Conyers, Three Alumni, Selected for Inaugural Class of Fellows of Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing

Baltimore, Md. – Yvette Conyers, DNP, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, CNE, FADLN, CWCN-AP, assistant professor and associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion, and three alumni, have been selected as a 2024 inaugural Fellow in the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (FADLN), a new academy sponsored by the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) to recognize nurse leaders for their significant and sustained contributions to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in nursing and health care.

Conyers was selected as a “Distinguished ADLN Fellow” because of her noted JEDI expertise, according to NBNA President and CEO Sheldon D. Fields, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CRNP, AACRN, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN. This group of inaugural fellows consists of individuals who have created innovative JEDI initiatives in nursing and have transformed nursing education, research, practice, policy, or administration. Conyers will be inducted at the inaugural FADLN induction ceremony on July 25 in San Francisco.

"I am honored to be chosen as one of the inaugural ADLN fellows,” Conyers said. “At a time when EDI efforts are facing challenges, it's crucial to have dedicated individuals leading this vital work.”

Three UMSON alumni join Conyers among the 176 inaugural fellows who compose this year's cohort:

• Sylvia Trent Adams, PhD, MS '99, RN, FAAN, president, The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth
• Veronica Clarke-Tasker, PhD '96, MBA, MPH, MDiv, RN, professor emerita, Howard University
• Stephan Davis, DNP, BSN '07, MHSA, FACHE, FAAN, executive director, inclusive leadership education; associate dean, inclusive excellence and belonging, Virginia Commonwealth University College of Health Professions.

ADLN aims to recognize, support, and promote the significant work that has been done to diversify the nursing profession, focusing on advancing health equity, creating anti-racism policies, and strengthening antiracism health care practices. Cultivating this distinguished group of respected thought leaders with expertise in JEDI is a way of ensuring access to high quality, evidence-based knowledge and interventions that will support the health of all people. 

Conyers, who joined UMSON in 2023, serves as the primary advisor to UMSON’s dean, senior academic leadership team, senior administrative team, and Diversity and Inclusion Council on operational and strategic goals related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Additionally, she oversees UMSON’s diversity and inclusion initiatives and partners with colleagues across the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Universities at Shady Grove locations to promote and execute efforts related to diversity and inclusion. Conyers also holds a faculty appointment as an assistant professor, teaching excellence tenure track.

Through Conyers’ leadership, in 2023, UMSON was awarded a three-year grant, “Eliminating Structural Racism in Nursing Academia: A Systems Change Approach to Anti-Racist Nursing Education,” from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation aimed at tackling systemic racial inequities in nursing education. UMSON is one of only 12 nursing schools in the country to receive the grant. 

Also in 2023, UMSON was selected to participate in “Building a Culture of Belonging in Academic Nursing,” a national initiative to foster inclusive learning environments in schools of nursing.

Founded in 1971, the NBNA represents 350,000 Black registered nurses, licensed vocational/practical nurses, nursing students, and retired nurses from the United States, the Eastern Caribbean, and Africa. Its mission is “to serve as the voice for Black nurses and diverse populations ensuring equal access to professional development, promoting educational opportunities, and improving health.” 

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The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.