By Tucker Carden
Four University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing faculty members and one alumnus are being inducted into the inaugural cohort of Fellows of the American Association for Men in Nursing, recognizing their sustained and influential leadership in the advancement of men’s health and men in the nursing profession.
Professor and Chair of the Department of Family, Community and Health Systems Curry Bordelon, DNP, MBA, CRNP, NNP-BC, CPNP-AC, CNE, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN (DNP 2016), and alumnus, former UABSON Professor and Professor Emeritus at the UAB School of Medicine Jim Raper, PhD, CRNP, JD, FAANP, FAAN (PhD 1994), are being recognized as Distinguished Fellows, honoring senior leaders who have established a significant, longstanding and transformational legacy in men in nursing and men’s health over a sustained period.
Bordelon has been on the faculty since 2016. He served as President of the AAMN Birmingham at-Large Chapter from 2018-2022, leading the development and expansion of the group. Under his leadership, the School was named AAMN's Best School for Men in Nursing in 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2020, Bordelon received the AAMN Lee Cohen Award, recognizing his contributions to the chapter’s development and membership growth. He was elected Vice President of AAMN in 2022 and will assume the Presidency at the 2026 national meeting this October. In 2023, Bordelon was named to the UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 by the UAB National Alumni Society in recognition of outstanding efforts by UAB alumni in building sustainable business and professional organizations. In 2025, he was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and Distinguished Fellow of the Nursing Academy in the National Academies of Practice.
"It is an honor to be part of the outstanding efforts of AAMN,” Bordelon said. “We have an incredible group of educators, leaders, researchers, nurses and students supporting our organizational goals and activities.”
Raper directed and served as a nurse practitioner at the 1917 Clinic, Alabama’s largest HIV clinic, for nearly 30 years. During his tenure, the clinic broadened its reach and capacity, providing care to thousands of patients. Raper devoted his career to improving access to care for HIV populations. In addition to these clinical duties, he was a faculty member at both the School and the UAB Heersink School of Medicine for 19 years. Raper is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Infectious Disease Society of America.
"To be included among the 15 senior leaders selected for the inaugural FAAMN Distinguished Fellows cohort is both humbling and deeply meaningful,” Raper said. “I am honored to be recognized alongside such accomplished colleagues and grateful for the opportunity to continue advancing the profession and supporting the next generation of nurses.”
Additionally, Interim Assistant Dean for Clinical and Community Programs, Assistant Professor and Co-Coordinator of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty Track Hiboombe Haamankuli, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, FNAP (MSN 2010), Assistant Professor Adam Kinsaul, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, RNFA (MSN 2010, DNP 2022), and Assistant Professor and Academic Integrity Officer for the MSN Program Somali Nguyen, DNP, CRNP, AGACNP-BC (BSN 2010, MSN 2014, DNP 2019), are all being recognized as Fellows, an honor conferred upon nurse leaders and active AAMN members who demonstrate progressive, high-impact and sustained contributions to the profession.
Haamankuli has been teaching at the School since 2012. As Co-Coordinator of the AGACNP Specialty Track, he helps oversee the education of over 100 students, implementing innovative teaching methods that have garnered national and international recognition through publications and presentations. In 2023, Haamankuli received scholarship recognition for his teaching methods from the Alabama League for Nursing. One year later, he was presented with ALN’s Excellence in Teaching Award for using gamification to teach critical skills, including antimicrobial selection, chest X-ray interpretation and point-of-care ultrasound. He received the same award in 2025 for his project, “Interprofessional Collaboration in Telehealth: Enhancing Social Determinants of Health Recognition Through Simulation.” This year, he received the 2026 Excellence in Community Service Award from the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association. Haamankuli has over 15 years of experience as an acute care nurse practitioner. As a NP, he provides evidence-based care to patients with acute and chronic conditions and is committed to improving patient outcomes through collaborative, interprofessional practice.
Haamankuli said that being recognized as an inaugural Fellow is “a tremendous honor.” “This reflects my commitment to improving men’s health outcomes and supporting the growth of men in the nursing profession. I am grateful for the support of the School, which has been instrumental in making this work possible.”
Kinsaul has been teaching at the School since 2013. He is President of the Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama through 2027 and has been a member of the organization for 15 years. Prior to his role as President, he served as Chair of the Full Practice Authority Committee and the Bylaws Committee. During his time with the organization, he has improved access to care and reduced nurse practitioner practice barriers through interventions such as expanding the Medicaid fee schedule for nurse practitioners, revising and expanding the orthopedic specialty protocol and revising and improving controlled substance prescribing rules. He also established the first NPAA Scholarship Fund for nurse practitioner students and implemented new continuing education opportunities for members. At the national level, Kinsaul serves as Vice Chair of the Research Committee for AAMN and was honored with a Daisy Award by the organization in October 2025. He also serves on the Education Committee for the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses and is Chair of the School’s Faculty Practice Committee. This year, he was recognized with the School’s Teaching Award for Innovation in Didactic Instruction.
"It is a tremendous honor to be inducted as a Fellow of AAMN,” Kinsaul said. “Their commitment to supporting men in the nursing profession and advancing men’s health reflects two passions that have been central to my career. I am grateful for the opportunity to join this distinguished group of Fellows and look forward to contributing to the continued growth, leadership and future of men in nursing.”
Nguyen began teaching at the School in 2019. He is the Chair of the Acute Care Special Interest Group for GAPNA. From 2022-2025, he served as President of the Birmingham at-large Chapter of the AAMN and currently serves as the Treasurer. A board-certified Adult and Gerontology Acute Care nurse practitioner, he has over 15 years of clinical experience. Nguyen’s background is in Emergency Medicine and he has extensive leadership experience overseeing the implementation and management of the UAB Highlands comprehensive vascular access team and medical emergency team. Nguyen also begins an appointment as an AAMN board member in October, serving a two-year term.
"Being inducted into the inaugural cohort of Fellows is a profound honor,” he said. “This recognition reflects my sustained dedication to elevating and advancing men in the nursing profession and I am incredibly grateful to UAB for providing the platform to champion this mission and positioning me to continue leading meaningful change in healthcare.”
Bordelon, Raper, Haamankuli, Kinsaul and Nguyen were recognized at the 51st Annual AAMN Conference Awards Dinner on October 15 in Las Vegas.