Nancy Anness is the Chief Advocacy Officer with Ascension Saint Thomas where she has held clinical and leadership roles for more than two decades. She is the Chief Government Relations and Health Policy Officer for Ascension Saint Thomas responsible for federal and state health policy and Ascension Tennessee’s 100% Campaign: 100% Access and 100% Coverage. A board-certified practicing family nurse practitioner with more than 30 years of experience, Nancy has practiced in rural and urban health care settings and has coordinated various medical missions throughout North America, Central America and South America serving those most in need and vulnerable.
Prior to Ascension Saint Thomas, Nancy was an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Vanderbilt University and started the Vine Hill Community Clinic as the Director and first practicing family nurse practitioner. She has also held adjunct academic teaching positions with Belmont University’s School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee at Memphis, the University of Texas at Arlington, and the University of Florida School of Public Health.
Nancy has received numerous recognitions for her work. She was named a ”Top Ten Women To Watch” in health care by the Nashville Medical News in 2008 and has received awards and honors from Ascension, the Daughters of Charity, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, the Tennessee Primary Care Association, Tennessee Justice Center, Saint Thomas Health, the YWCA, Tennessee New Beginnings (Spirit of Wellness), the Tennessee Nurses Association and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Nancy has served on numerous boards and committees including Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Tennessee Hospital Association, Tennessee Nurses Association, Middle Tennessee Consortium of Safety Net Providers, NashvilleHealth, Healthy Nashville Leadership Council, and the New Beginnings Center. She is a past advisory board member of the Tennessee Center for Diabetes Prevention and Health Improvement, the Nashville Advancement Career Center and the Tennessee EPSD&T for Children.
She is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University (A.S.N.), Western Kentucky University (B.S.N.) and Vanderbilt University (M.S.N., A.P.N. and F.N.P.).