Anna Villena

Dr. Anna Liza D. Villena, PhD, RN, FNP-BC

Dr. Anna Liza D. Villena brings over three decades of clinical and academic nursing experience to her role as Associate Professor and Core Faculty in Walden University's Family Nurse Practitioner Program, where she has served since 2011. She earned her PhD in Nursing (with distinction) from the University of California, San Francisco, her MS in Nursing/FNP from San Francisco State University, and her BS in Nursing (summa cum laude). She is board-certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

At Walden, Dr. Villena has taught 19 different courses spanning undergraduate through graduate levels, served as Lead Faculty for 11 courses, and holds dual roles as didactic and clinical instructor in the FNP program. She currently serves as a Subject Matter Expert for NRNP and PRAC 6541/6549 (Pediatric Primary Care), and she led the redesign of NRNP 6541 (2018) to improve usability for both students and instructors. Her teaching philosophy, grounded in Eduard Lindeman's co-operative learning framework, emphasizes critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and empathic care. She has pioneered innovative online engagement strategies, including a dedicated YouTube channel (@NRNP6541), weekly video updates, standardized grading rubrics, and clinical reasoning debriefs. Her sustained teaching excellence was recognized with the Daisy Award for Faculty (Winter 2026) and an "Exceeds" rating on her FY25 performance review.

Dr. Villena is Co-Chair of Walden University's AI Committee (2026–present), leading institution-wide efforts to integrate artificial intelligence responsibly into nursing education. She is currently co-developing a qualitative research study on faculty barriers and readiness for AI integration in asynchronous nursing education, using Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations framework. Her earlier research, supported by a SAMHSA/ANA Minority Fellowship, focused on improving outcomes for individuals with co-occurring medical and behavioral health disorders. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including Archives of Psychiatric Nursing and the Encyclopedia of Nursing Research, and presented at national and international conferences.

A dedicated mentor, Dr. Villena has guided more than 27 faculty members and written recommendation letters that have helped place students at institutions including Johns Hopkins University, the University of Pennsylvania, UC Irvine, and the VA Healthcare System. Prior to Walden, she held faculty appointments at The Ohio State University and Grantham University and practiced clinically. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society and, together with her husband, co-established the Villena-Aldama Music Fund, supporting music education for students in financial need

Courses Taught

NURS 6541 - Primary Care Adolescent & Child

PRAC 6541 - Primary Care Adolescent & Child Practicum

NURS 6531 - Adult Primary Care

Education

PhD, University of California San Francisco

MSN, San Francisco State University

BSN, San Francisco State

Public Service

Villena-Aldama Music Fund / Songbird Rising Music School, Other - Austin

Awards / Honors

Daisy Award for Faculty Excellence in Teaching, Walden College of Nursing, 2026