Dr. Kimberly Dunker is the director of the MSN/DNP program at Loma Linda University. She is certified as a nurse educator and clinical nurse educator. She has experience in a variety of critical care nursing specialties, including adult, Surgical, Oncology, Neurology, and Cardiac Care. She is a highly experienced educator and campus leader who has championed student success and faculty development through her roles as a theory and clinical educator.

Dr. Dunker has multiple publications on various topics. Her DNP Doctoral research focused on the thesis of “Empowerment of Nursing Faculty,” and her PhD Dissertation is entitled: An Exploration of the Clinical Senior Nursing Students Preceptor Relationship. She is an experienced instructor in almost every curricular area of Nursing. Her leadership focuses on faculty development and authentic transformational leadership of both faculty and students.

Ronald Vance, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, is an Associate Professor of Nursing whose work centers on nursing leadership and the scholarship of teaching and learning. His teaching and research explore how innovative strategies—such as AI-enabled active learning and community-based experiences—enhance professional identity, clinical judgment, and interprofessional collaboration among nursing students. Dr. Vance has led curriculum redesign initiatives aligned with the AACN Essentials and developed immersive learning experiences, including the Marine Corps Marathon medical volunteer pilot. His scholarship reflects a deep commitment to preparing the next generation of nurses to lead with compassion, adaptability, and excellence in an evolving healthcare landscape.

Christopher (Chris) M. Smith, PhD, MSN, RN, GCQM, is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, College of Health & Human Services, School of Nursing. Dr. Smith earned a PhD in Nursing Science from East Carolina University. He also earned a post-master's certificate in Quantitative Methods for Social and Behavioral Sciences in ECU's Department of Psychology, where he cultivated interests in psychometrics and latent variable modeling. Dr. Smith's primary research is in cardiometabolic health in rural populations, with a focused interest in metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms that drive cardiovascular and blood pressure outcomes. Most recently, he received the 2024 Emerging Leader in Science award from Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences.