Kristen Starnes-Ott

Kristen Starnes-Ott is a Professor and Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at the School of Nursing, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). She holds the Betty P. Akins Endowed Chair in Nursing and is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) with multiple fellowships, including FAANA and FNAP.

• Education: PhD in Nursing (UTHealth), MSN in Nurse Anesthesia (University of Southern California), BSN (Auburn University), BS in Biology (East Carolina University)

Her research focuses on innovative nursing education models, including telehealth integration, simulation-based training for patient safety, and complex adaptive systems in curriculum design. She has pioneered telehealth certificate programs and accessibility initiatives in undergraduate nursing education.

Notable scientific awards include the Betty P. Akins Endowed Chair (2019), recognition as a Top 25 Nursing Professor in Texas (2013), and fellowships from the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (FAANA) and National Academies of Practice (FNAP). She has received grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, HRSA, and THECB for programs addressing nurse faculty shortages, telehealth education, and simulation-based clinical training.

Kristen actively contributes to professional organizations such as the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), Sigma Theta Tau, and Texas Deans & Directors. Her scholarly work spans telehealth education, healthcare cost modeling, and enhancing non-technical skills through simulation.