Nurse Innovation Fellowship
This ground-breaking, one-year, team-based nursing fellowship for Chief Nursing Officers (CNO), nurse executives, and senior nurse leaders, is focused on powering-up nurse-led innovation and leadership within health systems to drive transformative change in the healthcare work environment so nurses and patients can thrive. Johnson & Johnson’s sponsorship of the fellowship covers all attendance and travel costs for participants.
Nurse Innovation Fellowship: 2025-2026 Cohort
Meet the 14 teams that form the new 2025-2026 cohort. The teams represent geographically diverse areas across the U.S., large and small health systems, and standalone hospitals in urban and rural locations.
Advocate Health (NC)
Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo, DNP, RN, CENP, NEA-BC, FAONL
Market Chief Nurse Executive, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist
Kimberly Stanbery, DNP, NEA-BC, OCN
Chief Nursing Officer, Comprehensive Care Center
Market Chief Nurse Executive, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist
Kimberly Stanbery, DNP, NEA-BC, OCN
Chief Nursing Officer, Comprehensive Care Center
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (CA)
Sharon Brown, MSN, BSN, NEA-BC, CCRN-K, FACHE
Chief Nursing Officer
M. Carina Menjivar, DNP, MSN, MBA, NEA-BC, CPHQ, LSSGB
Associate Chief Nursing Officer
Chief Nursing Officer
M. Carina Menjivar, DNP, MSN, MBA, NEA-BC, CPHQ, LSSGB
Associate Chief Nursing Officer
Ascension Seton Williamson (TX)
Carleen Merola, DNP, MBA, BSN, MSN, PCCN
Nursing Director, Critical Care
Angela P. Wright, PHD, RN, MBA, NEA-BC
Chief Nursing Officer/Vice President Nursing
Nursing Director, Critical Care
Angela P. Wright, PHD, RN, MBA, NEA-BC
Chief Nursing Officer/Vice President Nursing
Atrium Health Pineville (NC)
Robyn Barriffe, DNP, BSN, MSN, NEA-BC
Chief Nurse Executive
Stephanie O'Bryon, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Assistant Vice President, Patient Care Services
Chief Nurse Executive
Stephanie O'Bryon, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Assistant Vice President, Patient Care Services
Cleveland Clinic (OH)
Maureen Schaupp, MSN, APRN, CNP
Associate Chief Nursing Officer/Executive Director (Health System)
Craig Tobias, MSN, MBA
VP/Chief Nursing Officer
Associate Chief Nursing Officer/Executive Director (Health System)
Craig Tobias, MSN, MBA
VP/Chief Nursing Officer
CommonSpirit Saint Anthony Hospital (CO)
Jennette Bergstrom, MSN, CENP
VP Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer
Jesse DeWaard, MSN, CENP
Director of Nursing
VP Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer
Jesse DeWaard, MSN, CENP
Director of Nursing
Beth Israel Lahey Health, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (MA)
Scott James, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC
Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Karen Schoonmaker, MSN, RN, CPPS
Executive Director, Quality and Patient Safety / Patient Experience, Magnet Program Director
Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Karen Schoonmaker, MSN, RN, CPPS
Executive Director, Quality and Patient Safety / Patient Experience, Magnet Program Director
Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune (NC)
Sarah Louk, BSN, MSN, MSIE, AGCNS-BC
Department Head Adult Inpatient Units
Reginald Middlebrooks, DNP, MSN, BSN, CRNA
Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Nursing Services
Department Head Adult Inpatient Units
Reginald Middlebrooks, DNP, MSN, BSN, CRNA
Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Nursing Services
NYC Health + Hospital/Queens (NY)
Karine Austin, BSN, MSN, DNP, NEA-BC, CENP
Deputy Chief Nursing Officer
Abbi-Gail Baboolal, BSN, MSN, DNP, FNP
Chief Nursing Officer
Deputy Chief Nursing Officer
Abbi-Gail Baboolal, BSN, MSN, DNP, FNP
Chief Nursing Officer
Penn Medicine (PA)
Florence Vanek, MSN, NE-BC
Associate Chief Nursing Officer
Annelies Wood, MSN, RN-BC, CRNP
Clinical Practice Advisor
Associate Chief Nursing Officer
Annelies Wood, MSN, RN-BC, CRNP
Clinical Practice Advisor
St. Elizabeth Healthcare (KY)
Christy Miller, PHD, MSN, BSN
Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Jennifer Yost, MBA, BSN, RN, NE-BC
Assistant VP Nursing Operations
Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Jennifer Yost, MBA, BSN, RN, NE-BC
Assistant VP Nursing Operations
University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital (AL)
Andrea Boohaker, DNP, MSN, CRNP, ACNP-BC, RNFA
Associate Vice President
Terri Poe, DNP, MPA, BSN, NE-BC
Chief Nursing Officer
Associate Vice President
Terri Poe, DNP, MPA, BSN, NE-BC
Chief Nursing Officer
University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center (MD)
Jaime Van Allen, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, CV-BC
Director of Nursing Practice and Outcomes
David Hunt, DNP, MBA, BSN, MSN, NEA-BC
Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer
Director of Nursing Practice and Outcomes
David Hunt, DNP, MBA, BSN, MSN, NEA-BC
Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer
Yale New Haven Health, Bridgeport Hospital (CT)
Mary Christoffersen, DNP, MBA, BSN, CNOR
Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer
Joubin Bavarian, BSN, MHA, NEA-BC, FACHE
Vice President, Nursing
Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer
Joubin Bavarian, BSN, MHA, NEA-BC, FACHE
Vice President, Nursing
About the Fellowship
The hybrid in-person and virtual fellowship will immerse two nurse leaders from 15 different U.S. health systems in principles of human-centered design and design thinking to be applied to real-world, specific challenges faced by their health system.
The innovation curriculum provided by Penn Nursing will be paired with business acumen, change management and strategic leadership skills development through Wharton Executive Education. At the conclusion of the fellowship, fellows will pitch their innovative solutions with the goal of bringing that solution back to their healthcare system to implement.
The innovation curriculum provided by Penn Nursing will be paired with business acumen, change management and strategic leadership skills development through Wharton Executive Education. At the conclusion of the fellowship, fellows will pitch their innovative solutions with the goal of bringing that solution back to their healthcare system to implement.
Program Timeline
Applications Open1/6/25
Applications Close2/17/25
Selected Fellows Notified3/21/25
Program Kick-Off (Virtual, 6 hours)5/14/25 from 11am-5pm ET
Summer Innovation Institute (In-person, 36 hours, Philadelphia, PA @ UPenn Nursing School)6/23/25 - 6/27/25
Three Virtual Sessions (6 hours per session)9/10/25 - 9/11/25
11/12/25 - 11/13/25
2/11/26 - 2/12/26
from 11am-5pm ET (the time is subject to change)
Final Closing Event (In-Person, New Brunswick, NJ @ Johnson & Johnson World HQ)In person 5/20/26 - 5/21/26
With nurse-led innovation, a brilliant idea is just the beginning. Here's a helpful guide to bringing your solution to life.
Meet the nurses who are changing human health through new protocols, policies, programs, and technologies, every day.
Meet the past Nurse Innovation Fellowship teams
- Meet the 10 teams that form the new 2024-2025 Nurse Innovation Fellowship by Johnson & Johnson cohort. The teams represent geographically diverse areas across the U.S., large and small health systems, and standalone hospitals in urban and rural locations.2024-11-27T18:48:57.959Z
- Meet the 10 teams that formed the 2023-2024 Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship cohort. The teams represented geographically diverse areas across the US, and came from large and small health systems as well as stand-alone hospitals and public health systems in urban and rural locations.2024-01-08T18:38:13.173Z
- Meet the 12 nurses who formed the 2019-2022 Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship cohort.2023-02-28T14:11:19.470Z
Related stories about nurses leading innovation
Through the Nurse Innovation Fellowship Program by Johnson & Johnson, powered by Penn Nursing and the Wharton School, nursing leaders are immersed in the innovation process to redefine the future of patient care and professional well-being by tackling a real problem at their health systems.
The Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship, powered by Penn Nursing and the Wharton School, is built on the concept of applying design thinking and human-centered design to real-world challenges within health systems. But what is design thinking? And how does this concept help nurses enhance their innovative skills and drive change?
