Three alumni on active duty in the U.S. Air Force bumped into one another while stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center in Ohio. ICU nurse Capt. Mike Rogers (MSN ’21), 1st Lt. Alianna Kyle (BSN ’22), and Capt. Kara Adkins (MSN ’19), an emergency room nurse, discovered they shared an alma mater.

Quipped Kyle, a medical-surgical nurse, “The Air Force is big, but small. It's always memorable when I bump into other Hoos!” 

The 2025 Catherine Strader McGehee Lecture—named for late alumna, Cathy Strader McGehee (BSN ’75, MSN ’79), who earned a BSN and an MSN from UVA and was enrolled in the PhD program when she died of breast cancer in 1999—brought together many of her family and friends for a lecture delivered by Johns Hopkins University nursing professor Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, a nurse scientist who spoke about healthcare systems’ redesign and the nursing profession’s role in ending unequal treatment. Attendees included Cathy’s widow, Cleve, their children Lauren Bagden-McGehee, Allison Burger, and Harris McGehee, two of Cathy’s sisters, Gigi Davis and Sarah Strader, as well as Cathy’s mother, Martha. Cathy’s fellow classmates, Cindy Allen and Valerie Kirkman (both BSN ’75), also attended.  

A networking event Zoom forum for School of Nursing students last February gathered alumni across varied professions who shared stories of their nursing careers, including certified nurse anesthetist Ashley Dierson (BSN ’06), nurse-midwife Nina Zorzi (BSN ’20), and former flight nurse Stephene Hertwig (BSN ’16). Alumni Council president Josh James (BSN ’05), the event emcee, shared his journey from EMT to ER tech to ICU nurse to cardiology nurse practitioner, and about his current role as a cardiovascular medical science liaison at Novo Nordisk and a certified health and wellness coach.

Kelly Phillips (MSN ’23), of Bowie, MD, was hired as one of the first nurse navigators at UVA Health’s Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center and is a key part of its expansion and strategy to reduce barriers to oncology care.

Kelly and fellow alumna Christine Cavan (BSN ’86, MSN ’23), of Midlothian, VA, were awarded the 2023 Outstanding Capstone Award for their original research, “Reducing compassion fatigue in oncology nurses,” for which they developed a virtual group debriefing program for oncology nurses led by chaplaincy and social work services that aimed to improve nurses’ support and well-being. Christine is a clinician 5 at VCU Health’s gastroenterology and hepatology division. 

Cathy Vincenzes Delligatti (BSN ’75), of Leonardtown, MD, works part-time as a system quality consultant for Adventist Healthcare System and continues to enjoy quality time with her grandchildren and traveling when she can. 

Debbie Robinson Minneman (BSN ’79) met Gale Wyatt Groseclose (BSN ’79) on her first day at UVA. Groseclose’s room was next to Minneman’s in Webb, and they became instant friends.

“Near the end of first year while we were both in the College, I asked Gale what shew as going to major in,” Minneman shared. “I had no idea what to do. She immediately responded that she had always wanted to be a nurse. I found out I had taken many prerequisites already and said, ‘Sounds good to me. I guess I’ll do that, too.’ Forty-five years this past June, I retired from a very fulfilling nursing career. I owe it to Gale.”

Both Debbie and Gale now live three miles apart in Charlotte, NC. 

Janet Jumper (BSN ’97, MSN ’05, NP ’05), of Burke, VA, is a regular guest on the “Gutbliss” podcast where she shares her expertise as a nurse and her personal experience living with Crohn’s disease with audiences seeking insight on all things gut-related. With host Robynne Chutkan, a gastroenterologist, Janet shares useful information, from groundbreaking microbiome research, to how to deal with common GI disorders.

Charemon E. Brooks (BSN ’00, MSN ’04, PHD ’22), of Palmyra, VA, interim dean of nursing at Northern Virginia Community College, attended the Achieving the Dream annual flagship event, DREAM 2025, in Philadelphia, PA, where thousands of practitioners from hundreds of institutions exchanged evidence-based strategies for advancing student success and equity.  

Danielle M. McCamey (BSN ’03), of Baltimore, MD, assistant dean of clinical practice and relationships at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, will be inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners at a San Diego, CA, ceremony in June 2025. 

Elizabeth Mikula (BSN ’05), of Henrico, VA, joined VCU Health as vice president of regulatory affairs, risk management, and patient-centered services, after more than 20 years in various leadership roles at HCA Healthcare.

After earning an MSN from George Washington University, Elizabeth is currently enrolled in an MBA program at VCU, serves on the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association’s advisory council, and is a member of the School’s Alumni Council. Elizabeth has been recognized by Becker’s Healthcare and Johnson & Johnson for contributions to nursing and healthcare innovation.  

U.S. Navy Nurse Corps Commander Alvin Garcia (MSN ’06), currently stationed in Rota, Spain, earned an MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Jennifer H. Killmer (BSN ’08), of Richmond, VA, a nurse manager in UVA Health University Medical Center’s cardiac catheterization lab, earned a DAISY Nurse Leader Award for exceptional leadership, problem solving, and commitment to her team. Jennifer has held various leadership roles at VCU Medical Center and UVA Health, including managing the transition to a new computer charting system and transforming her team from travelers to full-time employees.  

Sarah Faith Knoeckl (MSN ’09), of Burke, VA, earned the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners’ Education Award in April for “outstanding contributions to nurse practitioners in the area of education and patient care.”

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) at Tri-Area Community Health Center in Floyd, VA, and an assistant professor at Radford University College of Nursing, Sarah has precepted FNP students since 2010 and earned praise from for classroom innovations, lively teaching techniques, and her “genuine commitment to students’ success.”  

Tuyet Chuong (BSN ’22), of Vienna, VA, a surgical-trauma intensive care unit nurse at UVA Health University Medical Center, was elected to the Virginia Nurses Association’s (VNA) nominations committee. Currently president of VNA’s Piedmont chapter, and active in the VNA’s Commission on Nursing Education, Tuyet serves as a well-being champion for her unit, is active in its Nursing Professional Governance Organization, and volunteers as an emergency medical technician.