Honored Alumni

Excerpts from Her Homecoming 2022 Address

“The foundation of my nursing career has prepared me as I grew over the years to become a utility player,” said Marie Thorup Lewis (BS’ 89). “What is the utility player? Many players on a baseball field are good at and learn skills in one position, but very few can switch positions or fill in two to three positions. When someone does master the skills of many positions in the field, they’re more valuable and are called the utility player.”

As a dedicated, skilled registered nurse with a broad range of healthcare experience in public health, oncology, and hospice nursing, Lewis compared mastering these fields while working in embassy, hospital, outpatient, and school environments during the past 30 years.

“I was serving as a part-time U.S. Embassy nurse in Morocco when I was diagnosed with breast cancer which required me to return to the states for treatment,” Lewis recalled. “As difficult as that time was, it better prepared me for my future in busy work where I felt more able to serve my colleagues when they experienced their medical challenges requiring medical evacuation. Being overseas and experiencing a health crisis can be traumatic as it can potentially uproot the entire family and impact careers and education on top of the medical emergency.”

Lewis later served as a full-time RN in the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, a health unit for embassy employees and dependents. She remembered that during her first year there, she saw over 4000 patients and distributed over 1000 vaccines.

After three years in Jordan, they returned to McLean, Virginia. Following some time to decompress, Lewis began working for a hospital supporting the uninsured in Arlington County, Virginia. Subsequently, 30 days later, COVID-19 shut down businesses and changed life for everyone.

A conversation Lewis had with her sister-in-law is vital. Lewis said, “I told her that maybe I had chosen the wrong time to return to work. She didn’t even have to think about her response. Instead, her quick response came, ‘Or, maybe it was the right time!’ Well, that’s exactly what I needed to hear. And it completely changed my attitude! How could I sit back as an RN during this pandemic and not do my part?”

As Lewis reflected on her career and what it meant to be a utility player, she knew it meant mastering the fundamentals of nursing. She is always looking to improve no matter where she is asked to serve by “putting the team first, pushing aside any ego, accepting those growth assignments that perhaps you didn’t anticipate years ago as a student, and trusting in your teammates, staying focused on team and personal goals and objectives, and aligning your priorities accordingly along the way.”

Establishing “Learning the Healer’s Art”

After 41 years of heartfelt service to the College of Nursing at Brigham Young University, associate professor Dr. Mary Williams (BS ’71) retired in July 2019.

She was recognized with the university’s Alumni Achievement Award during Homecoming 2021. When asked what receiving the honor meant to her, Dr. Williams said, “It’s probably one of the greatest honors I have ever received. And it’s because of who’s giving it to me. I have spent much of my life here. I have watched the college grow. I’ve had the opportunity to interact with the faculty here. I’ve had the chance to be blessed to interact with many students. I know what the mission of the College of Nursing is. And so to receive this honor from an institution that I love and has been so much a part of my life. I am overwhelmed by it. And I’m so appreciative that they would think and give it to me.”

As a student in 1967, caring faculty taught Williams the power of her potential, the love of nursing, and how to care for patients in the Savior’s way. After she failed bedmaking, faculty member Chloe D. Tillery gave her private lessons. (Williams can still make the tightest bed and the best square corner.) She graduated in 1971 and went to work for LDS Hospital in the plastic/burn unit as a staff nurse, assistant head nurse, and head nurse.

In 1978, she accepted a teaching position at the College of Nursing and began teaching introductory and advanced medical/surgical and ICU courses. She returned to school and obtained a master’s degree from the University of Utah and a doctor of philosophy from the University of Arizona.

Williams became the associate dean for the graduate program in 1990 and served in that capacity with five college deans for 27 years (until June 2017). She was the chair of the college’s 40th-, 50th-, and 60th-anniversary celebrations and was instrumental in establishing “learning the Healer’s art” as the mantra for the program (it was the theme of the 40-year gala).

Professional and community service have enriched her life as she served the Utah Board of Nursing, the Utah Hospital Association, and, for the past 20 years, as chair of the Mountain View Hospital board of directors.

In 2009, Williams was honored with the university’s Wesley P. Lloyd Award for Distinction in Graduate Education. Her influence in student research has kept the students and their theses strong. She chaired over 44 master’s projects, served as a committee member for an additional 42, and coauthored or wrote more than 30 publications focusing on timely issues and trends in the nursing industry.

Excerpts from Her Homecoming 2019 Address

“We all have a story. And even if you do not feel like yours is anything unique or different, we all make a difference in people’s lives,” says Dr. Kelly K. Wosnik (BS ’99, MS ’03).

Wosnik, a nurse practitioner and founder of Bristol Health, first learned about medicine as a patient, not a provider. Born with a genetic condition called cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) that affects teeth and most of the bones in the body, she underwent many difficult surgeries while growing up. Her experiences led her to study nursing at BYU, where she was befriended and mentored by caring faculty.

Confidence from a mentor and gentle reassurance can make a huge difference to anyone. “I’ve had many of those reassuring people throughout my life,” she says. “The biggest thing is to rely on the Lord. You can try independently, but I guarantee you cannot succeed without His help.”

And anyone who works with Wosnik knows she frequently says, “I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m just doing it. And the Lord assists. The one thing I know for sure is that Heavenly Father does know all and that He knows how to help me do it.”

Wosnik completed the family nurse practitioner program at BYU in 2003, graduating as valedictorian. In 2009, she earned a DNP from the University of Utah. Since then, she has established an on-site medical clinic for Mountain Country Foods, a dog food treat manufacturer with more than 400 employees. In addition, she now employs 20 people through her clinic as she bridges family medicine and psychiatry to meet patients’ mental health needs.

As part of her master’s thesis on CCD, she found dozens of people with similar experiences to hers. (The congenital disability affects approximately one in a million births.) Unfortunately, there was limited medical information about it. Doctors about their symptoms and conditions teach, most of the time, those living with it.

In 2017, she established the nonprofit organization CCD Smiles to develop awareness for CCD and support those with the condition. To help promote the resources, she teamed up with Gaten Matarazzo, the actor who plays Dustin on Stranger Things, who also has the disorder.

She often says that her heart is not big enough to continue caring for so many. “It’s so hard to show the emotional strength to help people with depression, anxiety, heartache, or CCD. But [the Lord] continues giving strength to me, and I feel connected to Him. When I walk into my clinic, it is almost like having Heavenly Father helping me,” she concludes. “I love mental health.”

Crafting Yarn Wigs for Children Battling Cancer

BYU alumna Holly W. Christensen (BS ’06) smiled wonderfully as assembling the last yarn wig finished, and The Magic Yarn Project’s largest-ever wig workshop ended. “No one leaves these workshops without a smile on their face or without feeling like their simple act of love will make the world a better place,” says Christensen, a co-founder of The Magic Yarn Project.

The nonprofit organization began in 2015 when Christensen, a resident of Palmer, Alaska, discovered that the daughter of her BYU nursing classmate Rachel Gammon Mecham (BS ’06) had lymphoma. Shortly before that, she prayed for more comfort, peace, joy, and purpose (despite having three young children, a happy marriage, and a great career). Those early-morning prayers gave insight for her to find others to serve.

“As an oncology nurse, I have worked at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston—perhaps the nation’s preeminent hospital for cancer treatment,” she says. “I’ve seen the worst of the worst. And I have been drawn to people suffering in that way ever since. One of the things I learned in this situation is that I cannot do everything, but I can do something.”

For Christensen, doing something meant crafting a yarn princess-style wig for the girl to wear. Then, watching her put on the wig and twirl around in a pink dress with a carefree smile, Christensen decided to make more wigs. Three years later, The Magic Yarn Project has been featured on TV programs (ABC News, Today, CNN), national print and online publications (Huffington Post, People magazine), and dozens of healthcare-related bulletins. The organization has given joy to more than 9,300 children battling cancer in 42 countries. Each child has received a handmade princess or pirate yarn wig at no cost, made by a volunteer at one of the many wig workshops nationwide.

Because of the foundation’s success, Christensen has had to cut back her hours as a nurse. However, the same kindness and empathy she shows her patients goes into every wig she crafts and workshop she hosts.

“I certainly never intended this cause to become such a huge part of my life and for my family and me to sacrifice so much for it, but it is worth it,” says Christensen. “Not only are we serving these children and their families by bringing them joy, but we are bringing happiness into the lives of so many volunteers with the opportunity to create a little magic for children worldwide who are going through so much.”

Excerpts from Her Homecoming 2017 Address

“I didn’t become a nurse to be an executive—even though I do that well,” said Nancy Kuehner Kraus (AS ’80, BS ’82) in her lecture to BYU College of Nursing students, friends, faculty, and alumni. “I became a nurse to relieve suffering, connect with people, and make a difference in individuals’ lives.”

In October 2017, Kraus received the university’s Alumni Achievement Award from the college for her contribution to nursing. As a nurse administrator, she is the executive director of critical care and the director of the clinical education magnet program for Children’s Hospital of Orange County, California.

“Whether being a 24/7 on-call nurse for neighbors and ward members with feverish babies or foolhardy teens, I have always enjoyed a personal mission and ministry of service to others in my community,” said Kraus. “But, considering my circle of influence and my nursing skills, I felt I needed to do more to lift others.”

Her decision led to spending a week in the Houston Astrodome in 2005, giving urgent care to Hurricane Katrina evacuees. After that experience, Kraus continued to look for volunteer opportunities. It took some time for her to find the right fit, but she made a connection with the nonprofit Operation Smile International.

“In many ways, for just the price of a soda, you can bless the lives of children in need,” stated Kraus. “To us, that same amount of money doesn’t offer much. But in these situations, it could be the difference between getting a bus ticket to travel several hours to stand in line hoping to be seen and considered for surgery or waiting another year for this charity to return to your country.”

Kraus has long looked to Mother Teresa as a hero. Like Florence Nightingale, this caring nun made an incredible difference in her part of the world. The day Kraus visited the resting place of Mother Teresa in Kolkata, the words “love seeks to serve” were spelled out in flower petals on the grave. That is a favorite phrase for Kraus, who considered it a tender mercy from the Lord for her service.

“When we are ready and willing, God finds a way to use us to bless others,” said Kraus. “For me, it has been with different faces in different places. But you will never falter if you see all individuals as the Savior sees them.”

Excerpts from Her Homecoming 2016 Address

“I believe that for us to move healthcare forward into achieving quality healthcare and outcomes, we must have transparency,” says Marie Mellor Prothero (MS ’96), MSN, RN, FACHE. [At the time of the lecture], Prothero is the executive director of quality for St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. She oversees her organization’s quality assurance, including electronic reporting, patient concerns, and physician compliance. She also strives to improve process flow and safety efforts. Prothero is currently working on a Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Utah; her dissertation is focused on transparency in healthcare and the role of an apology following a medical error.

The attributes of an apology include expressing regret and sorrow, admitting fault with a statement that an error occurred, listening with dignity and respect, correcting the mistake and ensuring it will not happen again, and offering restitution to the victim.

Her studies highlight several antecedents, such as why we apologize and the corollaries of not apologizing when there is a medical mistake or accident. “We must realize [that the] consequences of not apologizing affect our emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being,” says Prothero. “And if left unresolved, [mistakes] can create feelings of bitterness and even increase litigation and settlement costs.”

To give an effective apology, one must express regret and sorrow; you cannot fully apologize without remorse. “A conversation casually informing a patient of the error is inadequate,” says Prothero, “and so is a statement that seems forced and insults others’ intelligence.” Appropriately apologizing takes the right setting and practice.

Prothero’s research serves as a starting point for additional inquiry to explore the nature and types of apologies. In addition, it will help other nurse leaders identify what comes after the apology and if the patient-provider relationship can be repaired. “There must be ongoing communication as additional details are learned—with the patient and family members, as well as with unit staff and hospital administrators,” she says. “Once we identify system changes, we must involve others to ensure needs are met, and proper training occurs.”

Further, Prothero’s studies clarify the role of nursing in disclosure, apology, and creating a culture of safety in which everyone feels valued and able to speak up. “We must continue the important work of quality assurance, process improvement, and system improvement,” she says. “Never forget that every patient matters.”

She also emphasizes that nurses have the opportunity to be leaders with a broad impact on their organization. “Leadership is interdisciplinary and [is] a team approach,” she says. “You must know your strengths and weaknesses and understand what you bring to the team. Then surround yourself with people different from you and learn from each other for success.”

Prothero has been a leader her whole career. Before St. Mark’s, she was the CEO of Utah Valley Specialty Hospital in Provo for seven years, the CEO of Ernest Health for four years, and an operations officer with Intermountain Healthcare for 22 years.

“Never stop learning and developing your nursing and leadership skills,” she concludes. “Success comes from ensuring the success of your peers. Take time to remove roadblocks, recognize achievement, and encourage others. You can see the best in your team by being a positive influence.”

Excerpts from Her Homecoming 2015 Address

When Alison Tanner Wright graduated from the BYU College of Nursing, she had no idea how far-reaching her degree would be. From orphans in South Africa to the homeless in Salt Lake City, Wright has ceaselessly served those around her—an endeavor that has shown her the worth of each individual as a child of God.

“Who decided dandelions are weeds?” she asks. “Who decides when that charming yellow flower is in the wrong place? Who decides the intrinsic value of a child of God?”

While serving at the Mohau Child and Youth Care Centre in South Africa, Wright worked with many “dandelions”—orphaned and abandoned children affected by HIV. While providing healthcare and love to these children, she often found them teaching her numerous life lessons. “These beautiful African dandelions taught me that I need to find joy wherever I am planted, even if it’s a barren terrain,” she says.

During her time in South Africa, Wright also worked with the Missionaries of Charity, whose mission is to care for everyone in need: the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the unloved, and the outcast. “In other words, they care for dandelions,” Wright says.

A group of these sisters ran a children’s home serving 42 severely handicapped children in a destitute, remote South African village. They had taken a vow of poverty and obtained food for these children through begging. Yet, despite their difficult circumstances, the sisters were consistently cheerful, singing and laughing as they cared for these children.

Each child wore a cloth diaper, and the sisters spent innumerable hours washing each diaper by hand. After seeing the time and effort, this process took Wright and her group offered to donate washing machines and dryers to the sisters to aid them in their service. Much to Wright’s surprise, the sisters kindly rejected this offer. “They explained that a washing machine would deny them the privilege of serving the Lord’s children with their own hands,” she says.

Wright learned a profound lesson on the blessings of service from these sisters. “Each of us,” she says, “has the innate and individual capacity to use our hands to make a difference, whether we change the world or wipe away a single tear.”

After three years in South Africa, Wright and her family returned to the United States. Wright later attended Westminster College in Salt Lake City to earn her master’s degree and become a nurse practitioner. She now serves as medical director of the Fourth Street Clinic in Salt Lake City. While working in this capacity, she has met many more dandelions who have taught her valuable life lessons.

Wright learned a lesson of great faith from Ben, one of the homeless people served by the Fourth Street Clinic. Ben’s mother died when he was three, and, having never met his father, he was raised in foster homes, boys’ homes, and juvenile detention facilities. “I was told that I had HIV ten years ago,” he said to Wright during an examination. “The doctors wanted to do all these things, and I told them that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He has taken such good care of me my whole life. My Savior Jesus Christ has never forgotten me.”

Of this dandelion, Wright says, “He taught me that peace comes from faith in Jesus Christ and that faith encompasses forgiveness, gratitude, and hope.”

Wright closed her speech by emphasizing the individual worth of each person on the earth and encouraging us to look for the value in everyone: “When we look upon the field of life, scattered with bright yellow flowers, some may see weeds. But let us choose to see flowers.”

Excerpts from Her Homecoming 2014 Address

Kochevar started her nursing career as a nurse’s aide for the Doxey Hatch Medical Center in Salt Lake City. From this foundational job, she acquired morning/evening routine-care techniques, time management skills, and a love of the elderly.

Nursing school helped her develop a foundation for healing others, she said. “My time at BYU taught me how to learn and that I could do scary stuff. The things that made me most afraid had to be dealt with before the end of the semester as we moved on to other procedures that seemed even more intimidating.

Later in her career, she was among 20 nurses called to serve a welfare service mission in South America for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She developed a self-reliance program and helped members of the Church learn to solve problems with their resources. During this time, she gained a love for Latin people, learned the Spanish language, and met her future husband.

Throughout her career, Kochevar has taught nursing skills and procedures to many, including at Utah Valley Community College (now Utah Valley University), a paramedic school, and other emergency medical services teams. While living in Henderson, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas, Kochevar has taught paramedic renewal education to Special Operations military medics. “I find this group quite humble and a teachable population,” she said. “They appreciate this type of education and have use for it on actual military missions.” She has also had the opportunity to help soldiers with “mommy medicine,” like stomach aches and muscle cramps. “Be open to the many career opportunities that will come to you,” Kochevar concluded. “This brings new challenges, skills, and enjoyment if you let it. Therefore the job I loved the most was all of them—for different reasons.”

Excerpts from Her Homecoming 2013 Address

In a lecture to college students, friends, faculty, and alumni, Mangum outlined five givens she discovered during her nursing career:

One. Always keep your license current, and work at least one day a week. Mangum explained that nurses never know when they will need to work full-time. In addition, keeping your license current allows you to be available for employment and volunteer opportunities.

Two. Be observing. In a world where machines can quickly become the center of attention, Mangum advises nurses to have the courage to care about the individual and to remember that each patient is one of God’s children. Being a patient-centered nurse will take you far and create joy in daily tasks. “The Spirit will guide you during what seems to be a routine work day. Mangum says.

Three. Have a questioning mind. Be proactive in determining your patient’s care by constantly analyzing what the patient will need next, possible side effects of medication, and other aspects of care. Always read and study research involving your area of work. Be at the forefront of nursing knowledge.

Four. Serve a mission at some time in your life. There are more than hundreds of nurses serving as full- or part-time missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These opportunities can come at the start or the end of a nursing career. Mangum encourages alumni to consider extending their careers by supporting the health and well-being of Church missionaries: apply as a missionary and designate on your paperwork that you are a registered nurse and want to serve as a mission nurse specialist.

Five. Make room in your life for humanitarian work. Mangum is an excellent example of this practice. Mangum has served surgical missions in Guatemala with the Hirsche Smiles Foundation since 2000, and she continues volunteering.

Excerpts from Her Homecoming 2012 Address

Thirty years ago, I drove to the University Hospital, knowing I was doing the right thing. The only job available was the burn unit night shift staff nurse. I had no idea what I was starting. I interviewed, admitting no experience as a new grad, but I somehow connected with the nurse leader. She said she would train me and knew I would do well. And so it began.

With the help of my experienced instructors, my studies at BYU gave me a great foundation—organizational skills, knowledge of resources, strength, and confidence. However, I realized there was so much more once I got the basics and the routine.

Oh, I appreciate the time it takes to learn the art of nursing! You don’t always get the perfect mix of ingredients right the first or second time you try a recipe. Start with that foundation and build on it, line upon line. My knowledge of the Lord’s help in my work has intensified and become more apparent daily.

I am deeply moved by the human body’s ability to heal with the right treatments and care. I am even more driven by the strength of spirit and the growth that comes from tragedy and challenges. Through working in the burn unit, I slowly gained confidence enough to see my patients not as they now are (in a tragically injured state) but as part of a family, a part of the community, actively involved in life with all of those commitments, talents, strengths, and struggles. I started to understand the necessity of treating my patient as a person, valuable in the eyes of the Lord—just like me. What special care could I give this individual? How could I make a difference in this person’s life? How can I make it better?

A few years after becoming a nurse, I watched my mother die of cancer. Sitting with her in the hospital room, I noted everything I needed to do to be a better nurse. However, what stood out to me weren’t the tasks and physical procedures; it was the spiritual care required; it was learning the Healer’s art.

I realize most anyone can learn the tasks and cares required for the job, but to be a good nurse takes love, integrity, respect for self and others, and unconditional positive regard. When a nurse can witness severe physical pain or grief without feeling anything, perhaps it’s time to remove themselves from patient care. Being a nurse needs to be all about the patient!

Debra F. Hobbins, DNP, APRN, LSAC, CARN-AP

 Honored Alumna, Debra (Deb) Hobbins expressed gratitude for her BYU experience:

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ and truths contained in The Book of Mormon changed my life," she explained. "I came to BYU years ago as a nascent convert, unsure of myself and the intricacies of the Gospel. I was privileged to learn to become a nurse, with the Gospel as my foundation. While attending BYU, I met stellar examples of Christ-like living in classes, in clinical, and in the dorm. Faculty, students and patients alike strengthened my testimony."

After graduating with an associate degree in nursing from BYU in 1974, Debra F. Hobbins earned a bachelor's degree from California State University Long Beach, master's degree from California State University Dominguez Hills, and a DNP from the University of Utah. She is also certified as a Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner.

Intensive care, labor and delivery, women's health, veterans and home health care are among the clinical settings where Dr. Hobbins has worked. She has been a faculty member at BYU and the University of Utah, teaching courses in maternal/newborn, women's health, physical assessment, and nursing fundamentals. She is currently active in local, state, and national committees dealing with substance abuse, addiction, and addiction treatment.

Dr. Hobbins was selected as Nurse Practitioner of the Year by the national Pfizer/American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in 1999. She was the 2004 president of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN).

Despite a successful career in the nursing profession, Hobbins says her major life accomplishment is that of mothering ten children.

"Being a mother has taught me more about unconditional love, life, sacrifice, forgiveness, selflessness, and the veracity of the Plan of Salvation and our Father's love for us than anything else I have experienced in this life," she said.

Hobbins further noted, "President Hinckley encouraged us to 'stand for something.' It is crucial for each of us to take a stand for peace and offer Christ-like love to our fellow man. Let us determine to promote accessibility to clean, safe, and wholesome food, water, land, and air for all of our Father's children; for without such, health and healing are unattainable and our most sincere efforts in vain."

Dr. Hobbins is married to Dr. Douglas K. Furr. They reside in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Laura Poe

I first became exposed to the political and regulatory side of nursing while attending the BYU/Salt Lake Campus. I learned to be a healer, advocate, lobbyist, and educator. Throughout my schooling and professional life, I have been able to use my scientific, logical side to influence policy and statutes, while using my humanity to help others heal and to make a difference in another person's life. I've been blessed to be involved in the art and science of nursing, and hopefully have been able to have a positive impact along the way.

Ann Carlson Eves

Ann Carlson Eves is the Chief Nursing Officer at Intermountain Healthcare, Urban South Region. She earned an Associate of Science degree in Nursing in 1971 from BYU College of Nursing and later returned to BYU for completion of a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1988.

Eves began her career as a staff nurse at LDS Hospital and Mountain View Hospital. As Nurse Manager at Orem Community Hospital, she managed a staff of 60 professionals on the labor and delivery/medical surgical unit, and later became the Nursing Director for the Urban South Region of Intermountain Health Care. In her current position as Chief Nursing Officer, she is accountable for nursing, quality, risk management, and care management for American Fork Hospital, Orem Community Hospital and Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

In 1994, the Manager of the Year award for Orem Community Hospital was presented to Ann C. Eves. She is also the recipient of the first Manager of Distinction award for the Urban South Region, Intermountain Health Care.

Ann and her husband, Howard, are the parents of four children.

Photo by Kaitlyn Pieper

Photo by Kaitlyn Pieper

Dallas L. Earnshaw

Dallas L. Earnshaw (Class of ’86) is the director of Utah State Hospital, Provo, Utah (384 beds). He is recognized as one of the first administrators to bring National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) sponsored education programs into the hospital setting. A Board Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Psychiatry, he oversaw the development of one of the first Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in a state psychiatric hospital, recognized as one of the three best EMRs in the country. He also promoted the development and implementation of a Best Practice Model and a collaborative relationship with state academic institutions.

Earnshaw is the recipient of the 1999 Manager of the Year award from the Utah State Department of Human Services and is Vice-President of the Western Psychiatric State Hospital Association.

Mr. Earnshaw resides in Springville, UT with his wife, Kassidy, and their four children.

Elaine Sorensen Marshall

She earned B.S. and M.S. in Nursing, and Ph.D. in Health Education and Nursing from the University of Utah. Her clinical background is in family-child and community nursing. She has worked in hospitals and in community health, and served for 18 months as a health services missionary in Colombia, South America. Prior to her faculty appointment at BYU in 1987, she was a member of the faculty at the University of Utah College of Nursing. At BYU she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in maternal-child nursing, nursing leadership, community nursing, nursing theory, research, and religion. Prior to her appointment as Dean, she was Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship.

Under her leadership, donated funds to the College of Nursing increased from a few thousand dollars to over a million dollars, and the nursing graduate program moved from unranked to 58th rank in the US News and World Report. Other College achievements include strengthening the undergraduate program, projects to increase undergraduate enrollment, steady increases in faculty scholarship, expansion of international experiences, and refining the College mission. She forged a partnership with Oregon Health and Science University to provide the Ph.D. program to BYU faculty by teleconferencing, and negotiated support for faculty doctoral study. She established the College Alumni Board, the College Volunteer Leadership Council, and the College development office, and led the College in hosting national meetings of the Neuman Systems Trustees and the American Association for the History of Nursing.

As a leader in the discipline, she has served as Vice President of the American Association for the History of Nursing (AAHN) and on executive boards of the Western Institute of Nursing (WIN), the Western Society for Research in Nursing, and Thrasher Research fund; also on committees of the National Council on Family Relations, and as an adjunct reviewer for the Nursing Research Study Section of the National Institutes of Health. She has been Chair of the Master?s Conference Committee and a member of the Program Committee of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the local region of Intermountain Health Care.

Recent honors include Distinguished Service Award from Utah Organization of Nurse Leaders, AACN/Fuld Leadership Fellow, the Lavinia Dock Award from AAHN, and the Jo Eleanor Elliott Leadership Award from WIN. She was also named Nurse of the Year for Excellence in Nursing Research by the Utah State Nurses Association, one of the Top 25 Women in Health Care by Utah Business Magazine, and Best of State Utah educator.

She is the author of over 50 book chapters, professional, and popular articles, and has given over 130 professional and research presentations. Her book, Children's Stress and Coping: A Family Perspective, was awarded the New Professional Book Award by the National Council on Family Relations. Her latest book with co-editor Russell Crane, Handbook of Families and Health: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (2006) was positively reviewed by the New England Journal of Medicine.

Carol A. Bush

Carol A. Bush chose to become a nurse because of her desire to help people who were ill and who could benefit from her help. Initially, she did not plan to work in the administrative field of nursing, but she trained to be a leader, and her work facilitating the ability of others to do superior nursing has given her many management opportunities and much satisfaction.

Upon her graduation from BYU's nursing program in 1965, Bush was hired as a clinical instructor for BYU undergraduate students and LPN nurses. She also worked at Utah Valley Hospital on the medical, surgical, and OB/GYN floors. After earning a master's degree in 1969 in nursing administration from the University of Colorado, she became a leader, first as assistant, then director of nursing at LDS Hospital.

Significant leadership followed: corporate director of nursing for Intermountain Health Care, assistant vice president of nursing for IHC, chair of the Utah Board of Nursing, and president of the Utah Organization of Nurse Executives.

Bush continues to serve her alma mater as an adjunct professor, a college representative for the BYU Alumni Board and chair of the BYU Nursing Alumni Board. She has also taught at the University of Utah.

She sees the education she received as invaluable. "By earning my nursing degree at BYU", she says, "I received not only an excellent scientific education, but I also gained, at the same time, an awareness of the spiritual component so important in the nursing profession. As my career has played out, I feel that the imp0act of that spiritual component has not only guided me, but has also helped me make decisions in the best interest of those with whom I have associated."

Paula Foil Julander

Paula Foil Julander has extensive contact with public, news media, health care advocates, and public relations and government affairs experts. She is widely recognized for expertise on policy issues of health care, higher education, women's issues, child sexual abuse, and child protection. She completed her first four-year term as Utah State Senator - District Two, and ran unopposed for re-election in 2002. She served as the Senate Democratic Whip 1999-2000. She also served on the following national committees: National Conference of State Legislature Committee on Families and Children; chair of board of directors for national organization of Women In Government.

She earned a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from BYU in 1990. She also received the Sigma Xi Certificate of Recognition for outstanding MS Thesis. She is currently the Director of 100% for Kids Foundation in Utah League of Credit Unions. She had held the position of Executive Director of the Utah Nurses Association from 1993-1998.

She was awarded with the prestigious Lucy Beth Rampton Award (to honor a woman who has contributed time and effort for women's causes) in 2005. She was also awarded with the Women's Achievement Award by the Utah Commission for Women and Families. In 2004 she became the Chair of Women In Government and is presently the Board Member of Intermountain Health Care, Urban Central Region.

Roger Brooks Buxton

Roger Brooks Buxton has had an extensive career as a nurse and administrator. He worked 10 years in the Thoracic ICU at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. While there,he was assistant head nurse for five years and lead the development of the first LDS Hospital intra aortic balloon pump team and participated with Life Flight for fixed wing air transport of circulatory supported patients. He managed the LDS

Hospital MSICU for five years. He managed the Cottonwood Hospital staffing office, PRN pool, and special projects. He was director of Nursing Information Systems for the Urban Central Region of Intermountain Health Care for more than 10 years and currently works with the IHC Health Data Dictionary team.

Roger served nine years on the Utah State Board of Nursing in various leadership position and five years on the Utah State Recovery Assistance Program for impaired Professionals.

He earned an assoicate's degree and bachelors degree in nursing from BYU in 1976 and 1979 and a master's degree in nursing administration from the University of Utah in 1992. Roger is currently serving as Chairman of the College of Nursing Alumni Board and as College Director for the BYU Alumni Board.

He and his wife Johanna have four children and live in West Valley City, Utah.

Carol W. Brumfield

A member of our first graduating class, Carol has spent nearly 50 years devoting her life to nursing. Carol served a mission to Brazil in 1958-60. After which she joined the faculty at the College of Nursing where she taught for 16 years, influencing over 1000 students who benefited from her knowledge, expertise, and friendship.

Carol was voted one of the two most influential instructors by those attending the College of Nursing's 40-year anniversary.

In 1974 she moved with her family to Mississippi. Upon returning to Utah in 1986, she managed a service for women and children where she continued her positive impact on BYU nursing students during their clinical rotations.

Currently serving as a member of the Alumni Board, Carol continues to be a positive influence for BYU's College of Nursing. Carol and her husband have three children and live in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Sandra Rogers, DNSc, RN

International vice president at Brigham Young University.

Dean of the College of Nursing from 1993 to 1999.

She has given significant service leading international health and development projects in Nigeria, Jordan, the Philippines, and other parts of the world.