Jennifer D. Eccles, PhD, MSN, MEd, RN, FAADN (she/her/hers)

Executive Director Center for Nursing Equity and Excellence
University of Minnesota
Woodbury, Minnesota

Dr. Jennifer Eccles is the Executive Director of the Center for Nursing Equity and Excellence, Minnesota’s nursing workforce center housed at the University of Minnesota in partnership with Minnesota State. Jennifer provides collaborative visionary leadership to pioneer, develop, and execute highly effective programs and services that meet workforce demands, foster education, achieve equity, empower people, and change lives. She works with community, industry, government, state and national partners to support workforce initiatives in Minnesota.

An academic leader over the past thirteen years, Jennifer served Minnesota State as the Senior System Director of Nursing Excellence, liaising with 62 nursing programs encompassing 16,000 full-time equivalent students in the state system of 37 colleges and universities. Previously, she was at Minnesota State College Southeast as Interim Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and Dean of Health Sciences. Jennifer led efforts in updating services to students, meeting workforce demands, increasing academic efficiency, creating community partnerships, improving faculty relations, and reversing an 11-year negative enrollment trend. Jennifer played an integral role in earning two programs top-ranking in Minnesota while improving finances and increasing faculty and student satisfaction. She enhanced enrollments and retention in addition to aligning joint credit/non-credit programs. She was one of the founding members creating an award-winning Associate/Baccalaureate of Science program across eight institutions, establishing the opportunity for students to earn a baccalaureate while remaining on their community college campus.

Jennifer is a published author in peer-reviewed journals and in a leadership book published by the American Nurses Association. She earned an Honors Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Education in curriculum studies, a Master of Science in Nursing in advanced practice, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing with research focused on leaders building positive work environments to enhance health outcomes.

Jennifer maintains active involvement in different organizations as a member and volunteer, including her local Native American Education Parent Advisory Council, a volunteer Emergency Medical Services organization, and a youth hockey league.

Prior to higher education, Jennifer fulfilled positions including assistant director of nursing, director of med/surg, emergency nurse manager, and clinical educator. She served the Royal Canadian Navy as one of the first women in Canada in a combat role, and the highest ranked woman naval combat information operator in the Canadian fleet. Moreover, she was a volunteer firefighter and paramedic. She is the mother of five children and caregiver to two Newfoundland dogs. Jennifer was raised in Canada and is now proud to be a US citizen.

Presentation(s):

• 1010 - Paid Apprenticeship in Pre-Licensure Nursing in Minnesota: Paying Nursing Students While They Learn

  Saturday, November 2, 2024
  9:15 AM - 10:05 AM EDT