Adapted from an Aug. 8, 2024, press release from the Office of Washington State Governor. Links added by UW School of Nursing staff.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced the appointment of Keondra Rustan as student regent on the University of Washington Board of Regents.
Keondra Rustan is a second-year doctoral candidate in the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program at the University of Washington School of Nursing. Her work focuses on how healthcare systems can be made more accessible to underserved populations, including those with trauma and substance use disorders.
Prior to enrolling in the DNP program at UW, Rustan had already obtained her PhD in nursing education and research and a master’s in nursing education. She was previously a practicing registered nurse with various hospitals in Virginia, California and the Pacific Northwest. With a specialty in cardiac medicine, critical care, trauma medicine and emergency medicine, Rustan has also worked as an adjunct and visiting professor of nursing.
From 2020 to 2022, she served as the assistant director of the simulation center at UW’s nursing school. As a member of the faculty, she was awarded the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award and the Dr. C. June Strickland Distinguished Diversity & Transcultural Nursing Advocate Award.
In 2022, Keondra also won the Lois Spratlen Price Foundation Scholarship and was the keynote speaker for the 2023 Scholarship celebration. She helped transition simulation and skills training into an online environment and helped run COVID-19 vaccination training so that students and staff could vaccinate those who needed it.
“Keondra is a dedicated healthcare practitioner and an incredibly talented educator,” said Inslee. “I’m confident she’ll be an excellent nurse practitioner when she’s finished her studies. In the meantime, her integrity and commitment to excellence in both teaching and public service will be an asset to the Board of Regents.”
“It’s an honor to take on this role,” said Rustan. “The University of Washington has a powerful role to play in shaping the future of healthcare and public health across this state. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help ensure that future is one where more people have access to the care they need.”
Beyond campus, Keondra was actively involved in the community, serving as president of the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization and as a member of the National Council of Negro Women. She was also a member and presenter for the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning and the National League for Nursing.
The appointment was effective July 1, 2024.