Associate Dean for Simulation and Experiential Learning and Professor
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Nursing
Associate Dean for Simulation and Experiential Learning and Professor (Open Rank – Academic or Clinical Track)
This is a rare and prestigious opportunity to lead one of the nation’s most established simulation enterprises in nursing education at a moment of extraordinary institutional momentum. Amid sustained enrollment growth and strategic investment in nursing workforce development, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing (Carolina Nursing) is elevating simulation and experiential learning as a central pillar of its academic mission. Carolina Nursing’s Education Innovation Simulation Learning Environment (EISLE) is not simply a supporting unit; it is a flagship program that has helped define Carolina Nursing’s national reputation and shape best practices in immersive, evidence-based nursing education for decades. The Associate Dean for Simulation and Experiential Learning and Professor will build on this strong foundational legacy while bringing innovation and vision to help shape the future of simulation-based experiential learning for academic nursing and clinical education.
With nearly $2.9 million in new UNC System funding dedicated to nursing expansion, including significant investment in simulation personnel, infrastructure, and advanced technologies, the Associate Dean will steward one of the most visible and well-supported simulation portfolios in the country. Set to open in spring of 2027, the new Nursing Education Building will feature three dedicated floors of purpose-built simulation space, signaling deep institutional commitment and long-term strategic alignment. This level of backing reflects not only confidence in the program’s trajectory, but an expectation that Carolina Nursing will lead the national standard, guided by Dean Valerie Howard’s longstanding commitment and investment in simulation and experiential learning. A leader in evidence-based simulation education and former president of the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL), Dr. Howard helped advance the first national standards for simulation best practices and brings a deep understanding of what is required to build and sustain a high-performing simulation program.
The Associate Dean will bring cohesion, strategic clarity, and bold innovation to an already distinguished enterprise, strengthening organization alignment, reinforcing its identity, and amplifying national visibility and influence in simulation-based nursing education.
View the full Leadership Profile to learn more about this opportunity, Carolina Nursing, UNC Chapel Hill and the community.
Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing in its search. For more information or to apply, please visit: https://acesrch.applicantstack.com/x/detail/a21esjyemlwn
