University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Assistant Professor Martha Dawson DNP, RN, FACHE, has been elected to serve as the 13th President of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Inc. for a two-year term. She is a member of the Birmingham Black Nurses Association chapter of NBNA.
She will be sworn in as the 13th president at the 47th annual NBNA Institute and Conference in New Orleans July 23- 28, 2019. The NBNA’s mission is “To serve as the voice for Black nurses and diverse populations ensuring equal access to professional development, promoting educational opportunities and improving health. ” NBNA is an inclusive organization with members from different races, ages, genders, countries and ethnicities.
“I am prepared, ready and willing to serve and guide NBNA into the future, and place the organization on the global stage as knowledgeable, professional nursing leaders,” Dawson said. “I firmly support NBNA’s commitment to serve African-American communities, increase the number of African-American nurses, improve equity, equality and inclusivity in health education, service, practice and research.”
It is noted that at this historical point, Dawson’s innovative, transformational leadership style is needed to give a strong voice to NBNA and the nursing profession.
“It is an honor to serve as the 13th president, building upon the legacy of Dr. Lauranne Sams, former Nursing Dean and Professor of the School of Nursing at Tuskegee University,” Dawson added. “Dr. Sams was a founding member of the National Black Nurses Association and the organization’s first president.”
Dawson’s well-recognized career spans more than 40 years in nursing and health services. She has had an extensive career in health care administration leadership. A member of the UAB School of Nursing faculty since 2008, she has served in a number of roles, including principal investigator for a Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) workforce investment grant. This grant focused on helping students from diverse and under-represented backgrounds enter nursing school and graduate at the undergraduate level. She also led the highly ranked graduate nursing administration specialty track for several years.
She is known for translational research in the areas of career-mobility barriers, leadership development, succession planning, coaching, effectiveness of entry and middle management, health disparities, diversity, and workforce planning. Her teaching interests include human resources management, leadership, administration, health care finance, quality and safety implementation science, health systems, management and leadership theories, health disparities and health ethics.
Dawson has served in a variety of positions in NBNA, including 1st Vice President, Secretary, Historian, and chair of the Finance, Resolution, Membership and Program Committees. She also has served other professional organizations, including the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) on its national and international diversity committees, the American Nurses Association Taskforce developing the Nursing Administration Scope and Standards of Practice, as Chairperson of the Alabama Health Action Coalition (AL-HAC) Committee on Diversity, President of the Birmingham Regional Organization of Nurse Leaders and President of the Alabama Organization of Nurse Executives (AlaONE).
Dawson has received numerous leadership awards and honors, including the AONE Prism Award for Diversity and Inclusivity in 2017 for her track record of working to promote diversity and inclusivity within the School and at many levels throughout the community and nation. Dr. Dawson is a Scholar in the Sparkman Global Health Center at UAB, Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (2007), Robert Wood Johnson Nurse Executive Fellow (2000 Alumni), and Johnson & Johnson Wharton Nurse Administrative Fellow (1999 Alumni). She also is a two-time graduate of the UAB School of Nursing, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1976 and her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in 1984. Her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree was awarded by Case Western University in 2010.
