Nurses Week but every day. Thank you to all the nurses across the country for your caring, expertise, and dedication. We are so proud of you.

    We thank you for your time and dedication to this profession. As a nurse, you are always caring for others. It’s important, especially this month, to prioritize self-care so you can continue making a difference in health care. Here are some self-care tips.

  • FNU Graduates Open Midwifery Clinic Aimed at Making Homebirth Midwifery Affordable and Available to Everyone

    FNU Graduates Open Midwifery Clinic Aimed at Making Homebirth Midwifery Affordable and Available to Everyone

    (L to R) Caitlin Hainley, DNP, ARNP-CNM, IBCLC and Emily Zambrano-Andrews, DNP, ARNP-CNM

    When your business offers something no one else does, it’s either because you’re ahead of the curve or there’s a reason no one else is doing it. For Drs. Caitlin Hainley and Emily Zambrano-Andrews, both might very well be true.

    Fellow Frontier Nursing University (FNU) alumni Hainley, DNP, ARNP-CNM, IBCLC, and Zambrano-Andrews, DNP, ARNP-CNM opened the Des Moines Midwife Collective on September 1, 2021. Their clinic is the first in central Iowa and only the second in the entire state to accept insurance care for homebirth midwifery services. They understand why others don’t accept insurance, but more importantly, they know why Des Moines Midwife Collective does.

    “What we really want to do here is bring accessible care,” said Hainley, Companion DNP Class 5. “I want to be the type of midwife I wish had been around when I was having babies. I want to be open to all socioeconomic demographics.”

    “We want to give women access to care and to serve women of all backgrounds,” said Zambrano-Andrews, Companion DNP Class 5. “That’s hard to do when you are cash pay only and don’t take insurance.”

    So hard to do, in fact, that the only other clinic in the state that accepts insurance for home birth midwifery care is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located in the northwest corner of the state, approximately four hours from Des Moines.

    Without insurance, Hainley said home birth costs between $6,000 and $7,000 and must be paid upfront in cash. “That prices out so many of our population,” she said. “Those lower socioeconomic groups are really at a disadvantage at finding midwifery home birth care.”

    Hainley and Zambrano-Andrews come by their passion to serve women of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds honestly. Included in the insurances they accept is Medicaid.

    “Medicaid reimbursement is not always very high, but it’s just important for us to provide access,” Hainley said. “We were once the Medicaid moms looking for midwives. We have both been poor. We’ve both been on Medicaid and food stamps. Accessing kind, respectful, equitable care is important to us because we’ve been there.”

    Both of these Iowa midwives were born and raised in rural Iowa but took different routes to arrive where they are today. Zambrano-Andrews gave birth to her first child when she was 19. It was an experience that forged her path to becoming a nurse-midwife.

    “I was on state insurance so I felt like I had to go to one place,” Zambrano-Andrews said. “A nurse practitioner gave me most of my care, but then my delivery was with an OB and that was not the most pleasant experience. I decided I wanted to go to nursing school after I had my daughter. I wanted to be a labor delivery nurse to be supportive of women.”

    One of Zambrano-Andrews’ instructors in nursing school was FNU graduate Ann Ersland, MSN, Class 32.

    “She was my motivator and my mentor,” Zambrano-Andrews said. “She was a huge influence to me. Doing clinicals with her and learning what midwives do and what the difference is between midwives and OB physicians was fascinating. I knew someday I wanted to be a midwife but I felt like I just needed to do nursing for a while to get experience.”

    Zambrano-Andrews was a nurse for 10 years at a small-town hospital before deciding it was time to become a midwife.

    “At that time I had two children,” she said. “After I went to my orientation week for Frontier I found out I was pregnant with my third. I decided to push through and do school. When I started my DNP program I found out I was pregnant with my fourth.”

    With few jobs available after the fellowship, Zambrano-Andrews took a hospital-based midwifery position but found it unsatisfying compared to her out-of-hospital work. That’s when she reconnected with her former FNU classmate Hainley, who was working at Primary Healthcare, an FQHC that served a large uninsured and underinsured population.

    Unlike Zambrano-Andrews, Hainley did not stay in Iowa after finishing high school. She spent some time traveling along the east coast and taking classes at community colleges. She ultimately went to Harding University in Arkansas, where she met her husband and graduated with a degree in English. She and her husband then moved to China for five years. She taught British and American literature at a university there, then got involved in pregnancy and birth education.

    “I basically helped any foreigner in our area of China who needed help navigating the Chinese hospital system during pregnancy, birth, or lactation,” Hainley said. “I had a doula business. I got really interested in women’s health.”

    The couple moved back to Iowa in 2011 and Hainley immediately began taking classes to become an RN. After graduating, she started at FNU in 2014, ultimately going into the DNP program with Zambrano-Andrews.

    “We met when I was finishing my RN,” Hainley said. “Emily had already been a nurse for about 10 years at that point and she was getting ready to go back to midwifery school and I knew I was going to midwifery school. We were both in love with home birth. We had home births ourselves and we talked about how we wanted to do home birth when we graduated. We were in many of the same classes in school and we worked together our last two years before we opened our own clinic.”

    The decision to open their own clinic was not only the fulfillment of a dream but also the opportunity to put into place some ideas that had been percolating for years. Both had experienced the lack of access to the type of care they wanted and were determined to offer that very service to the women in their community.

    “There were times throughout my own pregnancies and births where I could not access affordable care. I ended up having two babies at home without a midwife, just because of the lack of access to care,” Hainley said. “Because we had been there ourselves, we had a lot of great ideas but we didn’t have the power at our previous place of employment to enact them. So, we finally said, if they are such great ideas, let’s just take them and build them ourselves.”

    They did a business plan and knew what they wanted their clinic to look and feel like. There was plenty they didn’t know, but they jumped in with both feet and hit the ground running. In the months since opening, they have learned much and recognize they have much more to learn. They deal with the challenges of accepting insurance willingly while acknowledging the challenges it presents.

    “Taking insurance costs a lot,” Hainley said. “You have to have malpractice insurance, which costs a lot. Some of the home birth midwives don’t have that because they don’t take insurance and they don’t have to have it. You have to have good billers. All of this costs money and time, so I understand why they don’t. It is a struggle to bring that valued home birth care to an affordable setting. But it’s worth it. It’s worth it for every person’s life who is touched by that care.”

    “Hopefully we’re improving health outcomes for our state and our community,” Zambrano-Andrews added. “There’s a lot of places where women got prenatal care here that have closed their doors. They have to drive a long way to get care. I feel like midwifery care, in general, has more of a wellness approach so I’m hoping that community health improves by what we’re doing here.”

    Not only is the Des Moines Midwife Collective unique in its willingness to accept insurance, but it is also the first free-standing lactation clinic in the state of Iowa. Hainley has her International Board of Lactation Consultant certification and ZambranoAndrews is working toward hers.

    Currently, they have no staff other than themselves. They function not only as the nurse-midwives, but also the receptionists, schedulers, greeters, and billers.

    “It’s so costly to provide affordable care, but it’s worth it to us,” Hainley said. “We are building something for future generations and we’re building something to prove it can be done. We get to do that together and it’s really a great thing to have a partner in this.”

    In the clinic, they do prenatal visits, lactation appointments, and women’s healthcare. In the home, they do births, 36-week prenatal visits, and a 24-hour postpartum visit. Some lactation visits are also offered in the home. Their years of experience in the community have helped them make multiple connections in the event of cases in which medical care in a hospital setting is required.

    Both Hainley and Zambrano-Andrews are thankful for the preparation provided to them by FNU. They were both drawn to FNU’s history and community-based emphasis.

    “I picked Frontier because they were more community-based,” Zambrano-Andrews said. “I felt like their focus on supporting birth centers was what really drew me to Frontier versus other programs.”

    “They have such a great community background and they have a great emphasis on building community,” Hainley added. “They have such an emphasis on community and that fits really well with what we’re doing. Some of that was fostered and grown by how Frontier runs its program.”

    The Des Moines Midwife Collective has received great support since its opening and has been welcomed by other midwives in the area. While the learning curve of owning a business has been steep and some challenges still loom, it has all been worth it so far.

    “We have very appreciative clients who are so amazed that we are here and are taking insurance so they can have the desired birth they want,” Zambrano-Andrews said.

    “You sacrifice for what’s important to you,” Hainley said. “It’s more than just putting a sign in a yard. It’s living a life that is meaningful even if nobody knows what you’re doing. It’s a sacrifice for what’s important.”

    Learn more about the Des Moines Midwife Collective at www.midwifedesmoines.com. You can learn more about FNU’s Certified Nurse-Midwifery program by visiting our website.

    Editor’s Note: During the course of the interview, Hainley and Zambrano-Andrews expressed their gratitude for so many people who have helped them and made sacrifices to aid them in this journey. In particular, they wanted to acknowledge their families and say, “Thank you to our friends and family who have helped us along the way.” 

    Zambrano-Andrew’s family includes her husband Jesus Zambrano, whom she calls “her biggest supporter. If I didn’t have him, I don’t know if I’d be a midwife.” Together they have five children: Mina, Olivia, Elio, Giselle, and Elena. 

    Hainley and her husband Matt have four children: Juliet, Zella, Snowden, and Gemma. She also wanted to express her appreciation for her parents, Royce and Lisa. “My dad did so much contracting and manual labor work for us,” she said. “It wouldn’t have looked as pretty if he wasn’t involved. And my mom has helped paint and has taken up all the slack while my dad helps us.” 

  • Frontier Nursing University Names Bobbi Silver as Chief Advancement Officer

    Frontier Nursing University Names Bobbi Silver as Chief Advancement Officer

    Frontier Nursing University announced Bobbi Silver as its new Chief Advancement Officer. Silver, who began her role on March 28, 2022, brings to Frontier nearly 20 years of experience in fundraising and marketing. Most recently, she served as the Director of Development at the Diocese of Lexington. Prior to that, she was the Vice President of Philanthropy at the YMCA of Central Kentucky and worked in fundraising roles at the University of Kentucky.

    “We are so excited to welcome her and her family to the Frontier community,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “We know she will help us continue to grow and successfully fulfill our mission.”

    Silver earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. She has extensive experience in higher education and nonprofit organizations. She was the Development Officer for the Robinson Scholars Program at the University of Kentucky before moving on to Transylvania University where she was the Director of Major Gifts. She returned to the University of Kentucky as the Assistant Director of Development and Advancement for the Gatton College of Business & Economics. She then served as the Director of Development and Major Gifts for the University of Kentucky’s College of Pharmacy before accepting the position at the YMCA.

    “Frontier Nursing University has an exemplary reputation in healthcare and I am excited to use my skills to highlight the many and wonderful ways that Frontier is transforming communities,” Silver said. “We are uniquely positioned, as we have been for almost 100 years, to educate and train nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. I was drawn to Frontier because of its proud history of addressing rural healthcare inequities and our commitment to increasing diversity and inclusion in the healthcare system. It is my honor to work with such wonderful faculty, staff, and students, who have been incredibly welcoming and kind in my time here so far.”

    Along with her years of experience, Silver also brings an outstanding record of success in development, alumni relations, external affairs, grants management, and marketing.

  • The Importance of Precepting

    The Importance of Precepting

    The importance of preceptors has never been more evident. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought greater awareness of our nation’s shortage of healthcare providers. FNU students are primed and ready to help fill these gaps, but they must have clinical hours to complete their course requirements and gain the real-world experience they need to excel.

    In this blog, we look at several aspects of precepting, including the specialties most in need of preceptors, how to become a preceptor, and the long-lasting impact of preceptors on FNU students. We also thank our devoted preceptors who share their time and knowledge year after year. We hope you will be inspired by all those who generously give their time and expertise.

    Preceptors are in demand for the following specialties:

    • Certified Nurse-Midwife
    • Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
    • Certified Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
    • Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

    Did You Know: Precepting Facts and Figures

    • In the Winter 2022 term, FNU had 823 students in clinical courses.
    • The average FNU student needs three clinical sites to complete all required experiences.
    • The need is great and the competition for clinical sites is heavy.
    • The demand for preceptors is constant.

    What else do you gain from being an FNU preceptor?

    Preceptors get to promote their profession through the education and guidance of their future peers. You can help expand access to quality, compassionate care to rural and underserved populations. FNU preceptors earn an honorarium based on the percentage of time spent precepting students.

    Are you interested in being a preceptor for an FNU student?

    FNU needs preceptors with the following credentials: 

    • National certification in a specialty area
    • One year of relevant experience in an advanced practice role
    • Master’s Degree or higher in a nursing-related field
    • MDs and DOs

    Are you ready to learn more about precepting? Contact FNU’s Clinical Outreach and Placement Services. Our staff can answer questions about the process to become a preceptor; provide support to preceptors when using the online preceptor profile portal; and outline the benefits of precepting, including preceptor honorariums. 

    Visit our website to begin the preceptor application process today!

    Become a Preceptor

  • FNU’s Winter Featured Preceptor: Robin Argyle, FNP

    FNU’s Winter Featured Preceptor: Robin Argyle, FNP

    At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse 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 healthcare to underserved and rural populations.

    Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is proud to recognize Robin Argyle, FNP as the winter term Featured Preceptor. In her role as a preceptor, Argyle is committed to shaping the next generation of nurse practitioners (NPs) into the best versions of themselves.

    “As a preceptor, you get to have a hand in shaping the future of healthcare,” Argyle said. “There are many voices out there trying to silence NPs. Teaching students to stand up for themselves and the profession is worth any bit of time precepting takes.”

    A 2015 graduate of FNU, Argyle serves as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) at Falls Community Hospital and Clinic in the small rural community of Marlin, Texas. A town with a population of about 5,600, Marlin’s poverty rate is approximately 46 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In her role as an FNP, Argyle cares for the residents of Marlin, along with those living in the outlying communities of Falls County.

    For many of her patients, access to the Falls Community Hospital and Clinic is a 30 to 40-minute commute, despite it being their nearest healthcare facility. Working in a rural setting, Argyle is often required to investigate complex problems and establish long-term plans for her patients due to a lack of specialists in the area and lack of patient resources. From providing COVID-19 vaccine information to resources for pregnant patients, Argyle serves as a consistent source of care for her patients.

    Before working with Falls Community Hospital and Clinic, Argyle worked as an FNP for healthcare facilities throughout Oklahoma, including Grand Lake Mental Health Center.

    Argyle balances her career as an FNP with her work as a preceptor. Over the years, she has served as a preceptor to countless students in central Texas. As a preceptor, Argyle said her favorite part of the experience is witnessing a student grasp a concept in practice that was difficult in didactic learning.

    “When they see it done in practice, it’s always fun to see the light come on,” she said. “I also love the questions they ask because it challenges me to learn more.”

    As an alumnus, Argyle said she particularly enjoys working with FNU students.

    “The students from Frontier are always well prepared and are ready to learn,” Argyle said. “I’ve precepted several students from other colleges. I didn’t realize how fortunate I was to have such a stellar education until I started precepting. I’m grateful for FNU every single day.”

    FNU student Megan Hoang, who nominated Argyle, said she provides students with the clinical experience they dream about during didactic courses.

    “She is a firm yet loving guide who constantly pushes you to grow into what she knows you can be,” Hoang said.

    Thank you, Robin, for your work as a preceptor and your compassionate care for rural, underserved patients in your community. Your work has truly exemplified FNU’s Culture of Caring.

    To read about previously recognized preceptors or to nominate a preceptor, click here.

    Are you interested in becoming a Frontier preceptor? Learn more here.

  • Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech Named Interim Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

    Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech Named Interim Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

    Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, APRN

    Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, APRN, has been named the Interim Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO). Dr. Alexander-Delpech currently serves at FNU as an Associate Professor, Chair of the Health Equity subcommittee, Chair of the President’s Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and Chair of the Faculty, Staff, and Preceptor Development and Retention committee.

    “Dr. Alexander-Delpech has extensive experience in planning, implementing, and evaluating DEI programs in private and public universities located in urban and rural communities, which reflect her ability to lead DEI initiatives at Frontier Nursing University,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “She also brings experience in recruitment and retention of underrepresented students and will carry on the essential work of FNU’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

    Previously, under her leadership as Director of Student Services, Dr. Alexander-Delpech created the first nursing summer program to increase the number of underrepresented high school students interested in becoming a nurse. She brings experience in initiating new programs with community partners to meet the growing workforce needs. She was instrumental in developing the first Foreign-Educated Physician Nursing Program (FEPNP) in the U.S. Further, Dr. Alexander-Delpech has developed workshops for community-based clinics and training on social justice utilizing a community-based participatory approach, which provided extensive experience working with marginalized communities.

    Dr. Alexander-Delpech has implemented several projects focused on connecting the social environment and healthy lifestyles to wellness outcomes. Some workshops were developed with local organizations to address health and wellness in the Black community. She was also instrumental in initiating a grassroots campaign to bring mental health awareness to African American women living in a rural community.

    Board-certified as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Alexander-Delpech maintains her clinical practice in a community-based facility. She is an appointed member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) diversity committee; an inaugural member of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF) diversity committee; a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA); an executive board member of the Florida chapter of the APNA; a member of the South Florida Council of Advanced Practice Nurses; and a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

    To learn more about FNU’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, please visit our website.

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