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About Us

Caring Online Matters
College student at a computer

Vanessa Wright, PhD, MSN, RN 

Assistant Professor  

​Dr. Wright joined the University of Oklahoma Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing in July 2023, where she teaches in both undergraduate and graduate programs. With over a decade of experience in nursing education, she has held roles including clinical instructor, online course development specialist, MSN program coordinator, and Chair of Graduate Education. Her clinical background includes emergency nursing, medical-surgical care, and nursing administration. Dr. Wright grounds her research in Unitary Caring Science and has presented at local, state, and international forums. She began her nursing career as an LPN in 2008 and progressed through RN, BSN, and MSN degrees, earning her PhD from Oklahoma City University in 2017. In 2021, she completed postdoctoral training at the Watson Caring Science Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Jean Watson. Her research focuses on health equity, advancing health in American Indian populations, and the integration of caring science in nursing education and practice. A proud member of the Cherokee Nation, Dr. Wright is active in several professional organizations and previously served as Education Director for the Oklahoma Nurses Association. She is a recipient of the Great 100 Nurses of Oklahoma Award and NextGen 30 Under 30 in healthcare. She remains committed to preparing the next generation of nurses through transformative, theory-guided teaching. 

 

Current Research/Scholarly Interests 

 

  • HPV Vaccination in AI/AN Populations 

  • Application of Watson's Caring Science Theory

  • Ethics and Nursing Practice

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Katy Fisher-Cunningham, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE  

Assistant Professor  

Dr. Fisher-Cunningham joined the University of Oklahoma Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing in July 2022. Dr. Fisher-Cunningham teaches students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has served as a nurse educator since 2017 in various capacities including clinical nursing instructor, online course development expert, online education coordinator, and Traditional BSN 4000-level Track Coordinator. Her clinical practice areas of expertise include neuroscience, intensive care, care management, and nursing administration. Dr. Fisher-Cunningham has presented her research at the local, national, and international levels. She is passionate about producing research that advances the discipline of nursing and adheres to culturally-informed ethical standards, such as completing Research Ethics Training for Health in Indigenous Communities (rETHICS). Dr. Fisher-Cunningham is a proud citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. She is the past President of the Beta Delta at-Large chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. 

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Current Research/Scholarly Interests 

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  • Cognitive Health of Indigenous Women 

  • Improving Cancer Outcomes among Native American populations 

  • Nurses’ Knowledge of Social Determinants of Health 

  • Increasing Undergraduate Prelicensure Nursing Students’ Clinical Judgement 

  • Qualitative Research Methods

Sheryl Buckner, PhD, RN, ANEF 

Clinical Assistant Professor  

Dr. Buckner has a PhD, Summa Cum Laude, in Nursing (Oklahoma City University), a Master of Science in Nursing (University of Oklahoma--OU), a Bachelor of Science, Cum Laude, in Nursing (University of Oklahoma) and a Bachelor of Science, in Secondary Biology Education (Oklahoma State University). In 2025, she completed her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate at Washburn University. She has more than 30 years of experience as an RN with roles in research, teaching, administration, and practice (adult cardiovascular critical care, Medicare home health, case management, nurse navigation and psychiatry).

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Past funding includes a grant by the US Office of the Surgeon General to develop a nursing workforce prepared for disasters. This later became known as the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC). This organization now has over 3,000 volunteers across the state responding to disasters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded her a grant to develop the Nursing Initiative Promoting Immunization Training, an online program that was used by over 400 schools across the nation to teach nursing students and nurses about immunizations. In 2015, she was recognized nationally by the National League for Nursing as one of twenty three educators across the nation as a fellow in the Academy of Nursing Education (ANEF) for working with communities in improving disaster management and immunizations. From 2015-2022, she was on the National Advisory Committee of the CDC, the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to develop Immunization Resources for Undergraduate Nursing.

 

Current practice includes nurse navigation at the Stephenson Cancer Center with Oklahoma tribal communities improving screening rates in cervical, breast and colorectal cancer. She has been a member of OU Interprofessional Educators and Practitioners Association (IEPA) since 2017. In 2021, Dr. Buckner was part of a team awarded the OU IEPA Team of the Year for their interprofessional work.

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Current Research/Scholarly Interests 

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  • Improving Cancer Outcomes for Tribal Patients

  • Immunization Education

  • Education Best Practices

  • Caring Behaviors in Online Education 

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