Influencing nursing practice, education, and research for an institution is a monumental task, and yet Leah throws herself into this role. At the heart of Leah’s contributions is her streamlined approach to advocating for the nursing profession role with competence and confidence—which she tackles with her trademark tireless, can-do attitude. Under her leadership, her team has received national and international recognition in orienting newly graduated nurses and nursing research, all while providing ongoing education and professional development to clinical staff. It is an organizational task with the highest stakes—ensuring the provision of the best care—and one that never ends, as evidence and regulations evolve constantly.
Leah is a creative thinker and innovator: She is not afraid to experiment with new ideas, and has integrated multimodal strategies into educational experiences, so that they are memorable and build real skills. Her initiatives include incorporating evolving case studies into classroom learning and interdisciplinary emergency response drills, experiences that build resilience and the ability to work under extreme stress.
Colleagues regard Leah as both revolutionary and practical. Her groundbreaking idea to leverage microlearning tactics to deliver information in small, highly focused chunks has transformed the learning and performance of staff. Through flexible weekly, quarterly, and annual programs, staff have gained more control over their learning schedules, completing training at times and places that suit their busy lives.
Leah’s impact extends beyond her organizational contributions, as she actively works with her local school to enhance student health. Additionally, as a board member of a local church, she supports faith-based community health education initiatives. Her dedication to nursing and community service is evident in her holistic approach to improving health outcomes for all.