New Fellow Commemorative Program - American Academy of Nursing

Jordan
Naeema Hassan Al Gasseer, PhD, RN
Naeema Al Gasseer, a Bahraini national, serves as a World Health Organization Representative for Iraq and
a United Nations Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. in Iraq.
Dr. Al Gasseer has spearheaded initiatives in support of the Iraqi people and government in the areas of
health and development, including addressing emergencies and humanitarian assistance. She has also
guided several instrumental research surveys in Iraq.
Dr. Al Gasseer’s support for research stems from her belief that health and development policies and
programs must be evidence-based in order to meet the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals.
In her role, she has mobilized resources to support health programs utilizing the health system framework
in Iraq. As a leader in the health and nutrition sector for the UN, she has engaged stakeholders and
forged partnerships with development partners and Iraqis at various levels.
Dr. Al Gasseer is considered an interdisciplinary, intersectoral leader and a strong spokeswoman for nursing’s and women’s
contribution to health and development. In 2003, she led a global situation analysis in nursing and midwifery that culminated in
worldwide strengthening of nursing and midwifery strategy where the key framework is still valid today.
Dr. Al Gasseer received her BSN from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon following her associate degree from the
College of Health Sciences in Bahrain. Her masters and doctoral degrees are from the University of Illinois at Chicago in the areas
of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences and Nursing Sciences with focus on Women’s Health respectively.
Mexico
I N T E R N A T I O N A L F E L L O W S
Esther C. Gallegos, PhD, MAE, RN
Dr. Gallegos is Professor and Director of the Doctoral Program at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo
Leon.
Dr. Gallegos is one of the most influential nurses in Mexico and Latin America. A respected scientist,
educator, and leader, she has worked throughout her career to promote the advancement of nurses as
leaders in improving the health of the historically underserved. She has transformed nursing education
in Mexico by changing the focus of master’s education from preparing nurses for functional roles to a
focus on evidence-based community practice. This community-based model has been widely replicated
in Mexico and in other areas of Latin America.
As the first doctorally prepared nurse in Mexico, Dr. Gallegos has dedicated her efforts to advancing nursing
science and creating a new generation of scientists through the establishment of the first PhD program in
Mexico. She led a coalition of nurses to challenge long-held notions about the contributions of nursing
science by CONACYT, the Mexican equivalent of the NIH. This effort resulted, for the first time, in recognition of a group of nurse
scientists by this federal system.
Dr. Gallegos is also an established researcher. She has two active programs of research: self-management of diabetes and the
reduction of sexual risk behavior among adolescents. Both areas of study have resulted in important findings that have been
translated into community practice. Her numerous awards, consulting, and presentations reflect the diversity of her expertise and
the expansiveness of her influence in Mexico and Latin America.
Dr. Gallegos received her BSN from Colombia National University, Bogota, Colombia, her master’s in Administration at Nuevo Leon
State University, and her PhD in Nursing from Wayne State University College of Nursing, Detroit, Michigan.
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