Emily Akerson
Emily Akerson is an Associate Director of the Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services (IIHHS) at James Madison University (JMU). The vision of JMU’s IIHHS is to be a place of quality, innovative and effective health and human service education, research and outreach programs that improve the health of communities. The departments and programs at JMU are committed to fostering community campus partnerships; collaboration and teamwork across disciplines in education, service and research; and engaging students and faculty in experiential learning in response to community identified need. She is also a family nurse practitioner interested in the health and healing of individuals, families and communities with a particular interest in vulnerable and marginalized groups. Her professional interests and involvements focus on accessible service delivery models in prevention, early intervention, and chronic care with children, families and aging populations.
Her recent work at James Madison University is focused on inter-professional collaboration and inter-professional care, cross disciplinary teaching/ learning in health and human services, diversity, ethical decision-making, rural healthcare, support for aging persons, and support for stressed families with young children. She held positions with the Indian Health Service providing primary care to persons living on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation and in corrections health providing care for incarcerated men, women and children in a large correctional system in Portland, Oregon which was associated with the health department. She also worked with a maternal and child health in Liberia, West Africa. She holds undergraduate degrees from Calvin College and from Cornell University and a master’s degree in nursing from University of Washington. Respect, dignity and social justice provide a foundation for her understanding of diverse perspectives on health, care and healing.
