2004 - Alumni Award Recipients

2004 Alumni Award for Excellence in Nursing
Dr. Leah L. Albers, B.S.N. ’71, M.S.N. ’74, Ph.D.

 

Dr. Leah Albers earned her B.S.N. from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in 1971, graduating magna cum laude. She went on to complete her certificate as a pediatric nurse practitioner from the University of Colorado in 1972, and returned to Vanderbilt School of Nursing in 1973 for her master’s degree as a family nurse clinician. In addition, she holds a certificate in nurse-midwifery from the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and a Ph.D. in Maternal/Child Health from the University of North Carolina. Currently, she is a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has devoted her career and her wealth of knowledge to helping women all across the country.

Dr. Albers has authored or participated in over 40 publications and has made more than 50 presentations both here in the United States and in other countries, such as Canada and England. Her research has helped to redefine parameters for normal labor in childbirth and has demonstrated the effectiveness of many supportive, low-technology care measures in pregnancy and childbirth. Many of her papers are now considered required reading for many nurse-midwifery education programs around the country. Her work has also led to numerous productive collaborations between the obstetrics and public health fields and increased the recognition of nurse-midwifery as an essential player in maternity care in this country.

In addition to her work as a professor, Dr. Albers continues to work with research and grants to further impact the medical field. Currently, she has a NINR funded study in the nurse-midwifery division at the University of New Mexico. The focus of the study is to see whether nursing/midwifery care measures in the second stage of labor can reduce the occurrence of trauma during childbirth.

Dr. Albers has received many awards and honors throughout her career, including being inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and being selected Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award from University of New Mexico College of Nursing on numerous occasions. She has served on the Editorial Board for Midwifery and BIRTH, and has been a part of both the American Nurses Association and the American College of Nurse-Midwives since the 1970’s.

2004 Alumni Award for Clinical Achievement in Nursing
Susan A. Murphy, B.S.N. ’69

Dr. Susan Murphy is a business and organizational consultant whose background includes over 25 years of national and international experience with over 250 organizations including many Fortune 500 corporations. Her clients include the U.S. Army, National Broadcasting Company (NBC), State Farm Insurance, Johnson & Johnson and the American Hospital Association.

Susan received her B.S.N. from the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in 1969 and has since earned her MBA from Pepperdine University, plus an M.A. in Organizational Development and a Ph.D. in Organizational Systems. She has an extensive background that combines the three worlds of corporate leadership, academia and management consulting. She served as vice president and a senior member of the start-up and operating team for a medical center based on the Total Quality Management Model and self-managed teams.

In addition to her success as a consultant, Susan has made a name for herself as an accomplished author. In 2001, she wrote “In the Company of Women”, which was featured in the Vanderbilt NURSE. Her work as an ICU charge nurse just three months after graduating from Vanderbilt gave her first hand experience in the dynamics of women in the health care field. It also made her realize the importance of providing mentor relationships between more experienced nurses and those who are just joining the workforce. She talks about this throughout her book, as well as other similar situations.

Most recently, Susan authored “Conversations on Success”, which focuses on the different communication styles between men and women.

2004 President’s Award of Distinction
Mrs. Helen Iola Manoogian, B.S.N. ’47

Mrs. Helen Iola Manoogian graduated with a B.S.N. degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in 1947 having previously earned her B.A. degree from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. After graduation, Helen left the United States to become a Southern Baptist missionary nurse in Beirut, Lebanon. It was there that she saw the need for and importance of accessible health care.

While in Beirut, Helen witnessed some of the most horrific fighting in that area. However, in the midst of the chaos she met Dr. Peter Manoogian – a physician at the hospital where she worked. In 1950, she resigned her position and the two were married. They continued their work in the C.M.C. Hospital, which was the only protestant hospital in Beirut. Helen was able to start a school for nurses there and ran it successfully for quite some time. Unfortunately, they soon found themselves overrun by refugees from the surrounding areas. Their control of the hospital was diminished from six floors to one. Their ability to provide necessary health care was also hindered due to lack of access to supplies and no other full time staff to support them. Even with these limitations, the Manoogians stayed to do what they could for those in need.

Helen holds a special place in her heart for the Vanderbilt School of Nursing and the education she received. During her time as a student here, the United States was deeply entrenched in World War II. She remembers how there were times when the items they needed for their studies were no longer available. As a result, the students were taught how to improvise, using what few items they had to successfully complete the task at hand. She never realized how important this skill would become – until she found herself in Beirut and, again, in the midst of a war. The skills that she learned in the nursing school came rushing back and she was able to improvise with great success.

Helen and her husband have six children and currently live in the United States. Helen has continued to inspire others with her dedication and devotion to the field of Nursing. Many of her former classmates speak about her with great admiration. Her efforts and achievements overseas are an overwhelming testament to her character.

2004 Friend of Nursing
Kathy Wood-Dobbins

Kathy Wood-Dobbins is the executive director of the Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA) – an association that strengthens community-based primary health care services for medically underserved Tennessee communities. The Association’s members include the state’s federally funded community health centers as well as other providers of primary health care. She has served as executive director for the Association since 1991 managing its advocacy, training and technical assistance programs. The Association’s budget has tripled under her leadership, and this year the Association purchased its own building. The Association has been a constant voice in public policy discussions that impact the nursing profession and a strong supporter of advanced nursing practice.

Kathy Wood-Dobbins is a graduate of Bethel College in McKenzie, Tennessee, and she earned a master of science in social work from the University of Tennessee (UT). She began her career as a social worker in the Emergency Room of a public hospital and her experiences there inspired her interest in health care and public policy. Active in policy development at the federal level, she has chaired a federal task force to strengthen the National Health Service Corps and co-chaired the Southeast Regional Primary Care Task Force. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Rural Health Association of Tennessee as well as the Tennessee Department of Health’s Emergency Preparedness Committee and Women’s Health Advisory committee.  A Certified Association Executive (CAE), Kathy was named the 1994 Association Executive of the Year by the Tennessee Society of Association Executives.

Kathy is married to Bill Dobbins who works as executive director of the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts. They have two grown children, Nick and Julia.

2004 Honorary Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Alumnus
Dr. Diane Welch Vines

Dr. Vines received her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, her master’s degree from New York University, and her doctorate in sociology from Boston University. She has been the vice chancellor for External Relations and Economic Development for OUS since 1998. She is also president of the Oregon Science and Technology Partnership in Gresham, and has worked extensively in the health care sector in a variety of issue areas. Dr. Vines is currently a nursing adjunct professor for Oregon Health and Science University and a community health adjunct professor for Portland State University.

Before coming to Oregon, Dr. Vines served as vice president for academic development for the California State University Institute, and dean and professor of the School of Health and director of the Division of Nursing at California State University – Dominguez Hills. She has served on the faculty at Boston University’s School of Nursing for the Psychiatric/Community Mental Health Graduate Program and taught psychiatric, pediatric, and medical surgical nursing in California, New York and Massachusetts.

In October 2003, Dr. Vines was appointed to coordinate the Governor’s Healthcare Initiative by Governor Kulongoski of Oregon. Her task was to begin coordinating implementations of the Healthcare Initiative based on final report recommendations from the Interim Task Force on Health Care Personnel and the Governor’s office.