Contact:
 

connieds@uwyo.edu
(307) 766-6560

• Degrees/Certifications Earned

• Faculty Expertise

• Grants/Resource Development

• Presentations

• Professional Affiliations

• Professional Experience

• Publications

Degrees/Certifications Earned

• 2005-Current / Nursing Education PhD Program
  University of Northern Colorado
  Greeley, CO

• 2003 / Master of Science In Nursing
  Community Health Specialist
  University of Wyoming School of Nursing
  Laramie, WY

• 1999 / Graduate Certificate in Public Health
  University of Washington
  Seattle, WA

• 1989 / Bachelor of Science in Nursing
  Northern Illinois University
  DeKalb, IL

• Specialty Certifications:

  • Clinical Specialist in Community Health Nursing
    ANCC, Board Certified
    2004-2009

  • Nursing Administration, ANCC, Board Certified
    December 1999

Faculty Expertise:

1. Staff Development / Professional Leadership

   • Developed and coordinated a 12-week in-service curriculum: "PHN Core Competency Training" in response to staff development needs identified at City County Health Department.

   • Served as mentor to BSN completion and MSN students participating in Public Health Nursing Certificate program at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Nursing.

   • Active involvement on the University of Washington/University of Wyoming Public Health Workforce Development Advisory Board. Worked with professionals and educators to identify and address training needs of current workforce. Served on Public Health Nursing Leadership Curriculum Development  Advisory Board since Spring 2001. Project successes include development of a state-wide 2-day Public Health Core Functions Workshop in 2001 and 2003, implementation of Annual WY Public Health Summer Institute, and development of an online curriculum for Public Health Nurse Leaders.

   • Compiled a participatory evaluation workbook "Evaluating Community Coalitions" for use by community groups across Wyoming. Developed and provided training workshops for implementation of workbook tools. Presented 3-hour training workshop at national City MatCH Annual Conference, 2001.

2. Program Development

   • Successful in securing grant resources to meet local program funding needs for community-based preventive health services: funded programs addressed areas of prenatal care, child abuse prevention, community development, children's health promotion and outreach, community based senior care program, HIV/AIDS prevention education, and professional education opportunities.

   • Currently serves as Board President of LCCP, Inc., which serves as facilitator and fiscal agent for collaborative community projects, including a 3-year, 350K/year Substance Abuse Prevention Initiative.

   • Served on Laramie County Partnership Council during development and planning of the Cheyenne Community Clinic.

   • Worked with the Zonta Club of Cheyenne to develop, fund and implement a Community Health Fund to serve the needs of the medically indigent.

   • Worked with private dentists to develop and fund a Community Dental Clinic to serve indigent adult residents of McHenry County.

   • Supervised the development of "Because We Care," a breast cancer awareness program implemented through beauty shops. The program received the 1994 Illinois Department of Public Health's Health Promotion Award, the 1995 US Department of Health and Human Services - Secretary's Health Promotion Award, and was recognized by the National Association of Counties (NACO) as a Model Program in 1995.

3. Community Outreach/Education

   • Served on community coalition to fund and deliver Breast and Cervical Cancer Education Programs to women throughout the community. Provided a Train the Trainer Workshop to develop peer educators among lay members of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Coalition.

   • Served on Domestic Violence Advisory Council and Conference Planning Committee to develop a public health approach to address the problem of children as witnesses to domestic violence.

   • Partnered with a private non-profit organization to develp and implement seasonal Cooperative Migrant Health Outreach Clinics held at migrant camps throughout McHenry County. Primary purposes of the clinic were to provide health screening and risk reduction education. Program was presented in poster sessions at the Illinois Public Health Association Annual Meeting and National Cardiovascular Health Conference.

Professional Affiliations:

• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
  Community Health Content Expert Panel
  Term 7/2003 - 6/2007

• Sigma Theta Tau
  Member since 5/2003

• Association of Community Health Nurse Educators
  Member since March 2004

• Laramie County Community Partnership (LCCP, Inc.)
  Board president 2002-2005, member since 1997

• Wyoming Department of Health
  Preventive Health Services Block Grant Advisory Committee, 2001-2004

• Editorial Board of Northwest Public Health
  Since 2/2001

• Wyoming Nurses Association
  Member since 1997

• Wyoming Public Health Association
  Member since 1997; President 1999-2000

• American Public Health Association
  Member of PHN & Health Administration Sections
  Since 1997; member of PHN Awards Committee 2006

Professional Experience:

• 2004-Present: Assistant Lecturer
  Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing. University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming

• 1997-2004: Director, Public Health Nursing
  Wyoming Department of Health / City-County Health Department

• 1997-1998: Nurse Ambassador
  BBK Patient Recruitment, Newton, MA

• 1995-1996: Director of Nursing
  McHenry County Department of Health
  Woodstock, IL

• 1991-1995: Public Health Nursing Supervisor
  McHenry County Department of Health
  Woodstock, IL

• 1990-1991: Public Health Nurse / Chronic Disease Program Facilitator
  McHenry County Department of Health
  Woodstock, IL

Updated 7/28/2006