Brenda Elliott, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, selected to be inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing
Messiah University is pleased to announce that Brenda Elliott, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, has been selected to become a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession. Fellows are selected based on their significant contributions and impact to advance the public’s health.
The Academy is a policy organization and an honorific society that recognizes nursing's most accomplished leaders in policy, research, practice, administration and academia. Academy fellows hold a wide variety of influential roles in health care and collectively they contribute their thought leadership to develop sound policy that help to achieve the Academy’s vision of healthy lives for all people.
Elliott, an assistant professor and director of the graduate program in nursing at Messiah University, has dedicated more than 30 years to the calling of nursing, including nearly 20 in nursing education. Elliott is a certified nurse educator and a fellow in the Academy of Nursing Education since 2022. A Nurse Corps Officer in the United States Army from 1994 to 1998, her research and publications are in the areas of military nursing, veterans’ healthcare, student veterans and home healthcare. Elliott also serves as a contributing editor for Home Healthcare Now.
"Dr. Elliott's recognition as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing is an acknowledgement of the far-reaching impact of her scholarship on healthcare policy and practice—both nationally and globally,” said Jennifer Fisler, dean of Messiah University’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies. "We are delighted to honor her achievements not only as a nurse and researcher, but also as an educator and mentor who inspires excellence in our students and alumni. Dr. Elliott promotes rigorous standards of scholarship within our programs and supports the publications, presentations and achievements of our alumni. Her passion for guiding students and alumni, and her commitment to excellence in scholarship, will continue to shape our graduate nursing community and the next generation of nurse leaders in meaningful ways."
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be selected for induction as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing,” said Elliott. “Beyond any recognition of my own research and professional contributions, this induction is a testament to those who have mentored and supported me in my journey to advance nursing science and the care nurses provide to our nation's military, veterans and their families.”
The newest fellows, selected from a sizeable and competitive pool of applicants, represent 42 states, the District of Columbia, and 12 countries. Their unique expertise will soon bolster the collective impact of over 3,200 Academy Fellows.
Elliott and the 2025 inductees will be recognized for their substantial, sustained and significant contributions to health and health care at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place on Oct. 16-18, 2025 in Washington, D.C. during the Induction Ceremony on the evening of Oct. 18. After the ceremony, the new inductees can use their FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing) credential, the most prestigious recognition in nursing.
Learn more about the Academy and visit the policy conference website for more details. For individuals interested in attending the Induction Ceremony, tickets can be purchased online.
About the American Academy of Nursing
The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 3,200 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.
About Messiah University
Founded in 1909 and located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Messiah University is a nationally ranked, private Christian university of the liberal and applied arts and sciences that enrolls 3,320 undergraduate and graduate students.