College of Nursing

Leadership

All College of Nursing leaders and teaching faculty hold doctorates—and most are active practitioners, too.² Get valuable guidance and insights from those on the front lines of today’s nursing field.

Tracy Wilson 

Dean

Dr. Tracy Wilson has more than 21 years of experience in higher education and has served in several leadership roles including Advanced Practice Programs Coordinator, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, Dean School of Nursing and her most recent role as Dean, of Walden’s College of Nursing. She had teaching experience in all levels of nursing programs from pre-licensure BSN to doctoral programs in face-to-face and online modalities. Dr. Wilson is an ANCC board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and has been a nurse for more than 30 years. Tracy’s primary care focus is on health, wellness, weight-loss strategies, and obesity management. Her nursing experience includes ICU, cardiac catheterization laboratory and as a critical care educator. Dr. Wilson has also served as an expert nurse witness and legal case reviewer. Dr. Wilson earned her DNP from The University of Alabama, Master of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner concentration from East Tennessee State University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from The University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Her research interest focuses on obesity management in primary care offices and the role of primary care providers in the assessment and treatment of obesity.

Latonya Hughes

Associate Dean II
The Office of Field Experience

Dr. Latonya Dickerson Hughes, a highly accomplished alumna of Walden University (Class of 2019), offers an exceptional breadth of experience to the College of Nursing, backed by over three decades of service in the healthcare sector. Her expertise spans a diverse range of areas, including academic program development, regulatory compliance, and strategic leadership within healthcare organizations. Dr. Hughes has held prominent leadership roles throughout her career. As a former Assistant Dean and Chair of Graduate Nursing Education, she has been instrumental in shaping and advancing nursing education programs, ensuring alignment with industry standards and best practices. Her ability to lead in academic settings is complemented by her substantial experience in healthcare administration, where she has served in key roles such as Administrator and Chief Nurse for the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she oversaw clinical operations and nursing services across multiple facilities. In addition to her administrative work, Dr. Hughes has served as an Accreditation Surveyor with The Joint Commission, where she was responsible for assessing healthcare facilities to ensure compliance with national standards. This role allowed her to contribute to the continuous improvement of healthcare quality and safety on a national scale. Dr. Hughes is also a respected researcher and published author. Her research on The Caregivers’ Perception of Person-Centered Care has garnered recognition within the field, contributing valuable insights into the experiences of caregivers and the importance of person-centered approaches in healthcare delivery. Further demonstrating her commitment to public service and healthcare advocacy, Dr. Hughes was recently appointed by the Governor of Virginia to serve on two critical state boards: the Board of Health Professions and the Board of Long-Term Care Administrators. These appointments reflect her expertise and the high regard in which she is held as a leader in healthcare policy and governance. Dr. Hughes’ contributions to nursing education, healthcare leadership, and policy development continue to shape the future of healthcare, both regionally and nationally, making her an invaluable asset to the College of Nursing and the broader healthcare community.

Jamil Norman

Associate Dean II

Doctoral and BSN Programs

Dr. Jamil Norman has over two decades of experience as a registered nurse and more than fifteen years dedicated to shaping the future of nursing through higher education.

As Associate Dean II at Walden University, Dr. Norman plays a pivotal role in cultivating the next generation of nursing professionals. Her journey in academia began with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Central Arkansas, followed by a Master of Science in Nursing from Grambling State University. Driven by her passion for advancing the field, she pursued a PhD in Nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler, solidifying her commitment to excellence in research and education.

Throughout her career, Dr. Norman has served as an educator, researcher, and mentor. With her unwavering dedication to the advancement of nursing education and her impactful research initiatives, Dr. Jamil Norman contributes to shaping the future of healthcare with compassion, knowledge, and innovation.

Judi Kuric

Associate Dean II

MSN NP and SP Programs

Dr. Judi Kuric is a transformational nursing leader, academic leader, distinguished clinician, and educator with more than three decades of progressive leadership across advanced practice, higher education, and statewide professional advocacy. She currently serves as Associate Dean 2 for MSN Nurse Practitioner and Specialty Programs at Walden University, where she provides strategic oversight for program development, accreditation, faculty leadership, and quality advancement across multiple NP and SP tracks. Her prior leadership roles include Academic Program Coordinator for the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program, where she led curriculum innovation, distance-learning expansion, and clinical partnership development. Prior to joining Walden University, she served as Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Indiana’s School of Nursing and Health Professions for over two decades.

Dr. Kuric holds national certifications as an Acute Care NP, Family NP, Emergency NP, and Nurse Executive Advanced. She earned her DNP from Rush University, Post-MSN NP certificates in Acute Care and Family Practice from the University of Southern Indiana, and an MSN from Wayne State University.

She has enjoyed a long and distinguished clinical career, including a decade as a Family Nurse Practitioner and more than 20 years as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in neurosurgery and urgent care. She also continues to serve underserved communities as a volunteer clinician with the Family Community Clinic.

A respected state and national leader, Dr. Kuric serves as the President of the Kentucky Association of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives (KANPNM) after years of dedicated service as President-Elect, Treasurer, Finance Committee Co-chair, Membership Committee Chair, Legislative Key Contact, and Conference Planning Committee member. She also serves on the Kentucky Advanced Practice PAC Board and is an active member of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, where she contributes to strategic finance and program development initiatives.

Dr. Kuric has secured more than $780,000 in competitive grant funding, including a major HRSA award supporting advanced practice program implementation. Her scholarly impact includes serving as a curriculum author and section editor for the AANN Core Curriculum, expert reviewer for national clinical guidelines, and presenter at multiple national conferences.

Recognized for her leadership excellence, Dr. Kuric is a recipient of the 2024 Walden/Adtalem Leadership Excellence Award, the 2023 DAISY Faculty Excellence Award, and the 2020 College of Nursing Leadership Excellence Award. Through her strategic vision, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to nursing practice, she continues to shape the future of advanced practice nursing at the local, state, and national levels.