Alexa C. Curtis is the Associate Dean for Research and Innovation and Endowed Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Curtis’ career as a dual certified Family and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and academic nursing leader advances health equity for underserved populations with a particular focus on rural health outcomes in the critical areas of behavioral health, the prevention and management of substance use disorders, and adolescent health. Her local and global innovations in the development of accessible nurse-led services are models for the expansion of access to care to address unmet health needs. As an academic nursing leader, she has led large HRSA and SAMHSA funded initiatives to support the development of an APRN workforce optimally prepared to address critical health challenges. Her policy leadership has contributed to optimizing access to APRN-led healthcare services to improve timely access to quality healthcare for underserved populations. She maintains a program of research focused on rural health promotion and is widely published in interdisciplinary journals. Dr. Curtis earned her BSN from the University of Pennsylvania, MSN from the University of San Diego, MPH from the University of San Francisco, and PhD from the University of California, San Francisco