Brenda McNeil, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Director, Family Nurse Practitioner Program, Assistant Clinical Professor

Dr. McNeil is a family nurse practitioner with extensive clinical experience in primary care, dedicated to improving healthcare access for underserved populations. She has been actively engaged in graduate nursing education for the past decade, preparing future nurse practitioners to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care. She has a strong interest in preceptor development and works closely with students and preceptors to enhance experiential learning and support practice-ready clinical education. Dr. McNeil serves as a board member for the Connecticut chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) and contributes to the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), including the Preceptor Committee and Curriculum Leadership Committee. She maintains clinical practice in a college health setting. Her clinical and scholarly interests include health promotion, disease prevention, social determinants of health, mental health, pediatrics/adolescent health, motivational interviewing, and competency-based education.

Annette Jakubisin-Konicki, Ph.D., APRN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN

Dr. Jakubisin Konicki, is Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Programs. As a nursing educator, she is transforming care for the underserved through better preparation of the APN workforce by integrating her interests in primary prevention, health promotion, and interprofessional education. She has extensive experience in curricular development and evaluation. She served as a lead in the development of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner (NONPF) 2024 Competency Implementation Guide for Nurse Practitioner Faculty which identifies the Nurse Practitioner population foci competencies. She remains active in the NONPF Curricular Leadership Committee and is a champion for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing 2021 Essentials for the implementation of competency-based education in nurse practitioner education.

Ivy M. Alexander, Ph.D., APRN, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN

Ivy M. Alexander is a Professor and Director of the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track at the University of Connecticut School of Nursing. Her clinical, scholarly, and research interests are in primary care for underserved populations, including Veterans and their families, and Midlife Women's Health Care. She has extensive experience in both clinical and didactic education and has served as Project Director for multiple HRSA-funded programs supporting education and training of primary care NPs since 2013.

Vanessa Bolling, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Dr. Vanessa Bolling serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor, bringing a dynamic and diverse nursing background to her role. She teaches graduate-level didactic and clinical courses for Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP), and Nurse Educator students. With a strong foundation in medical-surgical nursing and current practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner in primary care across the lifespan, Dr. Bolling delivers a practice-based, student-centered approach to teaching and clinical education.