Alderman and Bryant named National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education Fellows
August 10, 2026
UNC School of Nursing faculty Jennifer Alderman, PhD, MSN, RN, CNL, CNE, CHSE, NEA-BC, and Ashley Leak Bryant, PhD, RN, OCN, FAAN, are among the 44 distinguished nurse educators selected as the 20th class of Fellows for induction into the prestigious National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education.
Alderman and Bryant join the largest ANEF class ever, which recognizes nurse educators for their “extraordinary leadership, fortitude, creativity and compassion that has inspired and motivated students and colleagues alike,” stated NLN Chair Yolanda VanRiel in an announcement.
They will be inducted Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Honors Convocation prior to the closing gala of the 2026 NLN Education Summit in Washington, DC. The focus of this year’s summit is “Beyond the Storm: Reshaping Resilience & Recovery.”
“We are extraordinarily proud to celebrate the induction of these two distinguished faculty members as Fellows of the National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education,” said Dean Valerie Howard. “This prestigious honor recognizes their exceptional leadership, innovation and enduring contributions to nursing education. Carolina Nursing extends sincere congratulations to them on this well-deserved recognition, and we are grateful for the profound influence they continue to have on our students, our profession, and, most importantly, our patients.”
According to the announcement, ANEF nominees undergo a rigorous review that evaluates their contributions to innovative teaching and/or learning strategies; nursing education research; faculty development activities; academic leadership; promotion of public policy initiatives that advance nursing education; and/or collaborative educational, practice, or community partnerships.
Alderman has been on the School’s faculty since 2010, and is a Professor and Student Success Coordinator. Her visionary leadership in nursing education is anchored in implementing complex interprofessional simulations, facilitating robust debriefing protocols for virtual simulation and designing simulation scenarios for competency-based education. In the area of excellence in teaching and learning innovations, Alderman has transformed nursing education by creating meaningful simulation-based learning, pioneering sustained innovations in interprofessional education, and strengthening leadership and patient safety competencies through reflective practice. She is a 2010 graduate of the School’s MSN in Health Care Leadership & Administration program.
Bryant joined the School in 2013 and is Senior Associate Dean for Strategy and Global Affairs and Frances Hill Fox Distinguished Term Professor with excellence in co-creating collaborative educational and clinical partnerships for nursing students and nurses across local, regional, national and global levels. She has achieved excellence in oncology nursing education through global capacity building that strengthens nursing education infrastructure in resource-limited settings. By pioneering virtual education sessions and grand rounds to reach nurses, students, and faculty in Malawi and the Caribbean, Bryant has expanded the oncology and palliative care workforce and advanced equitable access to specialized cancer care education where it is needed most.
