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UVA Health is proud to announce two of its own have earned one of the highest professional honors in nursing.

On Nov. 2 in Washington, D.C., Kathy Baker, PhD, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, Chief Nursing Officer, UVA Health University Medical Center, and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, UVA School of Nursing — and Cathy Campbell, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor and Global Initiatives Director, UVA School of Nursing — were inducted as Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (FAANs) at the academy's Health Policy Conference. See the program.

'True Testament'

"Having both a leader from UVA Health and a distinguished faculty member from our School of Nursing receive one of the highest honors in nursing is a true testament to the exceptional talent, dedication, and impact across our team," says Wendy Horton, PharmD, MBA, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, UVA Health University Medical Center.

“We couldn’t be more proud of these two extraordinary nurses,” says UVA School of Nursing Dean Marianne Baernholdt, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “They are well-deserving of this honor and truly outstanding in — and committed to — our field."

UVA School of Nursing's total number of FAANs is rising to 37 — and to 56 for total fellows of national academies among the school's active and emeriti faculty.

Transforming Health

FAAN distinction is awarded annually to select individuals invited by the academy. The more than 3,000 FAANs — from 37 states, Washington, D.C., and 14 countries — include nursing leaders in education, management, practice, and research, committing their time and energy to the organization, engaging with other leaders to transform healthcare systems, and making positive changes in their communities to champion wellness.

Fellows represent elected officials; state and federal political appointees and government officials; hospital chief executives; university presidents, chancellors and deans; researchers; entrepreneurs; and association executives. 

'Compassionate Heart ... Strategic Mind'

Baker is honored as an academy fellow for her national work on nurse staffing, top-of-license practice, and contributions to emergency nursing research.

"Since joining UVA Health in 2021, Kathy has demonstrated exemplary leadership — combining a compassionate heart with a strategic mind," Horton says. "In just three years, her advocacy for enhanced nursing infrastructure has led to stabilized staffing, increased engagement, reduced turnover, and improved patient outcomes. Kathy's work is a true reflection of UVA Health’s mission to transform health and inspire hope for Virginians and beyond."

Baker also has championed key initiatives at UVA School of Nursing, including the Clinical Instructor Workshop, Nurse Educator Academy, and Evidence-Based Practice Academy, and the launch of 12 new Clinical Nurse Leader positions for CNL-certified nurses — among the nation's first such roles.

"When I arrived at UVA Health University Medical Center, I committed myself to being the kind of CNO that I believe the organization deserves," says Baker. "This honor is not just for me — it's for all the nurses I'm proud to represent — and with my induction to the American Academy of Nursing, I hope to represent UVA Health to the best of my ability," says Baker.

'Immense and Fitting Honor'

Campbell is a longtime hospice nurse, Buddhist chaplain, Fulbright scholar alumna, and an expert on end-of-life and palliative care in global and domestic settings, including for rural caregivers and transgender elders. She is a nurse scientist who has studied end-of-life care education and practices in South Africa and Thailand.

Campbell also studies end-of-life experiences of — and develops supports for — transgender elders who are dying, and has earned Mind and Life Institute think tank grant funding to develop and present best practices.

"I am honored to be recognized as a fellow by the American Academy of Nursing. In the summer of 1984, I started as a BSN nursing student at the University of Florida," Campbell recalls. "At that time, I could not have imagined that I would be receiving one of the highest accolades that a nurse could receive in their profession. I look forward to celebrating with the other inductees and my family, friends, and colleagues."

"Cathy has been a champion of individuals who are often overlooked or marginalized," Baernholdt says. "Her work is her argument for change. She is an inspiring colleague and I am eager to watch her receive this immense and fitting honor."

'Nursing Knowledge for Change'

American Academy of Nursing is an honorific society and a policy organization — representing nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia. The academy is a think tank of nursing experts focused on improving health and healthcare and exploring how fellowship can disseminate nursing knowledge for change.