Betty Irene Moore Fellows program welcomes new visiting professor

Nov. 12, 2024

By Megan Hansen

The national program office for the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators announces Susan C. Reinhard as its newest visiting professor. Reinhard, a nationally recognized expert in health and long-term care policy, leads policy programming for the fellowship in her new role.

As a founding member of the Fellowship National Advisory Council, Reinhard understands the fellowship’s intricacies. She has also served as a program-selected mentor to two fellows, sharing her extensive experience conducting, directing and translating research into action to promote policy change.

Susan C. Reinhard discusses how nurses can exert influence, changing the health care landscape for the better during Convocation 2023. 

In her role as visiting professor and program faculty, Reinhard provides more nurse leaders the opportunity to benefit from her expertise. She has a wealth of experience and has held executive positions in government, education, policy research and consumer advocacy. She is set to lead workshops and offer individual consultations to fellows as they deepen their involvement in policy work.

“It has been an honor to be part of the fellowship program since its inception, and I am thrilled to be able to work more closely with fellows as they explore the ways in which they can influence policy at the local and national levels,” Reinhard said. “Policy is the bridge between nursing research and real-world change. It translates evidence into actionable solutions that improve patient and family outcomes.”

Heather M. Young, fellowship national program director, said she looks forward to seeing how the fellows use Reinhard’s instruction to improve nursing and the health care landscape.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Reinhard as a visiting professor. Throughout her career, she has driven the connection between research and systems change through policy at the state and national level. She translates strong evidence into compelling common-sense solutions that codify the changes we need to advance health. Dr. Reinhard will work with fellows to translate their invaluable insights into tools and action to shape policy, ensuring that their expertise drives decisions that lead to lasting improvements in health systems and public health,” Young said.

Susan C. Reinhard poses with Betty Irene Moore Fellow J. Nicholas Odom and Fellowship National Program Director Heather M. Young. Reinhard served as Odom's program-appointed mentor during his three-year fellowship program. 

Reinhard is the chief strategist emeritus for the Center to Champion Nursing in America at AARP, a national resource center created to ensure that America has the highly skilled nurses it needs to provide care in the future. She is also the incoming chair of the board of directors of RWJBarnabas Health, the largest, most comprehensive academic health center in New Jersey.

Previously, Reinhard served as the senior vice president and director of AARP’s Public Policy Institute, professor and co-director of the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, deputy commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, and a former faculty member at the Rutgers School of Nursing. She also served as a member of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing National Advisory Council. She earned a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Cincinnati and a PhD from Rutgers University.