Lana Sargent, Ph.D., RN, FNP-C, GNP-BC, associate professor in the department of adult health and nursing systems, has been named as associate dean of practice and community engagement by the VCU School of Nursing. She has served as interim in the role since October 2023.

Sargent is an established faculty member and researcher in the school and has been involved in its community-based programs for over a decade. She completed her pre- and post-doctoral training through the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Aging, published essential papers focused on the prediction and prevention of physical and cognitive decline and led several community-based translational research studies. Prior to joining the School of Nursing, she was the Associate Medical Director of Worcester Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center in Massachusetts. 

As the associate dean for practice and community engagement, Sargent will lead the school’s growing faculty practice and provide leadership for community engagement initiatives, including the Mobile Health and Wellness Program (MHWP), a program that delivers weekly wellness clinics at nine community-based sites across the central Virginia region. In her role with MHWP, she has served as an educator, and researcher for nursing and interprofessional health science students.

As I step into this role, I aspire to cultivate a community where practice seamlessly intertwines with academia, empowering our students and faculty to be catalysts for positive change. Together, we will continue to build meaningful connections with the communities we serve and bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring our school is recognized for excellence in these areas.

Lana Sargent, Ph.D.

Sargent is also an active researcher on federally and privately-funded projects. She co-leads the Richmond Brain Health Initiative, with Faika Zanjani, Ph.D., and Brian Berman, M.D. a project that provides dementia-related screening, education, coaching, and referrals for medically underserved, low-income Black communities. She is also a co-investigator with Jane Chung, Ph.D., RN, associate professor in the school, on a study funded by the National Institute on Aging that aims to develop and validate clinically-relevant markers for mobility and social health in older community-dwelling adults that could help predict changes in cognitive function. 

“Leading the school’s faculty practice and community engagement initiatives is an honor. I’m driven by a profound belief in the impactful nature of community-engaged research, presenting valuable opportunities to collaborate directly with individuals and communities who stand to benefit from our collective efforts,” said Sargent. “Likewise, I look forward to leading our growing faculty practice and capitalizing on the rich learning and research environment it presents for our students and participating faculty."

“I am grateful to Dr. Sargent for taking on this role within the school. Her experience in developing our faculty practice and community engagement initiatives, her personal involvement in precepting students in MHWP, and her deep knowledge of community-engaged research means she is well-suited to lead and continue the success of these established programs,” said Jean Giddens, Ph.D., professor and dean of the VCU School of Nursing.

“As I step into this role, I aspire to cultivate a community where practice seamlessly intertwines with academia, empowering our students and faculty to be catalysts for positive change. Together, we will continue to build meaningful connections with the communities we serve and bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring our school is recognized for excellence in these areas," said Sargent.