JOHNSON CITY (Dec. 18, 2020) – Dr. Kathryn Wilhoit has been appointed interim dean
for the College of Nursing at East Tennessee State University.
Wilhoit brings more than 40 years of experience in clinical and research-based nursing, administration and leadership experience to the largest nursing program in Tennessee. While serving as the Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive for Mountain States Health Alliance, she was responsible for the efforts that resulted in Johnson City Medical Center becoming the first hospital in Tennessee to receive Magnet Status. Throughout her career, Wilhoit has worked with countless nursing students from ETSU and other nursing programs across the region to ensure they had meaningful clinical experiences.
“It is truly an honor to be a nurse and I am excited to have this opportunity to work with the largest nursing program in the state,” Wilhoit said. “I have seen firsthand how ETSU makes a positive impact on not only the number of nurses working across the region, but in graduating nurses and advanced practice nurses who are knowledgeable, compassionate, sincere and have a strong sense of responsibility for their patients as well as to their profession. I look forward to working with our distinguished faculty achieve their goals and to continue advancing the College of Nursing.”
Wilhoit is a two-time graduate of ETSU, first earning a bachelor of science in Nursing, then a master’s in Nursing from the University of Virginia before returning to ETSU to complete her Ph.D. As an adjunct faculty member at ETSU, she taught courses for the MSN/RODP and Ph.D. program, and led courses focused on acute and long-term care settings and leadership. Wilhoit was instrumental in the creation of ETSU’s original LPN to BSN program established through a collaboration that included Johnson City Medical Center and area nursing homes. She was also recognized as ETSU’s School of Nursing Outstanding Alumna in 1990 and Outstanding ETSU Alumna in 1997.
“Much of my career has been focused on collaboration and how we can work together to meet health care needs as well as develop the very best practices in individualized patient care,” Wilhoit said. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue this work as interim dean.”
Wilhoit retired from her Mountain States Health Alliance Corporate Vice-President position in 2012 and has continued practicing as a nurse educator for the Community Health Resources Center in the population health division of Ballad Health. She has served as a preceptor for nursing students in these centers and as an ethics consultant on call for JCMC.
As a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Wilhoit currently holds the FACHE credential as well as the NEA-BC credential for achieving certification in nursing administration at the advanced level through the American Nurses Association’s American Nurses Credentialing Center.
“We are very fortunate to have someone of Dr. Wilhoit’s caliber to fill this interim position,” said Dr. Wilsie Bishop, senior vice president for academics and interim provost. “She has shattered many glass ceilings throughout her career as she has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of nursing education and the status of nursing in the region.”
Wilhoit resides in Johnson City with her husband Dean, also an ETSU graduate. They have two children who are also ETSU alumni and a granddaughter currently enrolled at the university. She is active in her community, where she currently serves as a volunteer with the Ballad Health Faith Community Nurses, a member of Otterbein United Methodist Church and as a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary.
Dr. Wendy Nehring, dean of the College of Nursing since 2009, recently announced her plans to step down and resume her role as a member of the faculty. A national search is underway to select the next dean.