VERSAILLES, Ky. — Frontier Nursing University announced that Khara’ Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, will be the new Director of the university’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program beginning September 26, 2021. Dr. Jefferson replaces Dr. Jane Houston, DNP CNM FACNM, who has served as the DNP Director since 2019.
Dr. Jefferson, who is now an assistant professor at Frontier, obtained her DNP from FNU in early 2017 and began teaching quality improvement methodology in FNU’s DNP Program shortly thereafter.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. Jefferson as the new Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “She has proven to be an invaluable member of our faculty and is a strong voice and leader for the nursing profession. We are sad to say goodbye to Dr. Houston, who has been a tremendous asset to the university, but we are very fortunate to have someone like Dr. Jefferson ready to fill her shoes.”
Dr. Jefferson has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She worked as a Registered Nurse in an emergency department for several years before obtaining her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of South Alabama in 2011.
She continued her work in Emergency Medicine as a Family Nurse Practitioner, where she precepted nurse practitioner students and also worked in urgent care clinics, where she served on the executive leadership team. She is a certified life coach, energy healer, and has had HEART of a Leader training.
Other leadership roles have included urgent care training development and coordinator for the Emergency Department Patient Experience Quality Impact Team and Right Care Alliance Chapter leader.
Currently, Dr. Jefferson is an active part-time clinician in EM, urgent care, and telehealth. She is an active member of the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners (LANP), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF).
“I am very excited to embark on my new role as the DNP Program Director,” Dr. Jefferson said. “I am passionate about quality, equitable care for all, and engaging and empowering patients to have more control over their health and wellness. As DNP Program Director, I hope to impact change and prepare future leaders to provide evidence-based care.”
