Suzanne C. Smeltzer
An internationally known advocate for health care access and quality care for people with disabilities, Suzanne C. Smeltzer, EdD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, has been named inaugural holder of The Richard and Marianne Kreider Endowed Professorship in Nursing for Vulnerable Populations at the Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, where she is professor and director of the Office of Nursing Research and Evaluation. She has brought attention to the need for the nursing profession and nursing faculty to prepare undergraduate and nurse practitioner students to provide high quality and sensitive care to people with disabilities. For the last 30 years, Dr. Smeltzer has focused her research, education and service-related endeavors to addressing the health-related needs of people with disabilities and the education of health professionals to better care for people with disabilities—a vulnerable population that is often under served and whose needs are frequently ignored.
