Laura A. Fennimore

Dr. Fennimore is an accomplished leader and educator with more than 30 years of experience in health care management. She brings her real-world experience and executive knowledge to the classroom to DNP students in the Health Systems Executive Leadership program. In her faculty practice, she serves as a consultant for UPMC Health Plan, where she served as the Director of Clinical Programs responsible for case management services for vulnerable populations, including children and adults with complex physical and behavioral health care needs, as well as pregnant women. With other members of the executive team, Dr. Fennimore developed case management strategies and clinical programs to achieve strategic business and financial goals. 

She earned her BSN from West Virginia University School of Nursing and both her MSN (with a specialization in oncology nursing) and her DNP (in nursing administration) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing.

Prior to her appointment as a full professor in the appointment stream in the Acute and Tertiary Care Department, Dr. Fennimore held several leadership positions at UPMC Presbyterian including clinical instructor, nurse manager, director of oncology disease management, director of nursing, and the director of organizational development and nursing education and research. She was the Director of Nursing Education for the Oncology Nursing Society from 1999-2006. She served as a Director of Clinical Programs at UPMC Health Plan supporting case managers caring for members enrolled in governmental health plans. In addition to her DNP faculty responsibilities, Dr. Fennimore is the coordinator for the Nursing Education Minor/Certificate Program. She was selected as the 2020-2021 recipient of the Dean's Distinguished Teaching Award/Appointment Stream. She has published in the Journal of Nursing Administration, Journal of Nursing Care Quality, Nursing Management, Journal of Professional Development, the Oncology Nursing Forum, Cancer Nursing, Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, Nursing Clinics of North America, Journal of Emergency Nursing, Journal of Nursing Education, Nurse Educator, and the Journal of Nurses in Professional development.

Dr. Fennimore is fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.  She is actively involved in professional organizations including the Oncology Nursing and was the national president of the Oncology Nursing Society from 2018-2020. She is an active member in the American Nurses Association where she serves as the Organization Affiliates Liaison to the ANA Board of Directors and a commissioner on the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing. In addition, she is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Leaders; the Southwestern Pennsylvania Organization of Nurse Leaders; the Association for Leadership Science in Nursing; the American Case Management Association; the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association; and Sigma Theta Tau, the International Honor Society of Nursing.