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    1. Nursing Homepage/
    2. Innovation/
    3. Fellowship program/
    4. Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship: 2026-2027 Cohort

    Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship: 2026-2027 Cohort

    Meet the 14 teams that formed the 2026–2027 Nurse Innovation Fellowship cohort. The teams represented geographically diverse areas across the U.S., large and small health systems, and standalone hospitals in urban and rural locations.

    Advocate Health Levine Children’s (NC)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Alisa W. Dent, DNP, RN, MSN, NEA-BC Enterprise Chief Nursing Officer, Women’s & Children
    • Heather Freeman, DNP, RN, CPN, NE-BC Director of Nursing

    Ascension Dell Seton Medical Center (TX)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Erin Jackson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Officer
    • Dr. Aditi Rao, PhD, RN Director of Quality & Patient Safety

    Brown University Health (RI)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Kristen Kichefski, DNP, MBA, RN, PMH-BC, NEA-BC, Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer
    • Karri Davis DNP, RN, CCRN, NE-BC, FAB System Director Professional Practice

    Common Spirit Health - St. Anthony North Hospital (CO)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Michelle Penney, BSN, RN, MHA Director of Acute Care Services
    • Jessie Thurber-Dean, BSN, RN, MHA, RNC-OB, NE-BC Chief Nursing Officer & VP of Nursing

    Denver Health (CO)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Dr. Natalie Nicholson, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, CNML, Chief Nursing Officer
    • Sarah Gardiner, MSN, RN, CENP, Associate Chief Nursing Officer for Inpatient Hospital Services

    Honor Health Deer Valley Medical Center (AZ)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • John Bowles, PhD, RN, CENP Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
    • Lizandra Rubio, MSN, RN, CMSRN Director – Clinical Nursing

    Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital - Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (TN)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Hella Ewing, RN, MSM Vice President, Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer
    • Barbie Stewart, RN, DNP, CNL, NE-BC Senior Director, Emergency Services

    Mary Washington Healthcare (VA)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Dr. Debra (Deb) Marinari, DNP, RN, NE-BC Associate Vice President, Nursing Operations
    • Dr. Tonja Thigpen, DHA, MSN, CCRN, NEA-BC, LSSGB Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer

    Northwell Health – Danbury Hospital (CT)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Erika Setzer, MSN, RN, CEN, NE-BC, Director of Patient Care Services
    • Jennifer Foss, DNP, RN-BC, NEA-BC, VP & Chief Nursing Officer, Danbury & New Milford Hospitals, Northwell Health

    Northwell Health – Vassar Brother’s Medical Center (NY)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Catherine Manley-Cullen, MS, RN, NEA-BC
    • Deborah Hewitt, DNP, MBA, RN, CENP, Nursing Patient Care Director VBMC, Pathway to Excellence

    Oschner Health (MS)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Jordan Kahan MSN, RN Director – Office of Strategy Management
    • Gladys E. Wolff, BSN, MBAHA Chief Nursing Officer, Ochsner Rush Region

    St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (TN)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Suzette Stone, PhD, APRN, PPCNP-BC, NEA-BC Vice President & Chief Advanced Practice Officer
    • Sarah Currie MSN, RNC, NEA-BC Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive

    TMC Health (AZ)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Kathryn Teyechea, BSN, RN serves Administrative Director of Nursing Operations and Patient Throughput
    • Joy L. Upshaw, MBA, BSN, RN, CENP, NEA-BC Sr. Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer

    University of Vermont Medical Center (VT)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Sarah N. Hoffman, DNP, RN, Associate Chief Nursing Officer/Vice President, Nursing Operations
    • Betsy Hassan, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, FAAN, FNAP, Associate Chief Nursing Officer, Professional Practice & Quality | System VP Nursing Professional Practice & Innovation

    University of Virginia Medical Center (VA)

    profile photo of two team members from Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship 2026-2027 Cohort

    • Mary Coffey, PhD, MPH, RN, NEA-BC Director of Nursing Professional Development
    • Karin Skeen, PhD, RN, NEA-BC Associate Chief Nursing Officer

    Nurse Innovation Fellowship

    Explore the Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship, a yearlong program for nurse leaders focused on innovation, leadership, and transforming healthcare systems.

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