Donna M. Nickitas

Dr. Donna M. Nickitas, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN, is a distinguished nurse scholar, global health advocate, and senior academic leader with more than four decades of experience advancing nursing education, health equity, and health policy. She currently serves as Chief Academic Officer (Dean) and a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Cabinet, where she provides strategic leadership for academic programs, faculty development, and global partnerships.

Previously, Dr. Nickitas served as Executive Officer and Professor of the PhD Program in Nursing Science at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School, with a joint appointment at the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing. Across her career, she has successfully integrated academic administration, international collaboration, and policy leadership to strengthen higher education and healthcare systems.

Dr. Nickitas has led multiple multimillion-dollar federally and privately funded initiatives, with support from organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Johnson & Johnson, and the Jonas Center for Nursing & Veterans Healthcare. Her scholarly work focuses on health policy, nursing workforce development, interprofessional collaboration, and equity in healthcare systems. She is the author and editor of influential texts, including Public Policy and Politics for Nurses and Other Health Professionals, and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals.

For more than 15 years, Dr. Nickitas served as Editor-in-Chief of Nursing Economic$, shaping national and global discourse on healthcare financing, workforce economics, leadership, and professional practice.

A recognized global leader, she has delivered keynote and plenary addresses in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Paraguay, and Puerto Rico, and has led international collaborations focused on civic engagement, ethics, and the economics of care. She has also advanced service-learning and global citizenship initiatives that prepare students and professionals for leadership in an interconnected world.

Dr. Nickitas earned her PhD in Nursing from Adelphi University, holds a master’s degree in nursing administration, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Stony Brook University. A retired Major in the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps (Active Duty and Reserve), she has combined military service, scholarship, and leadership throughout her career.

She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), the National Academies of Practice (FNAP) as a Policy Scholar, and the New York Academy of Medicine (FNAM). Her numerous honors include awards from the National League for Nursing, the Connecticut Nurses Association, and the New York Academy of Medicine.

A committed mentor and advocate, Dr. Nickitas has advanced community health initiatives, promoted access to care for underserved populations, and championed diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Her career reflects an enduring commitment to academic excellence, global engagement, and the preparation of future healthcare leaders.

Leadership and Management

Health Policy

Nursing Education

Health Disparities / Health Equity

Civic Engagement

Service Learning

PhD (Nursing): Adelphi University, 1989

MA (Nursing): New York University, 1980

BS (Nursing): SUNY at Stony Brook, 1976

AAS (Nursing): Kingsborough Community College, 1974

Professional Awards and Honors

• 2018-2021 - Presidential Appointee, Roosevelt House Associate, Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College

• 2017 - Member, Herman Biggs Society, New York, NY

• 2017 - Josephine A. Dolan Award for Outstanding Contributions to Nursing Education, Connecticut Nursing Association

• 2015 - Mary Nutting Award for Outstanding Teaching or Leadership in Nursing Education, National League for Nursing

• 2015-2016 - Faculty Fellow, Academic Center for Excellence in Research & Teaching

• 2015-2018 - Presidential Appointee, Roosevelt House Associate, Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College

• 2013 - Distinguished Scholar and Fellow, National Academies of Practice

• 2012 - Fellow, American Academy of Nursing

• 2011-2014 - Presidential Appointee, Roosevelt House Associate, Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College

• 2011 - Featured Nurse Educator, Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future Webisode Series: “A Day in the Life”

• 2010 - Virginia Henderson Fellow, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

• 2009 - Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine

• 2009 - Distinguished Alumni Award, Stony Brook University School of Nursing

• 2007 - Distinguished Alumni, Kingsborough Community College

• 2006-2007 - Fellow, AACN Leadership for Academic Nursing Programs; Mentor: Dr. Heyward Michael Dreher, Drexel University

• 1995 - Agnes Ohlson Award for Outstanding Contribution to Nursing through Political Action, Connecticut Nurses Association

• 1995 - Educator of the Year, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, Alpha Phi Chapter

• 1993 - Air Force Commendation Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster), for Leadership and Excellence as a Medical Service Administrator

• 1987 - Doctoral Scholarship Award, Sigma Theta Tau, Alpha Omega Chapter

• 1987 - Air Force Commendation Medal for Leadership and Excellence in Nursing Practice

Editorial Activities

• 2018 - Grant Reviewer, NLN Research in Nursing Education Grant Program

• 2017 - Grant Reviewer, Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Grant Program

• 2008-present - Editor, Nursing Economic$: The Journal for Health Care Leaders, A. Jannetti Publication

• 2006-present - Editorial Board Member, Nursing Economic$

• 2004-2011 - Editorial Board Member, MEDSURG Nursing: The Journal of Adult Health

• 2016-present - Manuscript Reviewer, Nursing Education Perspectives

• 2011-present - Manuscript Reviewer, Journal of Contemporary Medicine

• 2009-present - Manuscript Reviewer, Nursing Forum

• 2007-present - Manuscript Reviewer, Policy, Politics, and Nursing Practice

• 2006-present - Manuscript Reviewer, Public Health Nursing

Service to the Profession

• 2018-present - Board Member, Nursing Knowledge International, STTI

• 2017-present - Treasurer, Eastern Nursing Research Society

• 2017-present - Board Member, Regional Advisory Board, Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing, Rockefeller University

• 2015-present - Vice-Chair, Nursing Section, New York Academy of Medicine

• 2014-present - Co-Lead, Raise the Voice Campaign, American Academy of Nursing

• 2014-2018 - Member, Experienced Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy (ENFLA), Sigma Theta Tau

• 2014-2017 - Secretary and Director, International Honor Society of Nursing Building Corporation Board

• 2013-2014 - Co-Chair, Committee on Nurse Training for Boards & Commissions, New York Academy of Medicine

• 2012-2014 - Member, NYU College of Nursing Building Campaign Committee

• 2012-2013, 2014-2015 - Abstract Reviewer, State of the Science Congress on Nursing Research

• 2011-2016 - Board Member, Institute for Staffing Excellence (ONE); Sub-Committee on Staffing

• 2011-2013 - Chair, Poster Review Panel, Annual Connecticut Nurses Association Conference

• 2010-2013 - Member, Connecticut Nurses Association Continuing Education Committee

• 2010-present - Member, Special Interest Nursing Group, New York Academy of Medicine

• 2009-present - Judge, American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award for Nursing Leadership

• 2009-2011 - Judge, New York Times Tribute to Nurses Awards Program

• 2008-present - External Examiner, Doctoral Nursing Candidate, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

• 2002-2010 - Board Member, Foundation of the National Student Nurses Association

• 2010, 2015-present - Certified Nurse Educator, National League for Nursing

• 2013-present - Nurse Executive Advanced, American Nurses Credentialing Center

• 2008 - Nurse Executive Advanced, American Nurses Credentialing Center

• 2003 - Nurse Administration Advanced Board, American Nurses Credentialing Center

• 2004-2010 - Certified Trainer, School Nurse Asthma Management Program (SNAMP), National Association of School Nurses

• 1982-2002 - Nurse Executive Basic Board Certified, American Nurses Credentialing Center

• 1979-2001 - Certified Childbirth Educator, Association for Psychoprophylaxis in Obstetrics

• 1978-1988 - Certified Flight Nurse, United States Air Force Nurse Corps, San Antonio, TX

• American Academy of Nursing

• National Academies of Practice

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing

• New York Academy of Medicine

• National League for Nursing

• Center for Healthcare Informatics and Policy

• International Academy of Nursing Editors

• Council on Graduate Education for Administration in Nursing

• American Association of Nurse Executives

• Connecticut National League for Nursing

• Community-Campus Partnerships for Health

• Connecticut Nurses Association

• Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, Upsilon and Alpha Phi Chapters