Directory Profile

Joan has been an RN since 1972 when she graduated from the UW School of Nursing.
She retired from a senior leadership position as the Director of the Rehabilitation, Community and Long-Term Care Division at the Portland VAMC in January 2006 after more than 33 years of VA service. She was very involved in leadership roles in the VA at the local, regional and national levels, so has had management and leadership experience in her VA and professional career. She knew she wanted to move into a faculty role after completing the post-master’s Nurse Educator certificate program at WSU Vancouver, so she retired from the VA started teaching in the nursing program more than 15 years ago.

She currently teaches in the RN-BSN program and also leadership and community health clinicals at the University of Portland. Professionally, Joan is certified and licensed as a Community Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS in Oregon, ARNP-CNS in Washington) and certified in Nursing Administration Advanced. She is active in WSNA and ANA having served on the ANA Congress on Nursing Practice & Economics and as the Chair of the WSNA Professional Nursing and Health Care Council. Joan was an ANCC Magnet Program appraiser for 20 years and had the opportunity to visit many hospitals in the US. In addition, she is active in NWONL. She served for many years on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Center for Nursing.

Joan is very involved in her community and serves on the Clark County Public Health Advisory Council as the Chair and Commissioner on the Vancouver Housing Authority, on the Board of Directors and Vice Chair of Bridgeview Housing and the Board of the Council for the Homeless, as Board Chair for Support for Early Learning & Families (SELF), as a member of the Community Advisory Committee of the Children’s Home Society of Southwest Washington and on the ACEs Action Alliance Leadership Team. In the past, Joan has served on the Board of Trustees of Columbia River Mental Health Services and their Foundation and on the Share Board of Directors, also as President of these nonprofits.

Education

• BSN, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
• MS, University of Portland, Portland, OR
• Post-Master’s Nurse Educator Certificate, WSU Vancouver

Research Interest

• Early care and education
• Homelessness & housing
• Community building
• ACEs and Resilience

Areas of Expertise

• Community Health
• Population Health
• Leadership
• Veterans Healthcare

Memberships

• ANA/WSNA
• NWONL
• STTI
• NACNS
• ACHNE
• APHA

Honors and Awards

• 2018 Educational Opportunities for Children & Families (EOCF), 2018 Early Learning Champion Award
• 2016 Columbia River Mental Health, Behavioral Health Community Service Award
• 2016 Public Health Community Award, Clark County Public Health
• 2014 WSNA Hall of Fame, inducted March 2014
• 2012 Spirit of Clark County Individual Award from Clark County Board of Commissioners
• 2011 University of Portland School of Nursing Carly J. Hansen Distinguished Clinical Instructor Award
• 2011 Share Emily Marshall Volunteer of the Year
• 2007 Recognition by Clark County Board of Health for Leadership of Public Health Advisory Council 2003-2006
• 2005 WSU Vancouver, Student Services Humanitarian Award
• 2001 ANA Honorary Recognition Award, Washington State Nurses Association
• 1992 Award for Unique Contribution to the Advancement of Nursing Diagnosis, North American Nursing Diagnosis Association
• 1986 Women of Achievement Community Award, by Clark College Women’s Programs and YWCA of Clark County