CONHI Well Represented at National Academies of Practice Annual Forum

Thursday, Apr 24, 2025 Connect

UTA had excellent representation from the College of Nursing and Health Innovation (CONHI) and the School of Social Work at the National Academies of Practice 2025 Annual Meeting and Forum, March 13-15, in Washington, D.C.

The National Academies of Practice (NAP) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 to advise governmental bodies on health care. Distinguished practitioners and scholars are elected by their peers from multiple different health professions. NAP firmly supports collaboration and coordination of different healthcare professions to advocate for patients and model excellence in interprofessional and preventive care. The organization is comprised of 17 different professional academies, and membership as a fellow or professional member requires nomination by another member or fellow, application with rigorous review with recommendation by the academy of their profession, and final approval by the NAP Council. Appointment as a Distinguished Fellow includes the allowed use of the FNAP credentials. 

New inductees to NAP as Distinguished Fellows included Dr. Elizabeth Merwin, Professor of Nursing and Dr. Kimberly Siniscalchi, Professor of Practice, CONHI. New inductees for Professional Membership included Dr. Jennifer Roye, Assistant Dean for Simulation and Technology, CONHI.

Other CONHI representation at the Forum included Dr. Tanya Sudia, Interim Dean, Professor, and Chief Nursing Officer, NAP Distinguished Fellow and Dr. Laura Kunkel, Director, MS in Athletic Training Program and Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Kinesiology, NAP Distinguished Fellow. Representation from the School of Social Work included Tracy Orwig, Director of Interprofessional Education and Associate Professor of Practice for the School of Social Work, NAP Distinguished Fellow; Dr. Noelle Fields, Associate Professor of Social Work, NAP Distinguished Fellow; and Karen Magruder, Program Director for the Doctor of Social Work and Associate Professor of Practice.

UTA Faculty also presented at the Forum: Dr. Roye, Professor Magruder, Dr. Fields, Professor Orwig, and Dr. Bau Tran, Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center presented, Synchronizing Success: Strategies for Multi-Site Interprofessional Education in Discharge Planning. Dr. Kunkel also presented a poster, Athletic Trainers in the Interprofessional Sport-Related Concussion Management Team.

Representing UTA in the NAP Leadership Council, Dr. Kunkel also began her term as Chair-Elect of the Athletic Training Academy.