Program Director
Sue Bell
Susan D. Bell, DNP, MS, CNRN, APRN-CNP, EBP-C, earned her nursing degrees from The Ohio State University. She has held clinical, academic, research and leadership roles at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State's College of Nursing, Candel Therapeutics and Summa Health. Currently, she serves as program director at the Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare. Her work has focused on evidence-based practice, neuroscience nursing, advanced practice and mentorship. In 2025, she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from The Ohio State University College of Nursing.
Implementation Scientists
Alicia Bunger
Alicia Bunger, PhD, MSW, is an implementation scientist, behavioral health services researcher and social worker who is dedicated to improving service delivery systems for families. Her interdisciplinary research program focuses on implementing interventions that integrate services across health and human service organizations. Active studies focus on implementing clinical pathways, collaborative strategies for implementation, and network interventions.
Lisa Juckett
Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT, is an associate professor in the Division of Occupational Therapy at The Ohio State University's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Her research focuses on implementation science, particularly the adoption of evidence-based practices in stroke rehabilitation and geriatric care. She collaborates with organizations like LifeCare Alliance and Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center to translate research into practical solutions that enhance health outcomes for older adults.
EBP Expert Mentors
Cindy Beckett
Cindy Beckett, PhD, RNC-OB, LCCE, LSS-BB, CHRC, is emeritus faculty in the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University. She has extensive experience in credentialing programs and teaching workshops and courses on evidence-based practice. Her research focus has involved perinatal, pediatrics and family; rural and underserved communities and populations using quantitative, qualitative and EBP methodologies. She has been mentoring, teaching and leading EBP and quality initiatives for 20 years.
Tracy Taylor
Tracy Taylor, DNP, RN, EBP-C, is an assistant clinical professor of nursing with a deep commitment to advancing nursing education through evidence-based practice and global health perspectives. As an EBP-certified expert mentor, she is passionate about guiding the next generation of nursing leaders. She integrates innovative, evidence-based teaching strategies to inspire and support nursing students at all academic levels.
Todd Tussing
Todd E. Tussing, DNP, RN, CENP, NEA-BC, EBP-BC, is an assistant clinical professor at The Ohio State University College of Nursing. With over 37 years of nursing experience, including 30+ years in leadership roles, he holds dual certifications in nursing administration and evidence-based practice. He teaches in the Master of Healthcare Innovation and DNP programs. He has extensive experience in interdisciplinary education through BUCKiPE and EBP immersion workshops and serves on doctoral project committees and reviews EBP certification portfolios.
Cindy Zellefrow
Cindy Zellefrow, DNP, MSEd, RN, EBP-C, is an assistant professor of clinical nursing and director of the RN to BSN program at The Ohio State University College of Nursing. Her scholarship has focused on evidence-based practice, evidence-based quality improvement, leveraging academic-practice partnerships, and DNP education with an emphasis on the DNP final project. She co-developed and taught a multitude of lectures and courses on teaching and integrating EBP in academic and clinical settings across the world as part of the Fuld National Institute for EBP team. Her work has led to global consulting and collaborations on every continent except South America and Antarctica. She has disseminated widely on various aspects of EBP and DNP education.
Leadership Experts
Jacalyn Buck
PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL
Dr. Jacalyn Buck is a Clinical Professor, Executive Director of Academic Partnerships and Director of the DNP Nurse Executive track (NEX) at The Ohio State University College of Nursing. She has over 40 years of nursing experience, with over 20 years in nursing leadership positions. Dr. Buck has held the titles of Director of Nursing, Nursing Administrator, Associate Chief Nurse, Chief Nursing Officer and Health System Chief Nursing Officer, all in a large academic medical center. She earned her PhD, MS, and BSN from The Ohio State University. Dr. Buck holds a nurse executive advanced certification and was inducted as an inaugural fellow in American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Her research interest lies in leadership development and understanding the skills and competencies required for nurse leaders to lead effective teams in complex healthcare organizations.
Scott Graham
PhD, Lt Col, USAF (retired)
Dr. Scott Graham is an expert in leadership development and cultivating highly effective teams. He has over 30 years of experience in teaching, consulting, coaching, speaking and conducting research in leadership, management and team effectiveness. Dr. Graham’s current work focuses on building highly effective teams using a research-based, application oriented blend of workforce engagement, strengths-focus and emotional intelligence skill development. Dr. Graham’s leadership skill development began with his service in the United States Air Force where he retired as Lieutenant Colonel. In the USAF, he spent several years as Director of Quality Improvement for an 80,000-person global organization. He was the first Quality Improvement director of the Air Force Institute of Technology where he also was faculty in the graduate management program. Prior to obtaining his graduate degrees and beginning his work in leadership and quality, Scott’s first assignment in the Air Force was in a flight squadron where he was on a B-52 flight crew. In that role, he first learned the value and importance of a high functioning team.