Biography

Talley is an East TN native. He earned his Associate’s degree from Walters State Community College. He then earned his BSN, his MSN in Nursing Education, and his DNP from King University in Bristol, TN. He is an OR Nurse (Circulator) and still practices with a local hospital. Talley is the Nursing Education Graduate Certificate Program Coordinator and teaches in the College of Nursing’s DNP program. His areas of research include equity and health disparities.

Talley is an avid football fan (Vols & Steelers). He is married with four children and 5 grandchildren. He and his beautiful wife, Stacie, reside in Dandridge, TN, about 30 minutes outside Knoxville. He loves to read (Kindle & Audible) and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Biography

Elizabeth Sowell is from Knoxville, TN where she currently lives with her husband and their three children. She is a three-time graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.

Sowell has been a nurse for 11 years and an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), board-certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) for 8 years. She has worked as a hospital staff nurse in a mixed-bed critical care unit and an APRN in family practice. Sowell joined the UT College of Nursing in 2022 as the APRN director on a $5.5 million Tennessee Department of Health award, Community Registered Nurse Navigator, where she co-led a team of 16 registered nurses across Tennessee to identify barriers to routine immunizations and create interventions to overcome local barriers.

Sowell’s clinical and scholarly interests relate to preventive care. She loves to run, play tennis, and do anything outdoors. Sowell is excited to join the faculty at the UT College of Nursing and teach the next generation of nurses.

Biography

Tracey T. Stansberry, PhD, MSN, APRN, is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with nearly two decades of experience providing adult oncology care in the rural sector. Stansberry earned her BSBA in 1989, MSN in 2001, and PhD in Nursing in 2022, all from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Dr. Stansberry is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing and coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Health Policy Program. Her scholarly focus is rural health equity, rural hospital closures, and rural disaster preparedness. She also concentrates on the benefits of the APRN workforce to rural and underserved communities. Dr. Stansberry focuses on rural health community service, as well. Currently, she serves on Big South Fork Medical Center’s Community Advisory Board and Med Exec Committee, the Scott County Department of Health’s Advisory Board, the Tennessee Nurses Association District 2 Board, Mountain Peoples’ Health Council (an FQHC) Board of Directors, and the Tennessee Health Care Campaign Board of Directors. Stansberry is a member of the American Nurses Association, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Oncology Nursing Society, Phi Kappa Phi, Academy Health, and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Biography

Staci Wheeler earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Freed-Hardeman University and her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a focus on Nursing Education from Tennessee Tech University. Wheeler currently teaches in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program at the University of Tennessee.
Her professional interests span community health, pediatrics, health assessment, and school nursing. Wheeler’s diverse nursing experience includes four years as an elementary school nurse, where she focused on student and community health, wellness, and chronic condition management, as well as a brief tenure in a cardiac step-down unit, providing care to patients recovering from critical cardiac conditions. In her school nursing role,Wheeler advocated for inclusive facilities and accessible resources for students with disabilities, working to ensure that all children receive the care and support they need to thrive in the school environment.
Wheeler is passionate about fostering meaningful connections with her students. She strives to create a learning environment where every student feels valued, supported, and capable of reaching their full potential. Wheeler is actively involved in assisting with nursing student engagement activities, ensuring that students have ample opportunities to build community, enhance teamwork, and feel supported in their academic and clinical experiences. Her educational approach emphasizes inclusivity, engagement, and empowerment, helping students not only develop strong clinical skills but also feel confident and loved throughout their nursing journey.
Beyond her teaching role, Wheeler is an active member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, where she serves as the Membership and Communications Ambassador. Additionally, she has assisted with the Nurse Residency program at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

Biography

Carly Weaver is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner who works at Vine School Health Center. She was born and raised in Florida; graduating from both undergraduate and with her masters in nursing from the University of South Florida. She had the opportunity 4 years ago to come work at Vine School Health Center incorporating her love of providing primary care to pediatric patients and instructing future nurse practitioners. She has said it has been one of the most rewarding experience in her career thus far.

Biography

Sadie Thompson has been a clinical instructor at the University of Tennessee since 2020. Sadie has been a nurse for 8+ years specializing as a Certified Emergency Nurse. She attended University of Tennessee, Chattanooga to obtain her BSN and Western Governors University to obtain her MSN in Nursing Education.

Biography

Courtney Starkey is originally from West Tennessee and obtained her BSN from Lipscomb University in Nashville. She started her nursing career at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital working on a pediatric medical/surgical unit. Dr. Starkey has a Master’s in Nursing Education (MSN-Ed.) from Austin Peay State University and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a concentration in education from Marymount University.

After leaving full-time bedside nursing at Vanderbilt, she moved to the Washington, DC area to work as an undergraduate nurse educator at Marymount University. After completing her DNP and moving to Knoxville, Dr. Starkey transitioned to her role at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She also worked PRN bedside at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital until recently.