Dr. Thruston has 40 years of experience in healthcare administration and academia.  She is a national leader and consultant who has developed and evaluated evidence-based programs using implementation science to improve the social, emotional, and mental health of adolescents and emerging adults and their academic success. As a community-engaged scholar focused on health equity, inclusion, and belonging for underrepresented populations, Dr. Thruston has provided health care and health promotion services in inner-city neighborhood health clinics, homeless shelters, and the streets. She was a pioneer in the early development of school-based health clinics and founder of a national award-winning multi-site school-based program for pregnant and parenting teens. Wanda has consulted internationally in West African for health services and promotion for pregnant and parenting teens. She led the development and implementation of diversity strategic plans for K-12 and post-secondary academic settings and has co-authored a publication and presented nationally and internationally on anti-racism in health and education. At a large university, Dr. Thruston teaches both synchronous and asynchronous graduate-level nursing courses in leadership, family health dynamics, evidence-based practices and has integrated anti-racist pedagogy in those classes.  She will soon be an alumnus of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Executive Leadership program and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Diversity Leadership Institute.  For more information: wanda@artoismaeconsulting.com