News & Events

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Marik Moen, PhD ’19, MPH, RN, associate professor, and Charvonne Holliday Nworu, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, as co-directors of the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research (CHEOR), one of the School’s research Centers of Excellence. CHEOR aims to improve health outcomes and eliminate health inequities by generating knowledge about their complex causal influences; by addressing institutional systems and structures that impede health equity and outcomes, including racism and social determinants of health; and by creating social impact through changes in policy and in clinical and community practice. Moen’s research focuses on social determinants of health, including social isolation, housing insecurity, basic income, substance use disorders (SUD), and infectious diseases. She has established urban and rural research advisory committees of people with lived experience of SUD to co-design and evaluate interventions. She is nationally recognized for advancing nurse-peer and community health worker approaches in HIV and addiction care and for building cross-sector collaborations in low-income and senior housing communities. She has extensive experience in global health, as co-lead of multi-year Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nursing capacity-building programs in Rwanda and Haiti from 2007 - 15. “I am pleased to be a part of the next era of the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research as co-director,” said Moen, who joined UMSON in 2009. “The work of our center members is driven by a commitment to equity and strong interdisciplinary partnerships that improve health and care systems for people facing complex challenges. Our scientists, practitioners, students, and community partners will advance solutions that honor lived experience, strengthen communities, and inform policies and systems to improve health for all.” Holliday Nworu joined UMSON in October. Her research focuses on intimate partner violence, reproductive coercion, and racial and gender equity, emphasizing community-engaged approaches that address the social and structural factors shaping violence and health outcomes. Through innovative work with men who have used violence against an intimate partner, Holliday Nworu brings a critical perspective often missing from public health research and practice. Most recently, she partnered with House of Ruth Maryland to develop and evaluate the first 24/7 hotline in the United States for people at risk of causing harm to an intimate partner. Her commitment to community-driven research advances equitable solutions for preventing violence and promoting health. “I am honored to serve as co-director of the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research, joining a team of exceptional scientists, practitioners, and students committed to advancing health equity,” Holliday Nworu said. “I look forward to contributing my expertise in health equity and intimate partner violence prevention and to collaborating with colleagues and community partners as we work together to drive meaningful change.” As co-directors, Moen and Nworu will encourage inclusivity in the culture and practice of research; help coordinate interdisciplinary and multiprincipal investigator research proposals, center proposals, and training grants; and help evaluate preproposals. In addition, they will advance CHEOR’s infrastructure development and communications with stakeholders and provide members with direct research engagement opportunities in the fields of geriatrics and dementia care. They envision CHEOR to be a thriving research center for interprofessional scientists to collaborate to address complex health outcomes and health inequities through contextually rich research. The center will continue to maintain an interdisciplinary membership; involve researchers at all phases of experience, from students to National Institutes of Health grant recipients; and engage in clinical, community, and research-intensive perspectives. “We are thrilled to have two new leaders, Drs. Moen and Holliday Nworu, of the CHEOR research center,” said Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gertshowitz Chair in Gerontology, and associate dean for research. “They bring an exciting perspective and research focus on pragmatic studies and community-based work across the life span.” ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Two new 40-foot-long Wellmobiles, funded by a $1 million allocation from the state of Maryland, will help pave the way for the mobile nurse-managed health clinic to expand its outreach in helping uninsured and underserved residents. Each of the new trucks features state-of-the art equipment, two exam rooms, and an entry area, and it expands to a large walk-in area when parked. An older truck remains in storage and serves as a backup, with potential use in emergencies or for special projects, such as when the Wellmobiles were used for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations during the pandemic. The Governor’s Wellmobile Program has provided continuous primary care services since its founding in 1994. Operating four days a week, it delivers care primarily to Spanish- and French-speaking, uninsured, and underserved immigrants in Prince George’s County, treating common chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. In fiscal year 2025, the program served approximately 1,600 patients. In addition to managing chronic diseases, the Wellmobile program offers preventive care and health education, including blood pressure and glucose screenings, breast exams, and referrals for cervical cancer screenings, mammography, and colonoscopy. By improving disease management, the clinic helps patients avoid costly emergency care. Wellmobile providers also participate in community outreach, including help with scheduling appointments, arranging lab work and imaging studies, and making referrals. “By meeting the primary and preventive health needs of marginalized patients, we help support healthy, vibrant communities in Central Maryland,” said Veronica Gutchell, DNP ’13, RN, CNS, CRNP, assistant professor and director of the Wellmobile program. Nurse practitioners staff the Wellmobiles on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, while Janet Selway, DNSc, MS ’88, AGNP-C, CPNP-PC, FAANP, associate professor and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty, and Oluchi Ayichi, DNP ’17, MSN ’11, BSN ’01, RN, CRNP, assistant professor, share clinical responsibilities on Wednesdays. “I love the patients,” Selway said. “They are hard-working, lovely people who want to be healthy and are grateful for the services we provide. They navigate enormous challenges and inspire me. We are meeting UMSON’s core values through this work, especially Equity and Justice, during a time when equity and justice are under duress.” Since a majority of Wellmobile patients speak Spanish and several patients are from French-speaking countries in Africa, the clinic recently began using an artificial intelligence medical interpretation app for conducting visits in Spanish and French, improving patient care. Two outreach workers – one who speaks Spanish and the other with limited Spanish-speaking capabilities –  help communicate with patients, making use of the interpretation app. “In the past, we relied entirely on a bilingual community outreach worker to be able to go out, and if she needed time off or called out sick, then the Wellmobile couldn’t go out,” Gutchell said. “I was looking for another way for us to be able to conduct our visits and see patients, even if we didn’t have the outreach worker who was really serving as a medical interpreter.” After several months of using the app, Gutchell said, “it’s been a game changer. The nurse practitioners and faculty members find it helpful, and some of the patients think it’s excellent.” The Wellmobile program also serves as a clinical education site, providing an opportunity for UMSON students to gain firsthand nursing experience with a focus on community and public health. UMSON DNP Family Nurse Practitioner students rotate through the Wellmobile program for community health education, gaining experience in assessment, diagnosis, and chronic disease management under faculty supervision. Students see both new and returning patients and conduct full histories and exams. After a decline in patient visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinic is rebuilding its base through a partnership with CASA Inc., a nonprofit organization that serves immigrant and underserved communities across Maryland. Gutchell said the collaboration, which includes telehealth visits, has been instrumental in reaching new patients. The program continues to conduct telehealth visits and plans to expand in-person operations in coming months. “There might be an opportunity for the Wellmobile to help out in Baltimore, because we have two drivers and two trucks,” Gutchell said. “So, one driver could go out to Prince George’s County, and another driver could go out into Baltimore. That would be pretty exciting.” Expanding service to the Eastern Shore is also a possibility, Gutchell said: “The logistics of expanding to rural areas are challenging, but the clinic’s goal is to promote access to care where it’s needed.” The Wellmobiles also participate in various health fairs throughout the region by providing screenings for chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes Like Selway, Ayichi also enjoys providing health care through the Wellmobile program. “What I appreciate most is how fulfilling it is to serve patients who might otherwise lack access to health care,” she said. “The patients are genuinely grateful for the efforts we make to ensure they receive the care they need. Plus, everyone on the Wellmobile team is deeply committed to the mission. There is a strong sense of understanding, respect for our patients, and true teamwork in providing care.” View Wellmobile Gallery

“Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” W. Edwards Deming, an American composer and economist born in 1900, said that — and Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN, president and chief executive office of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, reminded the audience of this quote during her keynote presentation at the 2025 State of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Symposium, held Oct. 24 at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). The symposium is the signature event of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center (MNWC), housed at UMSON, and this year’s theme was “Data Trends and Future Readiness,” underscoring the critical role of data-driven decision-making in shaping a resilient and sustainable nursing workforce. The symposium is a “vital space for us to really collaborate, think about innovations, think about how we promote and advocate together,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and professor, during her welcome to the audience, which included more than 160 nursing professionals, educators, policymakers, and health care leaders. “Hopefully you’ll meet somebody new and begin to forge a new partnership so that we can chart a bold path forward for nursing.” Leading Nursing Through Data In diving into “Lead, Don’t Lag: Why Data Must Guide Workforce Strategy, Organizational Health, and Policy Engagement,” Trautman addressed how challenging the current nursing landscape is: “I have had the privilege of being in the profession for many years now,” she said. “I have experienced, as many of you have, significant times of challenge and uncertainty. I have not in my career experienced them where they’ve been as significant at the same time, in academia, in practice, and in policy. This is the perfect storm in all three of those environments. So, it’s very important for us to have and rely upon data and our stories as we work to make changes at an organization level, at a state level, and, most importantly, at a national policy level.” Trautman offered two salient examples of how data has been used effectively to shape policy. First, she spoke of the bipartisan PRECEPT Nurses Act (H.R. 392, S. 131), a bill currently before Congress that provides a $2,000 tax credit for nurses who serve as clinical preceptors. “It was data that helped us convince members of Congress and their staff about why this is so important, and this is an example of legislation where there is agreement on both sides of the aisle,” she said. She also recounted some challenges with messaging around the 2014 Affordable Care Act that affected its popularity, but the efficacy of the act’s provisions are clearly shown in the data. “The messaging matters,” she explained. “We can have great policy, but if we can’t speak to it, know about why it’s important, it is an even more difficult situation for individuals to understand. But the good news here is the data shows states who have not adopted those expansion benefits of the law continue to experience higher rates of uninsured than those who do not, and this has been consistent.”  Using data to inform policy is nothing new for nurses, Trautman explained. “Florence Nightingale was a trailblazer,” she said. “She made a significant difference in improving health because she helped point out to people, ‘No, what you think is the problem is not,’ and it was data that did that.” But Trautman underscored the need for the nursing profession to use data more frequently and proactively and to share data among agencies and organizations. “Our profession hasn’t always been great about speaking with one voice at times when it’s very important, and we’re facilitating a nursing community that works on building consensus,” she said. Following Trautman’s keynote, the symposium included two panel discussions on “Using Data to Strengthen Organizations: Insights for Academic and Clinical Nursing Leaders” and “Advocacy in Action: Leveraging Public Engagement, Policy Collaboration, and Legal Strategies to Strengthen the Nursing Workforce.” After lunch and networking, Amy Alsante, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CHEP, LSSGB, chief nursing officer at Sunburst Workforce Advisors and president elect of the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders, presented “Bridging Nursing Education and Workforce Demands: Faculty Development, Clinical Training, and Workforce Readiness.” Improving Health Care Access and Workforce Stability Wrapping up the day as the symposium’s endnote speaker, Maryland Del. Bonnie L. Cullison (District 19, Montgomery County), vice chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee, discussed policymakers’ and legislators’ work to improve health care access and workforce stability. Cullison emphasized high turnover rates driving a critical shortage of health care professionals, with the largest number of vacancies being among registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists, and nursing assistants, “all of which are critical to the operation of hospitals and health care settings,” she said. Echoing Trautman’s remarks, Cullison stressed the importance of data. “We believe that data is important to help us prepare for the future,” she said. “Health care fields, in general, have significant levels of unpredictability, but by using data, we can help prepare for what we can’t anticipate. What the hard data allows us to do is, in combination with your voices, identify the best treatments, guide the educational programs, and predict changes.” As the health care landscape evolves, nursing leaders must be equipped to address emerging challenges, including faculty shortages, nurse retention, and the integration of emerging health technologies, Cullison said. “I truly believe that nurses are the backbone of our health care systems,” she continued. “And we (legislators) believe that we need to support them in any way we can, by incorporating the analysis of the data and its trends and listening to your voices, your leadership. That’s what’s going to help us understand the daily experiences and which factors most influence health care occupation choices.” Wrapping up the day, Crystal DeVance-Wilson, PhD ’19, MS ’06, MBA, BSN ’00, PHCNS-BC, assistant professor, vice chair of UMSON at the Universities at Shady Grove, and director of the MNWC, expressed gratitude for the Nurse Support Program (NSP) II  grant that supports the center; NSP II is funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. “I cannot leave without once again mentioning the value of support that the NSP II gives us,” she said. “The NSP II team are encouraging, they’re honest, and they want this program to win in everything that we do.” She also said she is already looking forward to the 2026 symposium. “I’ll see you next year,” she told attendees. “No, I’ll see you before then, because we’re going to be doing lots of stuff in the coming months, so we’ll be in touch.”