Candida Constantine-Castillo

Candida Constantine-Castillo serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in Health Care Management at Southern Illinois University while concurrently holding the position of Chief Executive Officer at an acute care hospital. With over three decades of nursing experience spanning critical care, emergency trauma, and executive leadership roles including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, she integrates substantial real-world expertise into her academic instruction across undergraduate and graduate programs since 2009.

Her educational credentials include:

• Doctor of Nursing Practice Candidate, Purdue University, 2022
• Nursing Administration Post-Graduate Certificate, University of Texas Arlington, 2020
• Doctor of Health Administration with specialization in Health Care Leadership, Capella University, 2019
• Master of Business Administration, Andrew Jackson University, 2011
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing, East Tennessee State University, 1996
• Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, East Tennessee State University, 1992

Dr. Constantine-Castillo's research program centers on healthcare leadership dynamics during chronic crisis situations, with specific focus on building resilience and mitigating moral distress among clinical leaders. Her work investigates how structured team development initiatives involving physicians and healthcare workers can optimize patient experience and drive measurable quality outcomes, particularly in post-pandemic healthcare environments where leadership resources are critically strained.

Beyond academic and executive responsibilities, she actively participates in community volunteerism and animal rescue operations, managing rehabilitation and rehoming efforts for diverse species including 25 dogs and cats, two parrots (20 years), ferrets, geckos, rabbits, and a mouse while maintaining personal interests in flute performance and literature.