Catherine L. Gilliss, PhD, FAAN, a visionary in academic nursing, evidence-based interventions and leadership, has made significant contributions to the field of nursing over the course of her career. Until January 2024, she served as the Dean and Styles Professor of Nursing at UCSF School of Nursing and held the title of Associate Vice-Chancellor for Nursing Affairs. Following her retirement in April 2026, she serves as Executive Director of the UCSF Leadership Institute. Earlier in her career, Dr. Gilliss served as Dean and Professor at the Yale School of Nursing and, later, as Dean and Helene Fuld Health Trust Professor of Nursing at Duke University, where she also held the title of Vice-Chancellor for Nursing Affairs.

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A trailblazer in scientific research, Dr. Gilliss dedicated her early career to understanding the intricate dynamics of family and chronic illness. Her groundbreaking edited book, Toward a Science of Family Nursing, proposed nursing interventions to promote the well-being of patients and their families. Her years at the helm of three prestigious academic institutions are indicative of her commitment to advancing the impact of nursing research and advanced practice nursing. In 2019 she established the UCSF Leadership Institute in partnership with UCSF’s Institute for Nursing Excellence, and in 2023, she co-authored Organizationally Minded Nursing Leadership, a guide for academic and clinical leaders seeking to advance the organizations they lead.

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Beyond her academic and research achievements, Dr. Gilliss has held prominent leadership positions, serving as President of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), President of the American Academy of Nursing and President of the Board of the North Carolina Foundation for Nursing.

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Her contributions have been recognized by a variety of organizations:  NONPF’s Lifetime Achievement Award; honorary degrees from the U of Portland (DHL) and Yale (MA); fellowship in the inaugural class of Stanford University’s Distinguished Careers Institute; distinguished alumna at Duke and UCSF; and the Duke University Medal, the university’s highest honor.

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Dr. Gilliss earned her BSN from Duke University; an MSN in psychiatric mental-health nursing at The Catholic University of America; a post-master’s certificate in primary care at the University of Rochester; and her PhD at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she also completed a year as a University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellow.