UAB School of Nursing faculty bring real-world experience as hospital executives, nurse leaders and more to the classroom.
Marisa Wilson, DNSc, MHSc, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FAMIA, FAAN
Health Systems Leadership Pathway Director
Marisa Wilson, DNSc, MHSc, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FAMIA, FAAN, joined UAB School of Nursing faculty as specialty track coordinator for the MSN Nursing Informatics program in 2015. She became Health Systems Leadership Pathway Director in 2018.
Wilson is a board certified informatician with interests in health information technology competency, policy, implementation, and positive patient outcome and clinical efficiency supported by informatics processes and technology.
She spent more than 15 years as a nurse clinician working in acute physical rehabilitation, medical-surgical, and telemetry units. In addition, Wilson spent more than 25 years as an epidemiologist, analyst, project leader and manager implementing information systems in public health and acute care settings.
Wilson was inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2016, an honor that recognizes individuals who have had a significant impact on nursing. She has also been selected as a Fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA). She is currently serving on the Board of Directors of The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), a non-profit organization that serves the public interest by establishing quality accreditation standards for health informatics and health information management educational programs.
Wilson has leadership roles in nursing informatics through the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), and the Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform (TIGER) Initiative. She is currently co-chair of the Nursing Knowledge Big Data Science Initiative Education Workgroup. Wilson is part of the task force rewriting the competencies for the American Nurses Association (ANA) Scope and Standards of Nursing Informatics Practice and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) DNP Essentials.
Greg Eagerton, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Nursing Health Systems Leadership Specialty Track Coordinator
Greg Eagerton, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, joined UAB School of Nursing in November 2017. He brings more than 30 years of experience in the Veterans Affairs Health System, including more than 17 years as a Chief Nursing Officer, to the position of Nursing Health Systems Leadership Specialty Track Coordinator.
Eagerton earned his BSN and MSN in Nursing Service Administration from the UAB School of Nursing before pursuing his Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Care Systems Administration.
Throughout his career, Eagerton has had a passion for caring for veterans and sharing a passion for nursing.
During his time at Birmingham VAMC, Eagerton led the way in implementing the role of Clinical Nurse Leaders in a practice setting. He also played an important role in the development of an innovative academic practice partnership with the UAB SON, The VA Nursing Academy, to support nursing students, faculty and veteran’s health care. The VA Office of Academic Affiliations funded program provided support for additional BSN students, school faculty and VA-based faculty to enhance nursing students’ knowledge of veterans’ unique health care needs.
Eagerton received the UAB “Recognized Leader” Alumni Award in 2010 and was inducted into the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame in 2011. His research and published works involve leadership and partnerships to improve quality care for veterans.
Lori Loan, PhD, RN, FAAN
Nurse Executive Certificate Director
Lori Loan, PhD, RN, FAAN, joined UAB School of Nursing in 2015 as an associate professor in nursing family, community and health systems. She was named Nurse Executive Certificate Director in 2018.
Loan brings to the Nurse Executive Certificate Director role 20 years of experience as a hospital executive, health systems scientist and researcher, including time as the Army Nurse Corps Consultant to the Surgeon General for Nursing Research, during which she served as a resource for research requirements and initiatives throughout the military.
Loan’s research focuses on the critical role of nurses and nurse leaders in health literacy and care. Her grant-funded research has led to improved policies, staffing models, training programs and other health services enhancements.
Loan was inducted as an American Academy of Nursing Fellow in 2011 and now serves as a member of the AAN’s Expert Panel on Quality Health Care, where she advocates for the importance of nurses as leaders who are able to navigate the complex demands of health care and improve patient care. She is also a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, among other professional organizations.
