2026 American Academy of Nursing Fellows to include eight Emory inductees

Eight members of the Emory University community have been selected for induction into the American Academy of Nursing’s 2026 Class of Fellows, one of the nursing profession’s highest honors.

The inductees — faculty, staff, alumni, administrators and students from the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, the Rollins School of Public Health, the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies, and Emory Healthcare — are recognized for their substantial contributions to improving health and transforming healthcare.

They will join more than 3,600 Fellows worldwide working to improve health policy through nursing leadership, innovation and science.

“It is a privilege to celebrate these remarkable nurse leaders whose vision, dedication and accomplishments represent the very best of our profession,” said American Academy of Nursing President Debra J. Barksdale, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, ANEF, FADLN, FAAN. “Through evidence-based innovation, leadership and scholarship, they have improved outcomes, shaped policy and practice, strengthened nursing education and care delivery, and advanced scalable solutions that promote healthy lives for all people.”

The 2026 Emory inductees include:

Jane Chung, PhD, RN, FGSA

Associate professor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Chung’s research seeks to develop ambient sensing and AI-enabled digital biomarkers that translate everyday behaviors into meaningful indicators of health risk among older adults. She also develops smart speaker-based interventions that support self-management of healthcare among older adults with chronic conditions and explores the use of digital health technology among older adults and care partners.

Rebecca O. Shasanmi Ellis, PhD, MSN, MPH, RN, FADLN

Alumna, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies

An assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Berkley School of Nursing, Ellis studies and teaches in the areas of health workforce/systems development, mental health and structural determinants of health. She is a double Emory graduate, earning a PhD and a Master of Science in Nursing, and also served as an instructor at Emory, an RN serving patients experiencing HIV and homelessness, and a project manager for the World Health Organization in Nigeria during the Ebola outbreak.

Molly (Swenson) Guy, RN, MSN, MPH

Alumna, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and Rollins School of Public Health

With 25 years of experience as a nurse and public health leader, Guy has led efforts across the United States and globally to improve outcomes in chronic disease, maternal health and population health. Her work has focused on expanding access to care, supporting frontline healthcare workers, and improving health in low-resource communities. A double Emory graduate with master’s degrees in nursing and public health, she completed an executive fellowship at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Lucy Leclerc, PhD, RN, NPD-BC

Nurse scientist, Emory Healthcare

An internationally recognized nurse leader, researcher, educator and author, Leclerc is known for developing Human-Centered Leadership in Healthcare, an evidence-based leadership framework that transforms how healthcare organizations support workforce well-being, engagement, retention and patient experience. Through her work, Leclerc has influenced thousands of healthcare professionals across major health systems, while helping bridge the gap between leadership theory and practice. She also serves as adjunct faculty at Emory’s School of Nursing.

Nicholas Metheny, PhD, MPH, RN, FNE

Assistant professor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Metheny’s research focuses on improving the health of survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence through innovative community and health system interventions. Working in partnership with communities in the United States and South Africa, he develops programs that expand access to forensic nursing care, strengthen survivor safety and housing stability, and reduce violence-related health inequities among women and LGBTQ+ populations.

Terri “T” Rebmann, PhD, RN, CIC, FAPIC

Associate Dean for Education, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing 

A nationally recognized leader in infection prevention and global health security, Rebmann brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, including service as divisional dean at the George Mason University School of Nursing. Her research focuses on healthcare and public health disaster preparedness, medical countermeasures during infectious disease emergencies, and family reunification during disasters.

Karla Schroeder, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, MHA, NE-BC 

Vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer for ambulatory care, Emory Healthcare

Schroeder provides executive nursing leadership for one of the nation’s largest ambulatory and virtual care enterprises — advancing professional nursing practice, workforce strategy, care delivery transformation and technology-enabled models of care across 300-plus ambulatory practice locations and enterprise virtual care services. As a nurse executive, educator and speaker, Schroeder has led large-scale organizational transformation and advanced strategies that improve access, safety and outcomes across complex healthcare systems.

Kaprice Welsh, FACNM, MSN, MPH

Nursing PhD student, James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies

Welsh is a certified nurse-midwife and public health leader with experience in clinical practice, health policy and maternal health. She previously served as clinical liaison for the Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society and director of women’s services at the Georgia Department of Community Health. She currently practices with Kaiser Permanente while pursuing a PhD examining how conflicting Georgia laws affect access to substance use treatment for pregnant and postpartum women.

“Having nurses from across the Emory community receive this honor is a testament to Emory’s broad impact on nursing and healthcare,” says School of Nursing Interim Dean Lisa Muirhead, DNP, APRN, ANP‑BC, FAANP, FAAN. “The collective influence of these individuals — and the many Emory FAAN recipients before them — has made an indelible difference, and we’re proud to see their contributions recognized at the highest level of the profession.”

“Congratulations to this new group of American Academy of Nursing Fellows at Emory, whose exceptional contributions help improve the health of all through nursing leadership, scholarship and innovation,” says Sharon Pappas, PhD, RN, FAAN, chief nurse executive for Emory Healthcare.

“We know that when nurses lead, they elevate our communities in many ways,” Pappas adds. “We are grateful for their commitments to advance the nursing profession locally and nationally.”

The newest Fellows represent 39 states, the District of Columbia, and 17 countries. They will be honored at an Oct. 10 ceremony at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.