School of Nursing Faculty Member, Alumnae to be Inducted as Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing

Annette Jakubisin Konicki, Jaclyn Conelius '10 Ph.D., Olga Jarrín Montaner ’02 (NUR), ’07 MS, ’11 Ph.D., and Dorothy Vittner ’16 Ph.D. will be recognized by the Academy in early October

A logo that reads American Academy of Nursing.

Annette Jakubisin Konicki is a clinical professor at the School of Nursing and director of the family nurse practitioner concentration of its master’s program. In early October, she – along with three School of Nursing alumnae – will also become a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

The honorific society recognizes nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, practice, administration, and academia. This year’s inductees will be recognized for their significant contributions to health and health care at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference on Oct. 7-9.

“Being named a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing is an honor,” Jakubisin Konicki says. “As a fellow, I will continue my advocacy work translating knowledge into new models to educate primary care providers on transforming care and improving health outcomes in the context of health equity and social justice.”

A portrait of School of Nursing clinical professor Annette Jakubisin Konicki.
Annette Jakubisin Konicki (Submitted photo).

An experienced primary care provider, Jakubisin Konicki is transforming care for underserved populations through better preparation of the advanced practice nurse workforce by integrating her interests in primary prevention, health promotion, and interprofessional education.

She has developed multiple creative teaching modalities to ensure students are exposed to both the medical and integrated behavioral health elements of care, which also address social determinants of health and inequalities in access to and quality of care. Her work is elevating educational programming for primary care nurse practitioners, thereby creating a workforce ready to care for the complex needs of medically underserved populations.

“I am thrilled the Academy has selected Annette as a member of its 2021 Class of new fellows,” Dean Deborah Chyun says. “Her scholarship addresses important societal issues that the Academy is working to improve: the need for more advanced practice nurses and for equitable care for underserved populations.”

Alumnae Jaclyn Conelius ’10 Ph.D., Olga Jarrín Montaner ’02 (NUR), ’07 MS, ’11 Ph.D., and Dorothy Vittner ’16 Ph.D. were also selected as 2021 fellows, following a competitive, rigorous application process. In total, 225 individuals representing 38 states and 18 countries will be inducted in early October.

Induction into the fellowship represents more than just recognition of one’s accomplishments within the nursing profession. Fellows also contribute their collective expertise to the Academy, engaging with health leaders nationally and globally to improve health and achieve health equity by impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation, and science.

There are more than 2,900 fellows worldwide, 11 of whom teach and conduct research at the UConn School of Nursing: Ivy Alexander, Cheryl Beck, Chyun, Jean Sheerin Coffey, Xiaomei Cong, Joy Elwell, Wendy Henderson, Jakubisin Konicki, Mark Lazenby, Kelley Newlin Lew, and Angela Starkweather.

“As a fellow myself, I am pleased to welcome Annette, Jaclyn, Olga, and Dorothy to our community of nurse leaders,” Chyun says. “Congratulations to you all.”

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