Carolina Nursing faculty named American Academy of Nursing Fellows

The American Academy of Nursing announced its selection of 278 highly distinguished nurse leaders for its 2025 class of Academy Fellows, three of whom are UNC School of Nursing faculty. We are delighted to congratulate Karen Sheffield-Abdullah, Lorinda A. Coombs and Audra Rankin on this significant achievement!

The inductees will be recognized for their significant contributions to health and health care at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place on October 16–18, 2025 in Washington, DC. This year’s conference theme is “Impact Through Integrity and Trust: Our Role as Navigators and Translators.”

Karen Sheffield-Abdullah, PhD, RN, FACNM, is a Certified Nurse-Midwife, mindfulness instructor, and researcher whose work centers on the psychological well-being of Black women and birthing people. Her interdisciplinary program of research examines how trauma, anxiety and depression impact reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes. With a focus on the biopsychosocial benefits of self-compassion and mind-body therapies, her goal is to develop culturally relevant interventions that address stress-related disparities and improve wellness across the lifespan. Sheffield-Abdullah also serves as Co-Director of the EMPOWER initiative at Carolina Nursing.

Lorinda A. Coombs, PhD, MSN, FNP-BC, AOCNP, is a health services researcher and board-certified family and oncology nurse practitioner with a research portfolio that spans patient-centered decision making, geriatric oncology and healthy policy and workforce development. Her current studies focus on developing a values assessment tool (VAsT) to support decision-making for women with metastatic breast cancer and assessing lung cancer trends in North Carolina. Coombs is dedicated to promoting equity in healthcare delivery and education through research, practice, teaching, and mentorship.

Audra Noble Rankin, DNP, APRN, CPNP, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Carolina Nursing. She also serves as the Associate Faculty Director–Nursing for the UNC Center for the Business of Health at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. A certified pediatric nurse practitioner and mental health specialist, she brings deep expertise in nursing education, policy, and business. Rankin holds advanced degrees in nursing, education, and business from Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and UNC. She serves on national policy and clinical advisory groups, including NAPNAP, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

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Through a rigorous and competitive application process, the Academy’s Fellow Selection Committee and International Subcommittee, made up of elected and appointed Fellows, reviewed a record-breaking number of applications and ultimately selected the 2025 Fellows based on their substantial contributions to advancing health and health equity. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in which past and current accomplishments are honored by colleagues within and outside the profession.

In the AAN press release, Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN, emphasized the far-reaching impact of this year’s incoming Fellows on health and health care around the globe. “I cannot emphasize enough at this pivotal time in history the vital importance of recognizing this extraordinary and sizeable group of nurse leaders. With rich and varied backgrounds from practice, policy, research, entrepreneurship, and academia, they have been instrumental in using nursing’s holistic approach to improve the health of patients and communities throughout the world.”

“Induction into the Academy represents the highest honor in nursing. Earning the FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing) credential is a prestigious recognition of one’s accomplishments and signifies the power of nursing to transform health and enact positive outcomes.”

ANA President Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN

Carolina Nursing alumni selected as Fellows this year include:

• Nakia Best ’18 PhD — University of California, Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing
• Hayley Estrem ’15 PhD — University of North Carolina at Wilmington School of Nursing
• Chiu-Yueh Hsiao ’08 PhD — Chang Gung University
• Stephanie DeVane-Johnson ’16 PhD — Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
• Komkwuan Paruchabutr ’10 MSN — Georgetown University School of Nursing
• Yolanda VanRiel ’09 PhD — North Carolina Central University

Karen, Lorinda and Audra join the following impressive list of Carolina Nursing faculty Fellows: