


Lori S. Kennedy
PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, CNRN, FNCS
Clinical Nurse Scientist, Director - Center for Nursing Science
University of California Davis Health
Lori S. Kennedy is the Director of the Center for Nursing Science and a Clinical Nurse Scientist at the University of California Davis Health. Dr. Kennedy practiced in neurological surgery and neurocritical care for two decades, forging the acute care nurse practitioner role in the organization. Her primary research focuses on improving neurotrauma and neurocritical care to enhance neurologic outcomes. Dr. Kennedy’s work has shaped care and has been widely cited in nursing, neuroscience, and critical care. She is an active scientific member of the Institutional Review Board and organization-wide initiatives related to clinical trials and research in patient care settings. Dr. Kennedy’s leadership extends to national and international organizations in guideline development, specialty certification, and role development and delineation. She is actively involved in the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American Association of Neuroscience Nursing, and the Neurocritical Care Society. Dr. Kennedy’s research has been awarded NIH and industry support and has garnered international recognition. She has held academic roles at UCSF, Old Dominion University, and the University of Antwerp, further enhancing her impact on nursing science and practice. She continues her work in interdisciplinary research and evidence implementation in neurocritical care, neurotrauma, and other lines of inquiry at UC Davis Health and with colleagues across the globe. Dr. Kennedy received her BSN from the University of San Francisco, her MS from UCSF, and her PhD in Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership from the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis.