Angela Simmons is the Founding Director of the Practical Nurse Program and an Assistant Professor at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With extensive experience in community health, utilization management, and nursing leadership, Angela has been instrumental in launching and successfully implementing the Practical Nurse Program at Carlow.
She played a key role in securing a $300,000 nursing pipeline grant to support low-income students from underserved communities in the Pittsburgh area. Dr. Simmons holds a DNP in Nursing Leadership and a Master’s in Nursing Education and Leadership from Carlow University, and earned her BSN from Slippery Rock University.
Passionate about health equity and health literacy, Angela has led initiatives like organizing a health resource fair for the Braddock, Pennsylvania community in partnership with the Health Equity and Healthcare Council of Western Pennsylvania. Students from Carlow were able to immerse into the community, seeing firsthand the health education and resources needed. Her research focuses on health literacy training for community health workers. Practical Nurse Education Models and solutions to health inequities at the community level.
With over 18 years of nursing experience, Angela has held various clinical, corporate, and leadership roles, including in high-dollar complex case management within the health insurance managed care sector. Her work has deepened her understanding of healthcare inequities and the impact of low health literacy on patient outcomes.
Interests: Health Literacy; Practical Nurse Education Models; Nursing Education’s Impact on Health Equity Across Communities