Amplify Nursing Season 10: Episode 06: Penn Nursing Alumni Weekend 2025
On this special episode recorded live during Penn Nursing Alumni Weekend, you’ll hear from Dean Antonia Villarruel and Director of Alumni Relations Maddie Nicol as they share exciting updates about the School’s upcoming 75th anniversary as a standalone school and plans for next year’s 140th anniversary of nursing at Penn. You’ll also meet passionate alumni, including Dr. Nancy Tkacs (NU’75), who reflects on five decades of Penn Nursing excellence and her legacy as a beloved educator. Current students and staff highlight student engagement, community initiatives like Nurses for the Vote, and the growing influence of civic health advocacy. From cherished clinical memories to future-facing efforts in design, democracy, and innovation, this episode captures the heart of the Penn Nursing community—past, present, and future.
Timestamps:
00:00-01:05: Maddie Nicol and Dean Villarruel
01:05-03:13: Nancy Tkacs
03:13-05:04: Vicky Vo
05:04-09:28: Sydney Edelson
09:28- close: Susan Dickey
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Amplify Nursing Season 10: Episode 05: J. Margo Brooks Carthon
Today on Amplify Nursing, we talk with Dr. J. Margo Brooks Carthon, Professor of Nursing, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Dr. Brooks Carthon is the new Director of the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing. With a longstanding commitment to health equity and a research background rooted in historical methods, Dr. Brooks Carthon brings bold, innovative vision to the Center.
In this episode she talks with us about the importance of history in shaping contemporary health policy and practice, advocating for its integration into nursing education and innovation. Her goals include expanding digital access to the Center’s archives, amplifying underrepresented voices in nursing history, and positioning the Bates Center as a collaborative hub for both historical scholarship and forward-looking transformation in health care.
Under her leadership, the Bates Center aims to not only preserve the past but actively shape the future of nursing and population health through research, education, and policy.
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Amplify Nursing Season 10: Episode 04: Danielle McCamey
Today on Amplify Nursing, we talk with Dr. Danielle McCamey, an acute care nurse practitioner, Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and the visionary founder of DNPs of Color. Danielle shares the deeply personal journey that led her to nursing—sparked by watching her mother, a home health nurse, care for patients with compassion and dedication.
Through DNPs of Color, Danielle has built a powerful, supportive network for nurses of color pursuing doctoral degrees, providing mentorship, resources, and community. She also shares exciting details about her latest initiative, the Nurses Shift Change Movement, and the upcoming Report for Duty Rally on May 24th—a nationwide effort to mobilize nurses around social justice, ethics, and equitable healthcare access. Tune in to hear how she’s driving change, lifting others, and leading with purpose.
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Amplify Nursing Season 10: Episode 03: Brooke Goodspeed
Today on Amplify Nursing we talk with Dr. Brooke Goodspeed, Founder and Executive Director of GETincluded & Research Scientist at Jefferson Health.
In this episode Brooke shares how after her son’s down syndrome and autism diagnosis, she saw critical gaps in support and resources for families navigating disabilities. After pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, she co-founded GETincluded, a nonprofit promoting inclusion and employment for people with developmental disabilities.
Her initiative, Get Café in Narberth, PA, is more than a coffee shop, it’s a community space employing people with disabilities. Brooke shares how she’s turning research into real-world change and why nurses are key to a more equitable future.
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Amplify Nursing Season 10: Episode 02: Oronde McClain
Today on Amplify Nursing we talk with Oronde McClain, a Stoneleigh Fellow & Director of Survivor Connection at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. In this episode Oronde shares his journey as a gun violence survivor and his advocacy work. He created Survivor Connection; a program that helps journalists access firsthand survivor perspectives while educating survivors on media literacy. His work aims to bridge the gap between media and affected communities, ensuring accurate and empathetic reporting. McClain hopes to expand this model to other cities to improve gun violence reporting and support survivors in sharing their stories.
AmplifyNursing features nurses who are leading the way in nursing science, policy and innovation. Our guests defy stereotypes, define practice, and disrupt convention. We highlight the breadth and depth of nursing influence on society by amplifying nurses who are pushing boundaries and breaking down barriers to build a new paradigm. AmplifyNursing is a Penn Nursing podcast supported by the Pinola Fund for Innovation in Nursing.
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