DNP, RN, PhD(h), NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN
Executive Director, Professional Excellence and the Kaiser Permanente Scholars Academy, Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Patient Care Services
Adjunct Faculty, University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions
Associate Editor, Nursing Administration Quarterly
Jim D’Alfonso, DNP, RN, PhD(h), NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN: Primary responsibilities include strategic, operational, and fiscal responsibility for the Kaiser Permanente Scholars Academy and shared executive leadership responsibilities for Regional Patient Care Services in Northern California.
Scholars Academy teams lead professional excellence priorities and programs that include Kaiser Permanente’s professional nursing legacy, academic / career progression, professional certification, nursing leadership development, continuing education, and Magnet program systems and support infrastructure. The Scholars Academy includes 4 strategic focus areas, including The KP Nurses Academy (NSA), the KP Mental Health Scholars Academy (MHSA), the Research and Innovation Academy (RIA), and the Allied Health Scholars Academy (AHSA).
Over 40 years of nursing experience, including progressive clinical, education, and leadership roles. As an expert in Caring Science and experienced CNE and COO, Jim joined KP in 2011 as ACNE for Fremont Medical Center and then as Regional Director for PCS Operations. Key accomplishments include expansion of Caring Science Theory and Caritas Consortia programs for nurses, serving as regional operations co-lead for the opening of the new “Triplet” hospitals in NCAL (OMC, SLN, & RWC), launching integration and expansion of HealthStream learning management system and championing 48 cross-regional forums on healthcare reform for clinical and leadership teams.
As Executive Director, Jim launched KP Nurse Scholars Academy in 2015, Mental Health Scholars Academy in 2019, Research and Innovation Academy in 2021, and Allied Health Scholars Academy in 2022. He is the author and editor of a text and peer-review publications on KP nursing‘s history and incredible legacy of disruptive innovation. Interests include elevating the Voice of Nurses, advancing theory-guided professional practice and caring science research, supporting nurse engagement and activism in public policy, and ensuring KP nurses remain at the forefront of clinical excellence, while proactively leading the future of global nursing.