Public Health Nurse and US Army Officer Embodies Leadership in Nursing and Public Service
As the National League for Nursing (NLN) (@NLN) prepares to celebrate 125 years of leadership in nursing education, the theme of this year’s annual Education Summit in Chicago, one highlight of the Opening Session on Wednesday, September 12 is the keynote address by the U.S. Deputy Surgeon General, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, PhD, RN, FAAN. Rear Admiral Trent-Adams will highlight the power of nursing education over the years and the role of nurse leaders in the current transformation of health care delivery. Following her address, Rear Admiral Trent Adams will invite audience discussion in a Q&A.
“There is no more fitting way to celebrate our 125th anniversary than by hearing from a trailblazer who has inspired so many. A pathfinder in her own right, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams’ career as a clinician and public servant has made contributions to the nation’s health. She will certainly encourage thoughtful discussion among faculty, deans and administrators of nursing schools, students, and other health care professionals,” said NLN President G. Rumay Alexander, EdD, RN, FAAN, a professor and associate vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion/chief diversity officer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Added NLN CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN: “We look forward to hearing her words of wisdom and insights, based on decades of leadership in public health nursing. She will no doubt provide invaluable guidance for nurse educators as we prepare future clinicians and scholars to meet the demands of the century’s dynamic, sophisticated health care environment and to advance the health of the nation and the global community.”
From April until September 2017, Rear Admiral Trent-Adams served as the acting U.S. Surgeon General, which was the first time a nurse was named to that prestigious post. Dr. Jerome Adams, was sworn in in September 2017.
As Deputy Surgeon General, Rear Admiral. Trent-Adams advises and supports the U.S. Surgeon General in operating the Commissioned Corps and in communicating the best available scientific information to advance the nation’s health. She was chief nurse officer from 2013 to 2016, advising the Surgeon General’s office and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on recruitment, assignment, deployment, retention; and career development of Corps nurse professionals.
At HHS, she has worked to improve access to care for poor and underserved communities. As a clinician and administrator, she has had a direct impact on building systems of care to improve public health for marginalized populations domestically and internationally. Prior to joining the Office of the Surgeon General, RADM Sylvia Trent-Adams was the Deputy Associate Administrator for the HIV/AIDS Bureau in the Health Resources and Services Administration, where she shepherded the $2.3 billion Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in its funding of medical care, and support services for uninsured and underserved individuals living with HIV.
The 2018 Education Summit, Celebrating 125 Years of Leadership in Nursing Education, will take place Wednesday–Friday, September 12–14 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. Everyone is urged to take advantage of early bird registration offered through May 31, to secure the best available rates for lodging.
See complete information about the 2018 Education Summit, including online registration.