This past month, 11 Risepoint leaders attended the American Academy of Nursing Health Policy Conference in Washington, DC. The annual conference brings together academic leaders, nursing scientists, educators, healthcare executives, and policy leaders from across the country, including the most accomplished leaders and institutions in the discipline.
Each year, the American Academy of Nursing recognizes nurse leaders who have made significant and sustained contributions to the profession and to improving health and healthcare by inducting them as Fellows of the Academy. Fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) is widely regarded as the highest honor in the nursing profession.
This year, Risepoint celebrated four newly inducted Fellows from institutions where we support nursing programs.
I joined Risepoint in May as Senior Executive Director for Health Professions Education, but I’ve been a Fellow of the Academy since 2022 and currently serve in multiple Academy leadership roles, including as the Board-appointed Chair of the Academy’s EDI Committee and an elected member of the Fellow Selection Committee.1
In my capacity as Chair, I had the opportunity to lead approximately 1,000 Fellows through a mission reflection before introducing Risepoint as the 2026 Welcome Reception Sponsor. It was an honor to represent Risepoint while celebrating leaders whose work has made an enduring contribution to nursing and healthcare through their leadership, scholarship, and innovation.
The Academy includes more than 3,600 Fellows drawn from a nursing workforce of more than 5 million registered nurses in the United States, as well as nurse leaders internationally. Historically, many Fellows have come from academic and university settings, while the Academy today also includes leaders from health systems, government, industry, and other practice environments.
That expanding representation aligns well with our focus at Risepoint, where we’re prioritizing meaningful collaboration between higher education institutions and healthcare employers to better align academic programs with the evolving needs of healthcare delivery, workforce needs, and patient care.
There was something incredibly meaningful about seeing Risepoint represented alongside some of the nation’s leading healthcare organizations, including fellow sponsors Stanford Health Care, Mount Sinai, Cedars-Sinai, and RWJBarnabas Health, as well as outstanding nursing schools such as NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Joining these institutions was a timely way to share the progress we’re making with our evolving healthcare strategy.
Geoffrey M. Roche, MPA, Senior Vice President at Risepoint, leads our Healthcare Solutions team and shared his comments on the importance of this event. “I have long believed that the future of healthcare workforce development depends on our ability to bring academic education and industry practice closer together,” said Roche. “Healthcare employers understand the challenges facing their workforce, while academic institutions bring tremendous expertise in education, innovation, and preparing future healthcare professionals. When we bring these perspectives together through genuine collaboration, we have an opportunity to create more accessible educational pathways, strengthen workforce readiness, and support the healthcare professionals and communities we collectively serve. That is the kind of meaningful connection and collaboration we are committed to advancing at Risepoint.”
The conference also provided an opportunity for Risepoint leaders to engage with issues shaping the future of healthcare and higher education. This year’s conference placed particular emphasis on artificial intelligence and its implications for nursing, education, clinical practice, and the workforce. Academic and healthcare leaders are asking many of the same questions about AI: how to use it effectively, remain grounded in professional and organizational values, and ensure that technology strengthens rather than diminishes the human workforce. These are central to the conversations we are having with partners and across the industry.
Beyond the formal conference programming, the event created opportunities to deepen relationships with current and prospective academic partners. “I very much appreciated the opportunity to celebrate with our partners,” said Di Childress, Senior Vice President for University Partnerships. “I was able to connect with Dr. Elda Ramirez, Dean of Texas A&M International University, and Dr. Maxine Adegbola, one of the new inductees, from the University of Texas at Arlington. The experience also highlighted the power of relationships. I reconnected with the Dean of the School of Nursing at Baylor University, Dr. Tanya Sudia, with whom I had worked previously. With Keypath North America’s integration into our company, Baylor University School of Nursing is now also a partner—a full-circle moment.”
Summer Green, EdD, Senior Vice President for University Partnerships, reflected on the opportunity to support our growing presence in healthcare and nursing education at Risepoint. “It was great to be there to support the work of our Risepoint healthcare leaders,” Green said. “I hope we return next year and continue building a tradition of celebrating our nurse leaders and academic partners at the Academy.”
Our attendance at the American Academy of Nursing Health Policy Conference is just the first of many opportunities like this. As we expand our work in healthcare, we look forward to participating in the conversations shaping the future of healthcare education, connecting academic institutions with the needs of employers, and recognizing the leaders whose work is advancing both education and practice.
Meet the author
Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, FACHE, ANEF, FAONL, FAAN
Dr. Stephan Davis is an award-winning healthcare leader and educator. He joined Risepoint in May after serving as the inaugural Executive Director for Leadership, Policy, and Doctor of Nursing Practice Education at the Georgetown University Berkley School of Nursing, where he continues to serve as an associate professor.
In addition to fellowship with the American Academy of Nursing, Dr. Davis is a fellow and national faculty member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. His graduate education includes a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Healthcare Leadership, Systems, and Policy from Yale University, a post-graduate certificate in evidence-based teaching in the health professions from Johns Hopkins University, and a master’s degree in health systems administration from Georgetown University. He completed executive and organizational coaching training at Columbia University.
1Fellow selections were completed prior to my arrival at Risepoint, and Fellow Selection Committee members are required to recuse themselves where conflicts exist.
