Judith Haber, PhD, APRN, FAAN, is Professor Emerita & Executive Director, Oral Health Nursing Education and Practice (OHNEP) Program, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing.

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Dr. Haber is a pioneering nurse leader whose extraordinary career spans over six decades of groundbreaking work in psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nursing, evidence-based practice (EBP), and oral-systemic health. A globally recognized scholar, educator, policy advocate, and innovator, Dr. Haber’s visionary contributions have shaped nursing science, practice, and policy while advancing health equity on national and international stages.trailblazer in PMH nursing policy and standards, Dr. Haber co-chaired the American Nurses Association task force that established the first Scope and Standards for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners. She also played an instrumental role in national legislative advocacy, contributing to the landmark 1998 Medicare policy change that authorized reimbursement for advanced practice nurses. This breakthrough expanded access to mental health services and empowered nurse practitioners to practice autonomously across the country.

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Dr. Haber began her career as a psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist during the early movement toward deinstitutionalization. She responded to the urgent need for community-based mental health services by advancing the clinical role of nurses and expanding the PMH workforce. In 1978, she authored the seminal textbook, Comprehensive Psychiatric Nursing, a resource that became foundational for generations of PMH nurses. The textbook, published in five editions and translated into multiple languages, earned two American Journal of Nursing (AJN) Book of the Year Awards and redefined psychiatric nursing education during a time of critical transformation in mental health care delivery.

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A trailblazer in PMH nursing policy and standards, Dr. Haber co-chaired the American Nurses Association task force that established the first Scope and Standards for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners. She also played an instrumental role in national legislative advocacy, contributing to the landmark 1998 Medicare policy change that authorized reimbursement for advanced practice nurses. This breakthrough expanded access to mental health services and empowered nurse practitioners to practice to the full extent of their education and training across the country.

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Dr. Haber’s impact on the profession extends deeply into the realm of evidence-based practice. In 1986, she co-authored the groundbreaking textbook, Nursing Research: Methods and Critical Appraisal for Evidence-Based Practice, which was the first of its kind to shift focus from conducting research to translating evidence into practice. Now in its 11th edition and translated into six languages, the textbook has received nine AJN Book of the Year Awards and has become a global standard for teaching EBP in nursing education. Dr. Haber also co-led NIH-funded research in psycho-oncology, resulting in the widely distributed Journey to Recovery DVD series for breast cancer patients and partners. The series, which received a 1998 American Academy of Nursing Media Award, features an innovative model of integrating research with clinical education and patient support.

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Dr. Haber’s recent work centers on her innovative leadership in oral-systemic health. Recognizing a critical gap in health equity, she founded the Oral Health Nursing Education and Practice (OHNEP) Program, a national initiative designed to integrate oral health into nursing and interprofessional education. Funded by over $7 million in grants, OHNEP has trained thousands of faculty, students, and health care professionals and was recognized as an American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner in 2019. Her article “Putting the Mouth Back in the Head: HEENT to HEENOT” became a landmark publication highlighting the essential integration of oral health in primary care.

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A tireless policy advocate, Dr. Haber is a Board Member of the Santa Fe Group, and serves as an advisor to the World Economic Forum Oral Health Affinity Group and the National Consortium for Medically Necessary Medicare Oral Health Coverage, playing a leadership role in securing critical policy changes for dental services coverage in Medicare.

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Dr. Haber earned her PhD and MA from New York University and a BS from Adelphi University. She was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1993. Dr. Haber continues to inspire and mentor new generations of nurses. Her work remains a testament to the power of nursing to lead sustainable, equitable change in health care.