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The WCN is committed to creating a strong and diverse nurse faculty workforce. The So You Want to be a Professor Workshop & Networking Event will give participants the opportunity to learn more about the nurse educator role and how to jump-start your journey.
(Registration is open through Oct 24, 2025. Register today!)
This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by Oregon Nurses Association, an accredited approver of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
This workshop will:
Scroll down for more information on the So You Want to be a Professor Video Series
Stephanie Macon-Moore, DNP, MSN.Ed, CMSRN | Director OF RN-BSN Programs, Clinical Assistant Professor | Washington State University College of Nursing
Dr. Stephanie Macon-Moore is an alumnus of two Washington State nursing programs: Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) ADN, 1998, and Washington State University (WSU) RN-BSN, 2005. She has worked in various departments and settings, with direct patient-care experience that includes neurology, medical-surgical nursing, skilled nursing, and critical care services (ICU and ED).
Through these experiences, Dr. Macon-Moore found that her passion lies in helping others who have limited access to healthcare and in supporting those who aspire to become nurses. She has had the pleasure of teaching nursing students for over 15 years.
Her nurse educator career began as a preceptor and adjunct clinical faculty at WWCC – Clarkston, WA. While at WWCC, she became full-time nurse faculty, teaching didactic and clinical courses as well as simulation. She later served as the Clarkston campus program administrative coordinator until March 2024.
Dr. Macon-Moore is currently at Washington State University, where she serves as the Director of RN-BSN Programs and Clinical Assistant Professor.
Jacob Garcia, MBA, MSN, RN, PCCN | Director of RN to BSN, Assistant Professor | Heritage University
Jacob Garcia is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Heritage University, where he is helping to shape and implement an RN-to-BSN program to meet the needs of the local community. With a clinical background spanning Acute Care nursing, clinical informatics, and education, Jacob has led quality improvement initiatives, from early sepsis recognition to technology integration in patient safety. Beyond the classroom, he serves in nursing leadership at the state and national levels, including work with the Washington State Nurses Association, and advocacy committees that address workforce equity and patient safety.
Deeply committed to social justice, Jacob’s teaching and involvement emphasize culturally responsive care and advancing health equity for historically marginalized communities. Drawing inspiration from his grandmother, who helped found a community clinic for migrant farm workers, Jacob continues that legacy of service by empowering future nurses through education, advocacy, and community engagement.
Steven Simpkins, PhD, RN | Director of Nursing Programs | Highline College
Dr. Steven Simpkins received both his BSN and PhD in nursing from the University of Washington in Seattle. Having worked in both hospitals and in the community, he found that his true passion lies in community work, with the belief that nursing is most impactful when promoting health and healthy living.
Part of that work includes teaching the next generations of nurses, which is what led Dr. Simpkins to Highline. While taking pre-requisite courses for nursing school at Highline College, he witnessed—time and time again—the passion and dedication to excellence in education and realized this was exactly the place he wanted to be.
Dr. Simpkins returned to Highline College in 2014 as an intern and, the following year, began his tenure process. In 2018, he stepped into the role of Director of Nursing Programs and is honored to be an integral part of over 50 years of nursing education excellence at Highline College.
Kumhee Ro, DNP, ARNP, FAANP, FAAN | Associate Professor/Nurse Practitioner | Seattle University
Kumhee Ro is an Associate Professor at Seattle University, where she teaches across programs that prepare the next generation of nurse leaders. With a clinical background in public health, emergency care, and current practice as a primary care provider, she exemplifies how faculty careers can meaningfully integrate practice, teaching, and scholarship. Her scholarship focuses on patient–clinician concordance as a pathway to building trust and reducing health disparities. She also focuses on how national and global policies can support the nursing workforce in preparing for responsible AI integration in education and practice, ultimately enhancing healthcare outcomes.
A former Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow, she has contributed to legislative and regulatory initiatives with federal and state agencies and collaborates with the National Academy of Medicine on strategies to strengthen the health workforce. As a board member and entrepreneur, she drives innovation in workforce development while inspiring nurses as a scholar, educator, and mentor to enter academia, shape policy, and advance equity in healthcare.
For more information on the workshop, contact info@wcnursing.org
33% of Washington’s residents identify as a racial or ethnic minority, but according to recent data, only 18% of Washington’s full-time nursing faculty identify as a racial or ethnic minority. And only 10% identify as male. Diversifying the state’s nursing educator workforce to reflect that of the state’s population is an important step in supporting diverse nursing students and increasing health equity in Washington.
This video series includes:
Watch the short video below to meet the So You Want to be a Profesor video series presenters.
As a result of evaluation surveys from the September 2020 So You Want to be a Professor workshop, we learned that participants were also interested in building their job-seeking skills. This feedback led WCN to work with Waldron to develop a series of skills seminars..
Tips for Interview Success Seminar
When: Tue, 10/29/2024, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Zoom
Registration Link: Registration closed
Tips for Interview Presentation Success Seminar
When: Tue, 11/5/2024, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Zoom
Registration Link: Registration closed
Insight into Salaries, Roles and the Joys of Being a Nurse Educator
When: Tue, 12/10/2024, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Zoom
Registration Link: Registration closed
For questions email, email, Frank Kohel, at frankk@wcnursing.org.
In 2019, WCN piloted a three-day workshop called, So You Want to be a Professor. The goal of these workshops was to increase interest in nursing education as a career, particularly among underrepresented students and practicing nurses.
From experienced nursing faculty who represented diverse populations or had experience in nursing workforce diversity and health equity, students learned about how to build a career path towards nursing education including, the unique aspects of nursing education as a career, degree requirements and the variety of practice environments. The 2019 workshops were held at a community and technical college (Green River College), a public research university (University of Washington-Seattle), and a four- year private university (Seattle Pacific University). At the end of the workshop, participants completed a simple evaluation and feedback was very positive. Both faculty and students urged WCN to repeat the workshop.
So You Want to be a Professor also encourages participation from students and nurses interested in the high demand areas of psych/mental, integrated, and rural health nursing education.
The experienced pilot workshop faculty will serve as trainers for future workshops and workshops will also be held in central and eastern Washington. WCN coordinates with the Council on Nursing Education in Washington State (CNEWS) to find schools interested in participating in the So You Want to Be a Professor workshops. Thanks to the many schools that have expressed interest in hosting our next round of workshops!
In addition, the University of Washington is working with WCN to develop a program evaluation, which seeks to measure changes in participant’s attitudes toward nursing education as a career and provide guidance on program improvement.
So You Want to Be a Professor comes from the work of the WCN Diversity Advisory Committee. WCN convenes the WCN Diversity Advisory Committee as an advisory committee formed of leaders from state ethnic nursing associations including; the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Association for Nurses of African Heritage, the Western Washington Chapter of the National Hispanic Nurses Association, the Filipino and Professional Health Care Association of Washington, the Pacific Northwest Chinese Nurses Association and the Samoan Nurses Association. Nurse scholars experienced in the area of equity and diversity also contribute to the committee. This committee is key to developing strategies to increase nursing diversity in nursing education.
Currently, workshop faculty and the WCN Diversity Advisory Committee are meeting with schools interested in the next phase of the program. And WCN will post details (dates, times, locations, etc.) of the next workshops right here as they come available.
If you have any questions about the workshops or would like to be added to a communication list to receive workshop information updates, please email Frank Kohel at frankk@wcnursing.org.
WCN’s article in the Seattle Times promotes the rewarding career of nurse educators.
