About Us
The Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing Alumni Board is comprised of volunteer alumni committed to supporting graduates and students through scholarship, mentorship, community outreach, and philanthropy.
Mission
To enrich, support, and connect School of Nursing alumni.
To engage alumni in lifelong learning, community outreach, and scholarship.
To promote the advancement of UC Irvine.
Board Members
Dr. Tiffany Nielsen, DNP, FNP-C
Dr. Tiffany Nielsen has more than 12 years of nursing experience in the emergency department and family practice.
She returned to her alma mater in 2016 to pursue a career in nursing education.
She is currently an assistant clinical professor in the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing and is an actively practicing nurse practitioner at the UCI Student Health Center.
Dr. Nielsen has been dedicated to nursing alumni engagement by serving as the Alumni Faculty Advisor for UCI School of Nursing and was instrumental in founding the School’s first Nursing Alumni Chapter.
Candice Whealon, MSN, FNP-C
President and UC Irvine Sue and Bill Gross Faculty
Candice Whealon graduated from UC Irvine’s FNP program in 2013, is a practicing ER nurse practitioner and recently joined the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing faculty as the FNP Clinical Coordinator of the DNP Program.
She is a founding member of the School of Nursing chapter and honored to lead as president. She appreciates that the Alumni Association provides graduates the opportunity to connect with one another and their alma mater to promote the advancement of current students, their colleagues and their communities.
Connie Betz, BSN, RN
President Elect
Connie Betz received her BSN from the UCI Nursing Program in 2013. She currently works as a staff RN in the Telemetry department at Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center in Downtown Los Angeles.
As a graduate student at CSU Long Beach, her goal is to become a family nurse practitioner for underserved communities. She enjoys volunteering, traveling, cooking, and living an active lifestyle.
She volunteers with the alumni association because she wants to support our network of nurses who give so much of themselves to help others, especially during these difficult times.
John Aldrich Alejandro, FNP-BC
VP Corporate Affairs
John Aldrich Alejandro graduated from the BSN program in 2012 and the MSN program at the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing.
He became involved as a founding member of the UCI Nursing Alumni chapter because of his passion for continuing education, connection, and leadership. He practices at Hoag Medical Group as an urgent care nurse practitioner. “It is sweeter to help others rise when you yourself do the same.”
Danielle Crook, MSN, FNP-C
Danielle Crook works at the UCI Health Family Health Center in the pediatric department.
Her special interests include health and developmental delays.
Katrina Lazarte, MSN, RN
Program Director
Katrina Lazarte graduated in 2019 from the MEPN program and is currently working at UCI Medical Center in Neuroscience. She enjoys being part of the Alumni Association because of the opportunity to engage with SON alumni and current students.
“Our association works together to create meaningful events for alumni to inspire and learn from one another.” She also loves serving as a resource and mentor for current SON students.
Josel James Agudo, RN
Josel James, or JJ, graduated with the BSN class of 2014. He has a history of working in burn, ICU, emergency and oncology.
Outside of nursing, he is an entrepreneur and video content creator.
Natalie Ramsey, RN
Natalie Ramsey graduated from UCI in 2019 with her BSN.
She is passionate about women’s health and currently works as a labor and delivery RN at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital.
Ramsey is also working toward obtaining her Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner certification and plans on obtaining her Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner degree in the future.
Alumni Spotlight
Alumni Spotlight: Heaven Holdbrooks
Our weekly Alumni Spotlight series features updates on the outstanding graduates of the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Heaven Holdbrooks, class of ’10, shares what it was like to be a nurse working in a pandemic. Where do you work [...]
Nursing alum receives UCI Lauds & Laurels Distinguished Alumni Award
Lauds & Laurels Distinguished Alumni recipient Linda Trinh (in red) with, from left, Assistant Clinical Professor Tiffany Nielsen, Founding Dean and Distinguished Professor Adey Nyamathi, and Assistant Clinical Professor Candice Whealon. Linda Trinh, a double board-certified family and [...]
Calvin Xu: ‘Healthcare is a human right’
Even as he was enrolling in nursing school, Calvin Xu (‘21) thought he’d eventually become a doctor. Some of his plans were linked to assumptions about healthcare roles and who is “in charge.” Then he became a volunteer in the [...]
Alumni Spotlight: Riana Leonhardt
Our weekly Alumni Spotlight series features updates on the outstanding graduates of the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Riana Leonhardt, class of ’13, shares what it was like to be a nurse working in a pandemic. Where do you work? [...]
Alumni Spotlight: Sahra Kakwani
Our weekly Alumni Spotlight series features updates on the outstanding graduates of the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Sahra Kakwani, class of ’20, shares what it was like to be a nurse working in a pandemic. Where do you work? [...]
Alumni Spotlight: Michelle Reynoso
Our weekly Alumni Spotlight series features updates on the outstanding graduates of the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Michelle Reynoso, class of ’20, shares what it was like to be a nurse working in a pandemic. Where do [...]
UCI nursing alum leads effort to vaccinate 10,000 OC residents
Nurse practitioner John Aldrich Alejandro, right, getting ready for a vaccine clinic. When the Orange County Healthcare Agency (OCHCA) reached out to nursing alum John Aldrich Alejandro (‘12) in January to lead the effort to vaccinate residents, the [...]
Alumni Spotlight: Andrea Kutcher
Our weekly Alumni Spotlight series features updates on the outstanding graduates of the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Andrea Kutcher, class of ’17, shares what it was like to be a nurse working in a pandemic. Where do [...]
Alumni Spotlight: Justin Reyes
Our weekly Alumni Spotlight series features updates on the outstanding graduates of the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Justin Reyes, class of ’13, shares what it was like to be a nurse working in a pandemic. Where do [...]
Alumni Spotlight: Irene Chen
Our weekly Alumni Spotlight series features updates on the outstanding graduates of the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Irene Chen, class of ’16, shares what it was like to be a nurse working in a pandemic. Where do [...]
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