Dr. Danny Willis serves as Dean and Professor at the University of Rhode
Island College of Nursing. He is a psychiatric mental health clinical nurse
specialist – ANCC board certified. Over his career, he has served in various
clinical roles as well as Dean and tenured Professor at Saint Louis University,
Associate Dean and tenured Professor at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, and tenured Associate Professor and Department Chair at Boston
College.He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. He chaired the
Academy’s Expert Panel on Theory-Guided Practice. His program of research
and scholarship primarily focuses on promotion of wellbeing and healing in
the aftermath of trauma and abuse. His work has been recognized with
research and leadership awards, including the Eastern Nursing Research
Society "Rising Star" Award, American Psychiatric Nurses Association Nancy
Valentine "Outstanding Leadership" Award, and significant federal NIH
funding as Principal Investigator for his research on trauma healing. He has
mentored undergraduate, masters, and PhD students from nursing, social
work, child and human development, and counseling psychology. Dr. Willis
publishes widely in nursing and health- related journals with over 60 peer-
reviewed publications and book chapters. He served as chair of the
American Psychiatric Nursing Association Research Council. He is the current
Chair of the Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS) Research Interest
Group on qualitative research. His scholarship has garnered national and
international recognition for its relevance to nursing resulting in invitations
to speak nationally and internationally for keynotes and presentations in
Chile, Colombia, Ireland, England, Japan, Italy, and Portugal.