SHINE: Spotlighting Health

Spotlighting Health Innovation and Neighborhood Engagement

The College of Nursing at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is proud to host the annual Spotlighting Health Innovation and Neighborhood Engagement. This statewide and national gathering of changemakers is designed to confront today’s most urgent healthcare disparities and light the way toward healthier communities.

SHINE empowers, supports, and connects healthcare professionals, elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and community stakeholders to share best practices, spark innovation, and drive actionable change.

What to Expect at SHINE 2026

• Expert-led panel discussions on priority health issues
• Community-informed perspectives and lived experience
• Cross-disciplinary dialogue spanning healthcare, policy, technology, and social services
• Opportunities for networking, partnership building, and collaboration
• Special announcements highlighting ongoing and emerging initiatives at UAH and across North Alabama

Sarah L. Szanton, PhD, RN, FAAN, is Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and the Patricia M.
Davidson Health Equity and Social Justice Endowed Professor. She is a serial idea entrepreneur. She co-
developed and led research and scale of the CAPABLE program for older adults and now is working to
develop Neighborhood Nursing, a potentially transformative model of care.

Under Szanton’s leadership, the school is ranked No. 1 nationally by U.S. News & World Report for its
master’s and Doctor of Nursing practice programs and No. 3 globally by QS World University. In 2022,
Szanton launched the impactful Policy Honors Program to help students develop skills to influence
policies that improve health. She also created the Institute for Policy Solutions, which is a hub for health
policy leadership and research capacity development for global nurse leaders and scientists. Szanton has
testified on Capitol Hill regarding the nursing workforce and faculty shortages. She is the thought leader
behind a new model of universal preventive care called Neighborhood Nursing.

As an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Szanton helped shape the pioneering Pathway To
PhD Nursing Scholars Program to accelerate diversity within PhD-prepared nurses, and she established
the Term Professorship for Rising Faculty to fund distinguished faculty in their research and leadership.
During her first year as Dean, Szanton was named a Woman of Achievement by Business and
Professional Women of Maryland and was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine
(NAM). She is also a Heinz Award winner for the Human Condition and a PBS Organization’s “Next
Avenue Influencers in Aging.”

Prior to becoming Dean, Szanton had co-developed a program for older adults to age in community,
called CAPABLE. This program, which involves a nurse, an occupational therapist and a handyworker,
started in Baltimore and has now spread to 23 States She maintains research on CAPABLE as well as on
the impact of financial strain on health, and the measurement of structural racism and resilience across
the life course.

Who Should Attend

SHINE 2026 is designed for:

• Healthcare professionals and educators
• Public health and policy leaders
• Nonprofit and community organization staff
• Researchers and students
• Government and civic stakeholders
• Anyone committed to improving health outcomes through collaboration and innovation

Be Part of the Work

Neighborhood Nursing is changing how care is delivered and experienced in North Alabama. By connecting education, service, and innovation, we strengthen communities and improve long-term outcomes.

Join us in expanding access, advancing research, and shaping a healthier future for Alabama.

Join the Contact List