Dr. Karen Bankston (2017) is the Associate Dean for Clinical Practice, Partnership and Community Engagement of the College of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Bankston. Dr. Bankston has been serving in health care for 40 years. In her current role she is responsible for developing and maintaining partnerships with nursing and other disciplines at UC, while also engaging in community based research focused on student and parental success in the urban core. Additionally, she is the president and CEO of KDB and Associates Consulting Service, a company she founded. She tirelessly serves in multiple organizations as well, including the Health Alliance departments of community health and diversity, the boards of United Way of Greater Cincinnati, the Live Well Collaborative (which she Chairs), Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, The Children’s Home and the Urban League of Southwest Ohio.

Dr. Bankston earned an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree from Youngstown State University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Kent State University, and a doctoral degree (PhD) from the University of Cincinnati with a focus on administration and organizational behavior. The awards committee and executive board were particularly impressed with her leadership in supporting the promotion and success of women. In fact, upon the awards committee’s announcement to the executive board, of Dr. Bankston’s selection as the awardee, several members’ immediately expressed their excitement and shared stories of how she had encouraged them (and others) and positively influenced their careers.