We are excited to you welcome you back to beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado for the Nurse Educators Conference in the Rockies 2026
June 22 - 26, 2026
Beaver Run Resort
PRECONFERENCES
Monday June 22nd
1200pm - 430pm
Thinking Classroom:
Guiding Problem
Solvers for the Future
Creating a thinking classroom requires courage. This collaborative session equips educators with science-informed learning strategies to intentionally create meaningful problem solvers, and nurses for the future.
Erin Putney
MSN, RN
Tuesday June 23rd 830am - 1145am
Finding Our Direction: Navigating AI in Nursing Education
The session emphasizes thoughtful, human-centered application of AI across didactic teaching, clinical education, simulation, assessment, accreditation, and faculty workflow, leaving attendees with confidence, clarity, and actionable ideas they can use immediately.
Susan Deane
EdD, MSN, CNE
Tuesday June 23rd 1245pm - 400pm
Practical Application of Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in
Nursing Education
This engaging pre-conference workshop will equip nurse educators with evidence-based knowledge and strategies to create inclusive, supportive, and effective learning environments using trauma-informed pedagogy.
April Matthias
PhD, RN, CNE
Anka Roberto
DNP, MPH, PMHNP-BC, APRN, FNAP
Monday, June 22nd
1200pm - 430pm
Thinking Classroom:
Guiding Problem Solvers for the Future
Erin Putney MSN, RN
Creating a thinking classroom requires courage. This collaborative session equips educators with science-informed learning strategies to intentionally create meaningful problem solvers, and nurses for the future.
How can a simple reordering of learning completely change how students think and learn? This interactive session explores core neurophysiologic principles that support learning and problem solving and examines thinking frameworks that promote a problem-solving mindset. Participants will engage with practical, thinking-first strategies designed to foster active learning across diverse learning environments, from the classroom to the clinical space. Attendees will leave with an increased awareness of the science of learning and at least one adaptable strategy they can apply within their own programs, without adding content or changing existing curricula. Teaching for the future takes not only relooking at our methods but Teachers with Courage. Educational change will allow teachers to navigate the future of nursing education and help us, together, find our True North.
Describe core neurophysiologic principles that support learning and problem solving.
Evaluate thinking frameworks that promote a problem-solving mindset.
Adapt at least one thinking-first strategy to the participant’s unique learning environment.
Identify and reflect on challenges that arise when implementing a thinking-first pedagogy.
Erin Putney
MSN, RN
Erin has been a nurse educator for over 10 years in a variety of programs and currently teaches in the nursing program at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Erin is also the founder of Teaching Courage, an education-focused initiative that supports educators who are taking on the challenges that come with nursing education. Prior to teaching she was a nurse in oncology, and in trauma ICU's. She continued her bedside skills with several PRN jobs, from supervisor on weekends to home infusion in the evenings.
In her teaching, Erin integrates emotional intelligence and the science of learning from the classroom to the clinical space. Her teaching philosophy, “thinkers save lives,” is threaded through all of her courses and emphasizes developing curious, adaptable nurses rather than task-focused performers. She enjoys sharing practical ideas that help theory come to life and make learning meaningful, engaging, and realistic.
Tuesday, June 23rd
830am - 1145am
Finding Our Direction:
Navigating AI in Nursing Education
Susan Deane EdD, MSN, CNE
As AI tools become increasingly accessible to students and faculty, nursing education is presented with an important opportunity to shape how these tools are used in ways that support learning and professional practice.
This pre-conference session supports nurse educators in building the knowledge, frameworks, and confidence needed to navigate AI thoughtfully and responsibly across educational settings.
Through interactive discussions, real-world scenarios, and hands-on activities, participants will explore AI fundamentals, educational applications, and the ethical and legal considerations unique to nursing. The session emphasizes clarity, professional judgment, and intentional decision-making, helping educators move from curiosity to confident application. Attendees will actively develop draft guidelines and practical implementation ideas aligned with program outcomes, accreditation expectations, and professional standards.
Describe foundational AI concepts using clear, non-technical language appropriate for students and faculty.
Apply legal, ethical, and academic integrity principles to AI use in nursing education.
Identify appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI across didactic, clinical, simulation, assessment, and faculty workflow contexts.
Develop or revise clear guidelines for student AI use that promote transparency and professional accountability.
Design at least one practical AI-supported strategy that can be implemented within their own educational setting.
Susan Deane
EdD, CNE, RN
Susan Deane, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, is a nationally recognized nurse educator, consultant, and thought leader specializing in nursing education, artificial intelligence (AI), instructional technology, and virtual simulation. and With over 25 years of experience in nursing education, she previously served as Dean and Professor of Nursing at SUNY Delhi, where she led curriculum innovation, accreditation efforts, and academic–practice partnerships until her retirement in 2023.
Dr. Deane is currently an Online Education Consultant and specializes in faculty development, curriculum design, and the ethical integration of emerging technologies in nursing education. Her work focuses on helping educators move from uncertainty to confident, evidence-informed use of AI while maintaining professional accountability, academic integrity, and learner-centered teaching.
She holds an EdD in Higher Education Leadership, a post-master’s certificate in Healthcare Informatics, and is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE). Her doctoral research examined the effectiveness of virtual clinical experiences, and she has completed multiple advanced certifications in AI and educational technology, including an AI Educator Certification.
Dr. Deane is the co-founder of Nurses for AI™, a global initiative focused on AI literacy, stewardship, and nurse-led governance of artificial intelligence in education and practice. She is also the creator of The Digital Stethoscope™, a professional platform dedicated to practical insights at the intersection of nursing, education, and digital innovation.
A frequent national and international speaker, Dr. Deane has presented at conferences hosted by the National League for Nursing (NLN), AACN, INACSL, Sigma, and other professional organizations. Known for her clear, engaging approach, she helps educators find clarity and confidence by translating complex topics into practical, human-centered strategies they can apply immediately.
Tuesday, June 23rd
1245pm - 400pm
Practical Application of Trauma-Informed
Pedagogy in Nursing Education:
Establishing Universal Precautions to Support Student Resilience
April Matthias PhD, RN, CNE
Anka Roberto DNP, MPH, PMHNP-BC, APRN, FNAP
This engaging pre-conference workshop will equip nurse educators with evidence-based knowledge and strategies to create inclusive, supportive, and effective learning environments using trauma-informed pedagogy.
Participants will walk away with a personalized action plan, ready-to-use guide for the application of trauma-informed pedagogy, and concrete tools to foster psychological safety, trust, and belonging while maintaining academic rigor.
Discover how to create inclusive, supportive, and effective learning environments using trauma-
informed pedagogy (TIP) in this comprehensive pre-conference workshop. Through reflection, interactive activities, and collaborative exercises, participants will explore the neurobiology of trauma and its effect on learning, examine the six core TIP principles and their origins, practice application of strategies to execute the six core TIP principles in both face-to-face and online courses, and develop an actionable plan to transform their teaching. Whether new to trauma-informed approaches or looking to deepen one’s practice, this workshop provides participants with the knowledge and tools needed to support all students for success in an academically rigorous program while fostering psychological safety, trust, and belonging in the classroom.
Explain the neurobiology of trauma and its impact on student learning.
Describe the six core principles of trauma-informed pedagogy to include their origins in trauma-informed care frameworks.
Apply the six core principles of trauma-informed pedagogy through practical strategies for both face-to-face and online learning environments.
Dr. Matthias is a Professor of Nursing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
She has been an academic nurse educator for more than 25 years, teaching students across ADN,
RN-BSN, MSN, and DNP programs and teaching exclusively online since 2011. Throughout her
teaching career, she has developed and re-designed numerous didactic and online courses as well
as developed, evaluated, and redesigned graduate nursing program curricula. She led a team of
faculty over a 5-year period to improve course design and enhance program design of UNCW’s
fully online MSN Nurse Educator program. As a result, the program earned Quality Matters
Online Program Design Certification in 2024. Dr. Matthias’ expertise as a nurse educator,
researcher, and historian drives her scholarly interests providing evidence of effective pedagogies
and programs in nursing’s past and present that cultivate professional identity and role
development of the nurse and nurse educator. She has disseminated her body of work via
publications in premier nursing education journals, a chapter in the award-winning book,
Nursing History for Contemporary Role Development, and presentations for local, regional,
national, and international audiences. Dr. Matthias is a National League for Nursing Certified
Nurse Educator, the 2023 recipient of the UNCW Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award,
and the 2022 recipient of the UNCW Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award. Using her
expertise in curriculum/course design and effective teaching, Dr. Matthias will share practical
application of the core principles of trauma-informed pedagogy using effective online course
design and evidence-based teaching/learning strategies.
April Matthias
PhD, RN, CNE
Anka Roberto
DNP, MPH, PMHNP-BC, APRN, FNAP
