46th Annual IAHC Annual Conference 2025 - Caring in Action: Theory Inspired Research, Education, Practice and Policy

Dr. Danny Willis is the Dean of the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing. With over 20 years in academia, he has previously served as Dean of the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing at Saint Louis University, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, and Department Chair at Boston College’s William F. Connell School of Nursing. A Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Dr. Willis has chaired the Expert Panel on Theory-Guided Practice and is a current member of the Expert Panel on Trauma and Violence. Dr. Willis’s research and scholarship center on promoting well-being and healing for male survivors who have experienced marginalization and trauma. His contributions have earned him numerous awards, including the Eastern Nursing Research Society's "Rising Star" Award, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association New England Chapter's Nancy Valentine "Leadership" Award, and R-level NIH/National Institute of Nursing Research funding as a Principal Investigator. He has mentored students across undergraduate, master’s, and PhD levels in nursing, social work, child and human development, and counseling psychology. An accomplished author, Dr. Willis has published extensively in nursing and other health-related journals on topics such as qualitative research methods, nursing science, theoretical foundations, child abuse survivorship, the effects of hate crimes, bullying, child witnesses to violence, mental health, sleep, and healing. He has chaired the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) Research Council and currently co-chairs the Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS) Qualitative Research Interest Group. One of Dr. Willis’s notable publications, “Facilitating Humanization, Meaning, Choice, Quality of Life, and Healing in Living and Dying” in Advances in Nursing Science, has achieved national and international acclaim for its relevance to nursing. Dr. Willis is an enthusiastic contributor to the global nursing community, sharing his work through invited papers and presentations across the United States, Chile, Colombia, Ireland, England, Japan, and Italy.

Dr. Colleen Maykut’s practice (research and teaching) is grounded in the caring sciences and informed by the following theorists: Halsdodottir Ray, Roach and Watson. She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing; her dissertation was entitled “The development of the Comportment Attribute Scale to ascertain influences of non-verbal observable behavioural expressions on professional image,” utilizing Sister Simone Roach’s seminal work as a framework. Her entire academic career has been spent with the sole purpose of advancing caring theory through research and education. She has been an active MacEwan faculty member serving on numerous committees over her 25-year career. She believes in giving back to the community and serves on several boards. (See list below.) Available to supervise senior students' independent study.

Dr. Gloria Littlemouse is an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, where she serves as the Caring Science Program Director. In association with the Watson Caring Science Institute, she is a Caritas Fellow/Scholar, Caritas Coach, Caring Science Leader, and the Co-Chair of the Caritas Consortia Southeast Region, more specific, Tennessee, where she helps promote and implement Dr. Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring. Her holistic approach to healthcare is evidenced by her certification as a Healing Touch Practitioner. As a member of the Vanderbilt University Appellate Review Board, she contributes to maintaining academic integrity and fairness in educational processes. Dr. Littlemouse has also dedicated herself to improving end-of-life care through her work in palliative care, and hospice as an End-of-Life Doula. She is also an End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Trainer and Certified Five Wishes presenter. Dr. Littlemouse is an advocate to end human trafficking, especially Missing Murdered and Indigenous people.

Dr. Thompson is an Environmental Health Scientist with a breadth of experience in clinical, corporate and academic venues. Her conceptual and theoretical work focuses on exposure and a transdisciplinary model for environmental health nursing. Dr. Thompson is Principal Investigator of The Namaus (All Things Fish) Project, a multi-phased interdisciplinary community-engaged research project that examines the environmental contamination of tribal fish and its impact on the Narragansett Nation. As former co-leader of community engagement for Brown University’s Superfund Research Program, Dr. Thompson learned the art of communicating risk and the value of creating an environment that supports change. In developing the role of the nurse scientist as a knowledge broker, she facilitates partnerships among academics, government legislators and regulators, healthcare professionals, community and indigenous leaders. Together, they plan and execute projects that address environmental health issues by building upon contextual knowledge while advancing scientific knowledge, evidence-based practices, and practice-based policies. Dr. Thompson received her BS magna cum laude from Salve Regina University, MS from Boston University School of Nursing, MS Harvard School of Public Health, and PhD from the College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island. She is a Fellow of the Academy of American Occupational Health Nurses and named as one of 100 Women Making a Difference in Safety, Health and Environment by the American Society of Safety Professionals.