Nurse Executives in Residence Program

A unique collaboration between experts in nursing leadership and health-care transformation and the Executive Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Systems Leadership and Policy degree program

Healy Hall on a summer day

About the Nurse Executives in Residence Program

The Nurse Executives in Residence Program is a centerpiece of the post-master’s Executive Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Systems Leadership and Policy degree program.

This unique program facilitates exclusive access to the foremost nursing leaders for our Executive DNP students, creating the opportunity for them to learn directly from executives who have made significant contributions to the nursing profession and to health care delivery.

The Nurse Executives in Residence provide:

Stephan Davis stands with Healy Hall in the background

The Nurse Executives in Residence will serve in a special faculty capacity, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Executive DNP program.

Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, NEA-BC, CENP, FACHE, ANEF, FAAN, Executive Director of Leadership, Policy, and DNP Education

Meet the Nurse Executives in Residence

Dale Beatty, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FAONL, FAAN

Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President
Stanford Health Care

Dale Beatty

Dale Beatty is the chief nurse executive and senior vice president at Stanford Health Care, a premier academic health system and the flagship hospital of Stanford University. He is also the immediate past-president of the Association for California Nurse Leaders (2024).

Beatty has a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Ohio Wesleyan University, a Master of Science with distinction from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Beatty is the recipient of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing & the University of Illinois – Chicago College of Nursing – Alpha Lambda; Nursing Leadership Recognition Award for 2015; and the UIC College of Nursing Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2021. Stanford Medicine Nursing is the world’s first and only Sigma Practice Chapter, with over 400 members, of which he is the vice president. Beatty has been inducted as a fellow in the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing, American Organization of Nurse Leaders, and the American Academy of Nursing.

Robyn Begley, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Chief Executive Officer Emerita
American Organization for Nursing Leadership

Robin Begley

Photo: Andrew Collings

Robyn Begley is chief executive officer emerita of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL). During her tenure as CEO of AONL and senior vice president for the American Hospital Association, she guided the membership organization consisting of more than 11,000 nurse leaders whose strategic focus is excellence in nursing leadership. She oversaw a number of key initiatives involving workforce, quality and safety, and future care delivery models. In addition, she worked collaboratively with the AHA to ensure the perspective and needs of nurse leaders were heard and addressed in public policy issues related to nursing and patient care and leads the AHA Workforce initiative.

Begley previously served as vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer at AtlantiCare in Atlantic City, N.J. During her 35-year tenure, she led AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center to achieve the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet designation four times and was part of the executive team that led the organization to achieve the 2009 Baldrige National Quality Award for innovation and performance excellence. She also worked with NAACP, Hispanic Alliance and Pan Asian leaders to promote diversity in the nursing workforce by establishing nursing fellowship and scholarship programs, as well as a mentoring program for students.

Begley serves on many boards, most recently as a member of the AONL Board of Directors, chair of AONL Foundation Board of Directors, and the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare Board of Directors. Begley earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rutgers), New Brunswick, N.J., master’s degree from Widener University, Chester, Pa. and bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is board certified as an advanced nurse executive with the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Begley was inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing class of 2020.

Natalia Cineas, DNP, MSM-N, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FAAN

Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive
New York City Health and Hospitals 

Natalia Cineas

Natalia Cineas, DNP, MSM-N, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FAAN, is senior vice president, chief nursing executive, co-chair, equity and access council for New York City Health + Hospitals, the largest municipal public healthcare system in the nation, serving 1.4 million New Yorkers annually in 70 patient care locations. She serves as clinical lead for the organization, directing more than 9,600 nurses as well as planning, overseeing and evaluating all aspects of clinical operations, services and nurse education to ensure the delivery of quality, safe, standardized, and cost-effective nursing care to patients and the community.

Cineas previously held nursing leadership roles at New York City’s Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital; and at Columbia University Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital. She holds a Master of Business Administration in health care from Northern Arizona University; a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from George Washington University; a Master of Science in management and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from New York University; and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Stony Brook University. In 2021, she was named a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing; she currently serves on the Academy’s Fellow Selection Committee.

Cole Edmonson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, FAONL, FNAP, FAAN

Chief Executive Officer
Nurses on Boards Coalition 

Cole Edmonson

Cole Edmonson is a nurse leader with over 30 years of experience, currently serving as CEO of the Nurses On Boards Coalition. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s in nursing from Oklahoma University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Texas Christian University. He is a fellow in multiple prestigious organizations including the American Academy of Nursing and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Throughout his career, Edmonson has made significant contributions to nursing leadership and practice. He has led organizations to Magnet designations and co-authored books and resources, including a Civility Toolkit to address nurse bullying. He has been a primary investigator and a co-investigator on numerous national and local nursing research studies. He serves as a scientific advisor to several technology companies in areas including robotics and artificial intelligence.

His leadership roles have included positions as chief nursing officer and chief clinical officer. He is actively involved in numerous professional organizations, serving on boards of organizations such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Texas Hospital Association. Edmonson has received multiple recognitions, including the Oklahoma University Distinguished Alumni Inaugural Award and being named Nursing Management Magazine’s Visionary Nurse Leader of the year. He is known for his dedication to creating nursing leaders and fostering environments where nurses are valued and respected.

Bradley Goettl, DNP, DHA, APRN, FAANP, FAEN, FACHE, FAAN

Chief Clinical Officer
Emergency Nurses Association 

Bradley Goettl

Bradley Goettl is a dynamic health care executive with over 20 years of experience in clinical practice, health care administration, academia, and nonprofit leadership. He began his career in rural health care, served as a flight nurse and nurse practitioner, and eventually moved into leadership roles. In his current position as chief clinical officer at the Emergency Nurses Association, he leads practice excellence, research and advocacy initiatives that support emergency nurses and patients worldwide.

Throughout his career, Goettl has mentored and educated nurses, developed international training programs, and secured multimillion dollars in grants to expand health care access and launch transition-to-practice initiatives. He has also contributed to advancing the profession through research and publications. Recognized as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the Academy of Emergency Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the American College of Healthcare Executives, Goettl is committed to advancing the nursing profession and driving meaningful change in health care.

Susan Grant, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Chief Clinical Officer
Symplr 

Susan Grant

Susan M. Grant, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, is the chief clinical officer for Symplr, a leading provider of enterprise health care operations software. Prior to joining Symplr in January 2025, she served as executive vice president, chief experience officer and chief nurse executive at Wellstar Health System and has served as a chief nurse for five different U.S. health systems. Her wealth of experience as a nurse executive, has led to achievements including leading the nursing practice of over 10,000 nurses across all care settings and overseeing successful Magnet designation and redesignation of eight different hospitals. She has led through public health crises, including Ebola and COVID-19.

She currently serves on the Daisy Foundation Board of Directors, Vanderbilt University’s Dean’s Advisory Board, co-chair of the AACN/AONL Task Force on Academic Practice Partnerships, the JONA editorial board, and is chair of the Wellstar Medical College of Georgia Health board. Dr. Grant, a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing since 2010, is currently on the Academy’s Board of Directors and recently spearheaded two of the Academy’s Policy Dialogues on the topics of optimizing the nursing workforce, policy implications post-COVID, and nursing’s role in virtual models of care. Dr. Grant received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Medical College of Georgia, master’s degree in nursing from the University of South Carolina, and Doctor of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt University.

Deb Zimmermann, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Chief Executive Officer, Daisy Foundation
President, American Organization for Nursing Leadership

Deb Zimmerman

Deb Zimmermann, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, is the CEO for the DAISY Foundation, the worldwide leader in the meaningful recognition of nurses. Before joining DAISY, Zimmermann served in the United States Army Nurse Corps, practiced as a nurse practitioner, and served in chief nursing officer positions in New York and Virginia. She is the president of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) and a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. She co-chairs the AONL workforce committee. Zimmermann is dedicated to strengthening the education and influence of nurses, creating collaborative, thriving, interprofessional care environments, and quantifying the contribution of nurses in improving health outcomes.