The Nurses International Nurses Council and Board of Directors are privileged to welcome Dr. Lori Spies! Dr. Spies joins us as a member of the Nurses International Nurses Council (NINC), Co-Director of Research.
Dr. Spies is committed to preparing students to be excellent global citizens, health care providers, and Christian nurse leaders. She believes nurses are in a perfect position to affect both the physical and spiritual elements of the person. Students come to realize this transformative ability during mission and field work. Her passion and commitment show through the years of dedicated work.
As assistant professor and mission coordinator at Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing, Dr. Spies has led faculty and student missions domestically and to China, Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia. Dr. Spies teaches a graduate global health and mission course and has led an international graduate clinical study abroad in Africa annually since 2005. Serving on several university committees, she is also the Chair of the Baylor University Mission Advisory Council.
Beyond her work at Baylor, Dr. Spies serves on the Inaugural Board of Directors for Lovebound International, an organization that focuses on health and education in Kenya; is the clinical education director, and researcher with the North Texas African Health Initiative, an organization that emphasizes building nurse capacity in Uganda; serves on a subcommittee with ICN APNN and volunteers locally through her church and facilitates a community garden for refugees from Myanmar.
Since 2007, Dr. Spies has worked collaboratively with Ugandan nurse leaders facilitating annual capacity-building workshops in teaching, research, and transformational leadership to improve patient outcomes locally and globally. This effort has resulted in joint research endeavors, publications, and international presentations.
While attending the 2016 International Council of Nurses Advanced Practice Nursing Network in Hong Kong, Dr. Spies had the opportunity to meet Dr. Lorna L. Schumann. “I was thrilled to attend the conference and encounter several of my global nurse practitioner heroes. Having followed the work of Dr. Schumann, I was honored to have the opportunity to speak with her in person and remember as she introduced herself how humbled I was that she took genuine interest in me and my work. As I listened to the vision of Nurses International, I was inspired by the unique opportunity to mobilize global nursing talents and make a difference on a world-wide scale.”
Dr. Spies holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing from the University of Texas, Arlington, a Master of Science degree- Family Nurse Practitioner and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Woman’s University. Her areas of scholarship include task shifting, neonatal asphyxia, non-communicable diseases and transformational nurse leadership.
Living in Sunnyvale, Texas, Dr. Spies and her husband, Richard enjoy travelling, outdoor activities, and entertaining. They have two grown children and one grandson. Community activities include volunteering to judge local high school science fairs, speaking to high school students about global health issues and volunteering with a community project to provide water, land, and supplies for a multigenerational multi-family community garden for refugees from Myanmar. Richard and Lori attend Lake Pointe Church.
