Annmarie Muñana, MSN, MJ, RN, CNE is the proud and grateful recipient of the Philip D. Raso Scholarship. As a healthcare and academic nurse leader with a commitment to excellence, she believes in continuous improvement for herself, the nursing profession, and most importantly, for the health of our patients and communities. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), in Executive Leadership at the University of San Francisco.

Ann embraces life-long learning and believes education is key to personal growth. Ann received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing degrees from Georgetown University. She achieved her Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law from Loyola University Chicago, School of Law.

As a DNP candidate, Ann enjoys the opportunity to bring together her love of nursing, passion for education, strong legal background, and enthusiasm for leadership to advance academic nursing practice and influence regulatory oversight. As an academic nurse leader, she is dedicated to preparing, educating, and promoting nurses and nurse leaders to benefit population health and wellbeing. Her commitment to leadership and education inform her vision of a diverse nursing workforce that is prepared to meet the needs of the complex and evolving global healthcare landscape.

Recently, Ann was appointed to the Chicago Department of Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Work Group comprised of nationally recognized experts in vaccines, infectious diseases, clinical trials, regulatory affairs, and public health. The group’s charge was to independently evaluate and advise on the scientific and regulatory review of the FDA’s process for Emergency Use Authorization of COVID-19 vaccines. It was Ann’s nursing, regulatory affairs, and clinical research expertise that uniquely qualified her for this appointment; however, it was her nursing voice that provided a unique perspective and valuable contribution to the dialogue. 

At the University of San Francisco, guided by Jesuit core values, there is a saying “Change the world from here”. It means that regardless of who, what, or where one is in life, there is an opportunity to contribute to society to promote a humane and just world. Similarly, the nursing Code of Ethics core principles highlight service to the nursing profession and community. Throughout the pandemic, Ann has been inspired by the nurses on the frontlines, and grateful for the compassion, grace, leadership, and service they demonstrate day after day. As an academic nurse leader, her “frontline” is focused on the efforts to support nursing students’ education and faculty development to successfully graduate safe and competent nurses to become members of a dedicated and caring profession.

As she continues her leadership journey with her DNP, Ann aim is to lead, guide, and influence academic leadership and healthcare to improve the health of our communities - locally and globally. Her objective is to integrate and adapt knowledge from her background and expertise to develop and support nurse leaders, especially those in academia, through education and mentorship.