A new year has brought new leadership in the UF College of Nursing Office for Student Affairs. Versie Johnson-Mallard, Ph.D., ARNP, FAAN, was appointed associate dean for student affairs effective Jan. 1, after serving as an associate professor and chair of the department of family, community and health system science at the college since 2015.

“Dr. Johnson-Mallard brings a wealth of leadership experience and commitment to mentoring students, and we look forward to the impact she’ll have on the College of Nursing in this role,” Dean Anna McDaniel, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, said. “Our Office for Student affairs plays a major role in a number of high-stakes college activities, and we are thankful for her leadership.”

Johnson-Mallard takes over the helm following the retirement of Kim Curry, Ph.D., ARNP, FAANP, who will still serve as a part-time consultant to the college in conjunction with her new role as editor of the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

As associate dean for student affairs, Johnson-Mallard will oversee the admissions, registration and academic advising functions in the College of Nursing.

“Anna McDaniel’s ability to recognize and value faculty talent is a trait we all appreciate.”

Johnson-Mallard came to the UF College of Nursing from the University of South Florida College of Nursing, where she served as an associate professor and content expert for the college’s sexual and reproductive health courses.

Johnson-Mallard’s extensive research and publications are in the area of women’s health, reproductive health promotion, sexually transmitted infection prevention, HPV screening and prevention, and behavior change in response to culturally appropriate nursing interventions.

She is the co-chair of the American Academy of Nursing’s Women’s Health Expert Panel, and is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar alum. In 2009, she was one of just 15 nurse educators in the country to receive the three-year $350,000 Nurse Faculty Scholar award to study strategies to prevent the spread of viral
sexually transmitted infections among college students and young adults.

In 2014, she was named fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, recognizing her accomplishments in clinical practice, research and education.

Johnson-Mallard was a predoctoral fellow with the National Institute of Nursing Research in the National Institutes of Health, and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of South Florida. She is an active board member of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals and a past board member of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health and the Polk County Advanced Practice Council. Johnson- Mallard maintains a membership with the international nursing honor society, Sigma Theta Tau, and the Florida A&M University Honor Society. She is also a member of the Florida and American Nurses Association, the Southern Nursing Research Society, the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the UF Nursing Alumni Council.

Johnson-Mallard received her B.S.N. from Florida A&M University, a M.S.N from the University of Florida and her doctorate from the University of South Florida.

She is a board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.