Gloria E. Barrera is a public health nurse, nurse educator, and nationally recognized expert in school nursing with close to two decades of experience in school health. She now serves as Director of the RN to BSN Program at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), the largest program at the College of Nursing, and as a professor of nursing.
As the first Latina President of the Illinois Association of School Nurses (IASN), Barrera led with distinction during the pandemic and launched initiatives that elevated the profession statewide. She currently serves on the Executive Board of ANA-Illinois as Secretary, is appointed to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Diversity in Health Care Professions Task Force, and the Governor’s Illinois Terrorism Task Force’s School Safety Committee. She has collaborated with the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, leading the development of a COVID-19 Vaccines Toolkit for Illinois School Nurses.
Her commitment to service extends to volunteer work with various non-profit organizations, where she shares her expertise in leadership and advocacy. Barrera is increasingly focused on environmental health, particularly climate change, and is an active member of the Nursing Coalition on Climate Change and Health. She is a Fellow of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, a Climate Health Organizing Fellow, and Co-Founder of Nurse Heroes for Zero. A newly published author in a peer-reviewed journal, she is frequently sought by organizations, media, and policymakers for her expertise.
Dedicated to mentoring the next generation of nurse leaders, she co-founded the Society of Latinx Nurses and created multiple mentorship programs. Her contributions have earned her numerous honors, including Nurse Influencer of the Year by ANA-Illinois, the 40 Under Forty in Public Health by the de Beaumont Foundation, and the 40 Under Forty Award by ANA-Illinois.
Connect with Gloria on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/in/gloriaebarrera
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