Windy Alonso

Dr. Windy Alonso is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Nursing, holding the Gail & Jim Anderson Professorship in Nursing. Her research focuses on improving patient-reported outcomes for adults with heart failure, particularly through exercise interventions and addressing rural health disparities. She leads the HEART Camp research team, which has secured over $4 million in grants, including an NIH R01 award (R01HL163288) for studying exercise adherence in heart failure patients. Dr. Alonso teaches in doctoral programs and mentors undergraduate researchers, emphasizing training future healthcare leaders.

Education

Dr. Alonso's academic journey includes:

• Bachelor of Science (2003), Susquehanna University
• Associate Degree in Nursing (2007), Northampton Community College
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (2011), DeSales University
• Master of Science in Nursing (2014), Pennsylvania State University
• Doctor of Philosophy (2017), Pennsylvania State University
• Post-doctoral training (2019), University of Nebraska Medical Center

Research Focus

Her work addresses two core areas:

• Understanding heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)
• Developing scalable exercise interventions for underserved populations

Key themes include inflammatory mechanisms, self-management strategies, and rural healthcare access.

Publications Overview

Her articles highlight:

• Exercise adherence barriers and facilitators
• Sex differences in heart failure outcomes
• LVAD patient quality of life comparisons
• Inflammatory pathways in cardiac rehabilitation

Awards & Recognition

• 2023 UNMC New Investigator Award
• AHA Council's Marie Cowan Award (2022)
• HFSA New Investigator Award (2021)

Advising & Grants

Dr. Alonso has secured $3.4 million from NIH for her R01 project and multiple smaller grants addressing rural HF care. She mentors doctoral students and advises on national initiatives like the Heart Failure Society of America's 2023 conference.

Labs & Teams

Her HEART Camp team collaborates on translational research, emphasizing community-based interventions and multidisciplinary approaches to heart failure management.