Brittany Hilson is a nursing graduate from Cumberland University in 2013 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree. She also obtained her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a concentration in Nursing Leadership and Management in 2018 from Western Governors University. Ms. Hilson’s background includes Medical/Surgical, Critical Care, Utilization Management, and Cardiac Cath Lab.  

She is certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Brittany is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. 

Joe Callis is a two-time nursing graduate from Cumberland University. His background includes Medical/Surgical, Nursing Informatics, and Critical Care. He currently works in a Surgical ICU. He is board certified in Medical/Surgical and Critical Care.  Mr. Callis has the following certifications: CCRN & RN-BC. He enjoys making complicated or scary topics easier for nursing students to understand.

In his free time, Joe enjoys traveling, cooking, and being with his two dachshunds, Huckleberry and Wally.

Michelle began teaching in the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing as a clinical instructor in 2019 and also assists students in the health assessment laboratory. 

Michelle is a two time graduate from Cumberland University. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing degree in May 2020 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in May 2014. She is also a graduate of Tennessee Technological University earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree in May 2010. 

Michelle has clinical experience in medical surgical, critical care, infectious disease, and home health nursing. She has a passion for rural health and has regularly traveled to Honduras on medical mission since becoming a nurse. 

Michelle is a member of both the Tennessee Nurses Association and American Nurses Association as well as the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.

Julie Windmiller has been an Assistant Professor at Cumberland University since 2009 and is currently a Simulation Nurse Educator, and teaches Adult Health II, and NCLEX Prep nursing courses. In 2001, she graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and in 2006 she graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a concentration in Education. Currently she is in the final stages of her PhD in Nursing Education preparation. Julie practiced as an Emergency Department (ED) nurse for almost fifteen years as well as practiced as a Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) nurse. She is certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and a member of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing. Finally, she has published an article in the International Journal of Childbirth Education and is currently working on publishing an article related to interprofessional education. 

Mr. John “Jake” Whicker was appointed to the faculty of the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions in the fall of 2018. Mr. Whicker is a two-time graduate of Cumberland University, having earned his Master of Science in Nursing degree in May 2018 (Summa Cum Laude) and his Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in May 2014. He also earned his Associate of Science degree from Nashville State Community College (Magna Cum Laude) in May 2012. Mr. Whicker is a doctoral candidate at East Tennessee State University, pursuing a PhD in Nursing and a Graduate Certificate in Biostatistics.

Mr. Whicker has taught courses in Community Health Nursing, Professional Nursing Foundations, Health Assessment, Dosage Calculations, Nursing Foundations Labs, and Health Assessment Labs.

In 2023, he was recognized for his “Health Systems and Health Policy” expertise and appointed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to serve on the National Healthy People Curriculum Taskforce (HPCTF) for the Clinical Prevention and Population Health Curriculum Framework 5-year Revision Workgroup.

Before his appointment to the faculty at Cumberland University, Mr. Whicker worked as a Research Nurse Specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. While at Vanderbilt, he served as the Study Coordinator for a clinical research team in the Department of Infectious Diseases. Before this, he worked as a Public Health Nurse and Disease Intervention Specialist for the Tennessee Department of Health for several years. While working for the Department of Health, Mr. Whicker’s responsibilities included performing disease surveillance and outbreak response, HIV/AIDS counseling, Tuberculosis Case Management, contact tracing, patient education, and direct patient care. He also has many years of experience working in emergency departments, several of which were as an Emergency Medical Technician before becoming a Registered Nurse.

Mr. Whicker’s research interests include the nursing workforce, burnout, and the nurse work environment. He participates in medical mission trips worldwide and has done humanitarian aid work in Eastern Europe, Central America, East Asia, and rural Appalachia.

In 2023, Mr. Whicker was selected as one of 23 Rising Star Nurse Leaders from across Tennessee by the Tennessee Hospital Association, Tennessee Nurse Association, and Tennessee Action Committee.

Mr. Whicker is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.

Dr. Richard “Dick” Storie began at Cumberland University in 2011 teaching in the Exercise and Sport Science Program. He is a former faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas, Austin and Director of the UT Fitness & Performance Center. In addition to academia, Dr. Storie has held various positions in hospitals working primarily in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. These experiences led him to start-up and administrator opportunities with three highly acclaimed Medical Fitness Centers that incorporate fitness, physical therapy, physician services, and community health promotion. These achievements garnered him the first ever co-recipient of the National Apple Achievement Award as a pioneer in Medical Fitness awarded by Modern Healthcare.

Dr. Storie has been involved in a number of entrepreneurial ventures, including a consulting firm specializing in athletic physiological testing, injury prevention, and performance enhancement that he founded and operated for 11 years. During that time, Dr. Storie served on two U.S. Olympic Committees addressing High Performance Athletics, and he has served as a Sport Physiology Consultant to the Nashville Predators since 2006.

He has served on numerous committees and boards throughout the industry, including the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) National Committee on Certification, and Education Chair for the Medical Fitness Association. He currently serves on the ACSM Professional Education Committee, Exercise Science Education Committee, and holds several ACSM certifications.

His research has been published and presented nationally, including anaerobic power assessment and training outcomes in various populations; dose-response relationships during physical activity; and cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and functional responses to acute and chronic exercise and therapeutic interventions.

Mrs. Amy Robertson was appointed to the faculty of the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions in the fall of 2021. 

Mrs. Robertson is a two-time graduate of Belmont University, having earned her Master of Science in Nursing degree in December 2013 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in December 2007. She also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from Western Kentucky University in December 1995.

Currently, Mrs. Robertson teaches the Nursing in Child and Family Care course, Pediatric In-patient Clinical, and Health Assessment Laboratory. 

Prior to her appointment to the faculty at Cumberland University, Mrs. Robertson worked for seven years as a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. During her time at Vanderbilt, she served as the clinical coordinator for a clinical research team in the Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine. Her team serves as one of twelve clinical teams of the NIH funded Undiagnosed Diseases Network, evaluating patients whose conditions have evaded diagnosis and partnering with a team of scientists seeking to understand how specific genetic changes contribute to disease. While working in the Division of Genetics, Mrs. Robertson provided clinical consultation services for patients with suspected neurofibromatosis, Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, congenital hearing impairment, developmental delays, and abnormal TN State Newborn Screen results. 

Prior to this, Mrs. Robertson spent six years as a Registered Nurse at the bedside in Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt (VCH). During that time, she achieved designation as a Certified Pediatric Nurse, RN level 3, and received the honor of Preceptor of the Year from VCH’s Pediatric Nurse Residency Program. Mrs. Robertson is a member of both the Tennessee Nurses Association and American Nurses Association as well as the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

Prior to her nursing career, Mrs. Robertson, served for nine years as a campus minister at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina and internationally in Russia. Mrs. Robertson is interested in promoting healthy growth and development of children, adolescents, and young adults. She is passionate about patient education and family centered care. She and her husband have been involved with the foster care system in Tennessee through their local church and desire to see children and families strengthened with the healing love of Jesus Christ.