Pitt Nurse - Summer 2026 - The Leadership Issue - Pitt Nursing Faculty and Alumni at the Forefront of Service, Entrepreneurship and Administration

Sep 21, 2026

Summer 2026 issue of Pitt Nurse magazine highlighting leadership in nursing through entrepreneurship, service, and executive administration. Features profile entrepreneurial alumni, alumni leading through service, and alumnae guiding health systems from administrative roles. Additional sections include a dean’s message on developing nurse leaders, research spotlight on women’s health, alumni spotlights and achievements, In Memoriam, Ducky Diaries, and campus news and notes with updates and honors.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time1 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Message from the Dean

News and Notes

Research Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight

In Memoriam

Alumni Achievements

Ducky Diaries

Features

In Good Company

Leading Through Service

From Bedside to Boardroom

Pitt Nurse UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF NURSING SUMMER 2026 The LEADERSHIP Issue Pitt Nursing Faculty and Alumni at the Forefront of Service, Entrepreneurship and Administration Pitt Nurse Jennifer Fellows Director of Operations and Communications, School of Nursing Emily Nunez Assistant Director of Communications, School of Nursing Laura Clark Rohrer Editor-at-Large Katelyn Kocis Contributing Writer Rayni Shiring Photographer, University of Pittsburgh Zoltun Design Keep Us Posted Please share information about your career achievements, advanced education, publications, presentations, honors received and appointments. We may include your news in the magazine or other media. Indicate names, dates and locations. Photos are welcome! Send your updates to Emily Nunez at [emn143@pitt.edu](emn143@pitt.edu) and Taylor Andrekanic at [tva4@pitt.edu](tva4@pitt.edu). The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. Published in cooperation with the Office of Strategic Communications, Pitt Health Sciences. On the cover: Nursing leaders and Pitt Nursing alumni Tom Muscatello, John O’Donnell and Tamra Minnier. Photo by Rayni Shiring. Contents FEATURES 18 In Good Company The skills that make a good nurse are the same needed to build a successful business. Maybe that’s why a growing number of Pitt Nursing graduates are becoming their own bosses. Meet three entrepreneurial alumni who transformed their nursing expertise into health care companies. 22 Leading Through Service Leadership in nursing often starts not with a title but with a willingness to serve. For these Pitt Nursing alumni, service has been the throughline of careers that span local, national and international influence. 26 From Bedside to Boardroom Nurses shape systems, guide strategy and influence care far beyond a single unit. Four Pitt Nursing alumnae share insight on their complex administrative roles, where nursing voices help steer health systems across the country. 4 Message from the Dean 5 News and Notes Exciting updates from campus, including ranking news, leadership announcements, retirement farewellsand student accomplishments 16 Research Spotlight Associate Professor Jill Demirci is taming the “Wild West” of women’s health 30 Alumni Spotlight How Kathi Elliott (MSN ’08) empowers“Gwen’s Girls” to be their best selves 31 In Memoriam Remembering Willa Doswell, former Pitt Nursing faculty member 32 Alumni Achievements Pitt Nursing graduates do amazing things 35 Ducky Diaries Our rubber duck ambassadors ask,“Why do you feel lucky to be a nurse?” Summer 2026 3 Message from the Dean Here at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, we often say that we aren’t just training nurses—we’re preparing the next generation of nurse leaders. And what does a nurse leader look like? It’s a fair question, but it is difficult to put nurse leaders into a box. Their titles are diverse and their impact is far-reaching, driving innovation and quality improvements across health care. Pitt Nursing alumna and UPMC leader Tamra Minnier (BSN ’84, MSN’85)—who graces the cover of this issue—perhaps put it best: “There isn’t just one way to lead.” In this issue, we highlight exceptional alumni and faculty members who are shaping the future of health care through entrepreneurship, service organizations and executive leadership roles. Their journeys are defined by a willingness to challenge themselves and a commitment to ensuring nurses have a seat at every decision-making table. These individuals are successful not in spite of their nursing background but because of the training, academic rigor and unique worldview that a nursing education instills. A common thread throughout their stories is the power of mentorship—particularly the impact that Pitt Nursing faculty had on their career trajectories. We are proud that our faculty members take the time

FAQs

What is the central theme of this Summer 2026 issue of Pitt Nurse?

The issue focuses on leadership in nursing and how alumni and faculty shape the future of health care through entrepreneurship, service organizations, and executive administration roles.

Which feature highlights entrepreneurial alumni and how nursing skills translate to business?

“In Good Company” (page 18) profiles three entrepreneurial alumni who turned nursing expertise into health care companies.

What does the dean emphasize about preparing nurse leaders?

The dean emphasizes preparing the next generation of nurse leaders, noting that nurse leadership takes many forms and is driven by training, academic rigor, and mentorship.

Sep 21, 2026

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