Lara Wahlberg

Lara Wahlberg is a Clinical Professor at the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing at Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY). She returned to Hunter College after being a member of the first graduating Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) class in 2015, demonstrating her deep connection to the institution both as an alumna and faculty member.

Dr. Wahlberg's educational journey reflects a unique interdisciplinary background:

• DNP, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Hunter College, CUNY, 2015
• BS, Nursing, New York University, 2008
• BA, Applied Art, Whittier College, 1995
• BFA, Illustration and Communication Design, Otis College of Art and Design, 1995

Dr. Wahlberg's research focuses on palliative care, with particular emphasis on helping patients, families, and care providers cope with serious illnesses. Her work spans provider distress, pain and symptom management, and other critical aspects of palliative care. Before her nursing career, she worked as an artist at DreamWorks and Disney Feature Animation Studios, which informs her unique perspective on creative approaches to patient care. Her clinical experience includes oncology nursing that sparked her interest in palliative care, followed by work as a Nurse Practitioner in palliative care at Bellevue Hospital and NYP-Weill Cornell Medicine.

Dr. Wahlberg has received several prestigious awards recognizing her contributions to nursing:

• Certificate of Commendation, NYC Health+Hospitals/Bellevue, 2017
• Excellence in Clinical Practice Award, Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing, 2015
• Best Practice Award, State of the Science, Mt. Sinai/Beth Israel Beatrice Renfield Division of Nursing Education and Research Second Annual Nursing Research Day, 2015
• Jonas-Blaustein Nurse Leader DNP Scholar, Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence, 2011-2015

Her scholarly work demonstrates a consistent focus on improving palliative care practices across multiple publications. Dr. Wahlberg has held leadership positions in the local Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, further demonstrating her commitment to advancing the field through both clinical practice and professional organization engagement.