Carolyn K. Clevenger, a nationally recognized academic leader in advanced practice nursing, geriatrics and gerontology, has been appointed the founding dean of the University of Georgia School of Nursing.

Currently a professor at Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and founder and director of Integrated Memory Care at Emory Healthcare, Clevenger brings to UGA a commitment to advancing health in communities across Georgia and more than two decades of experience in health care instruction, research and leadership. U.S. News & World Report ranked Emory’s Bachelor of Science (BSN) program No. 2 in the nation, which accompanies a No. 1 ranking for its master’s program and No. 8 ranking for its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.

Clevenger, who also is appointed professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine, will begin her appointment on Jan. 1, 2026.

“Throughout her impressive career, Dr. Clevenger has demonstrated a deep commitment to the next generation of nurses while contributing knowledge that improves patient outcomes and advances health care,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Her experience in teaching, research and service makes Dr. Clevenger an outstanding choice to not only launch UGA’s School of Nursing but also to grow it to incredible heights. I look forward to working with her to create a world-class nursing school that positively impacts communities across our state.”

During her tenure at Emory, Clevenger has held primary responsibilities for an academic enterprise that prepares future nurses and advanced practice nurses. She has served on Emory’s faculty since 2003 and has held several leadership roles over the past decade, including as assistant and associate dean.

"Georgia needs more nurses, and UGA is uniquely positioned to prepare them — building a school of nursing that will educate compassionate leaders ready to serve every community in our state,” said Clevenger. “I’m honored to launch this program and prepare nurses who will partner with health care teams to strengthen all 159 counties across the state.”

Teaching and curriculum development have been central to Clevenger’s work at Emory. She is an award-winning educator in gerontological nursing, leading courses in geriatric primary care, advanced primary care models and palliative care. In addition to teaching across multiple degree and professional programs, she has redesigned and implemented new curricula for nursing students by incorporating emerging evidence, addressing evolving health care needs and responding to changes in practice environments.

“The creation of the University of Georgia’s School of Nursing will further expand our institution’s positive impact as we seek to address critical health care needs throughout the state,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Dean Carolyn Clevenger is the ideal candidate to lead this important initiative, and I am confident that her expertise as an administrator, educator and scholar will be invaluable as we work diligently to increase the number of trained nurses in Georgia.”

Clevenger's research focuses on models of care for people living with dementia, psychoeducational programs for dementia family caregivers and the geriatric health workforce. She has served as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on 14 externally funded projects totaling more than $21 million. Her research has been funded by federal agencies, major foundations and philanthropic sources.

Clevenger has authored 53 papers in peer-reviewed publications on a wide range of topics, including models of dementia care, development of caregiver interventions and building health care workforce capacity — all areas directly relevant to Georgia's needs.

As associate dean for clinical and community partnerships at Emory, Clevenger successfully negotiated clinical placements for more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate nursing students annually. She also led the creation of a new operating unit dedicated to securing and managing clinical placements, ensuring quality clinical experiences for students while maintaining strong relationships with practice partners. Additionally, Clevenger established a clinical practice that provided hands-on learning opportunities for students while delivering needed services to the community.

Clevenger serves on the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Certification exam, the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce and the Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition. She is a past president of the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association and a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Gerontological Society of America and the American Academy of Nursing.

Her honors include the American Academy of Nursing’s Edge Runner award (2025), the National League for Nursing’s Isabel Hampton Robb Award (2025), the Emory University Nurses’ Alumni Association Award of Honor (2022), the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties’ Outstanding Faculty Practice Award (2020) and the Augusta University Outstanding Young Alumni Award (2018).

Clevenger earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from West Virginia University, a master’s in gerontology nursing from Emory University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the Medical College of Georgia. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Veterans Health Administration.

The University System of Georgia Board of Regents authorized the establishment of an independent School of Nursing at UGA in May, and the university plans to welcome its first nursing students as early as fall 2027.

Georgia has 8.47 registered nurses per 1,000 residents, well below the national average of 9.43, according to an analysis conducted by the nationally recognized consulting firm Tripp Umbach. The state is projected to experience a 21% shortfall in registered nurses by 2035. The school will help address the nursing shortage in Georgia while strengthening UGA’s role in advancing the health and well-being of communities across the region.