UT Tyler Faculty Members Named American Academy of Nursing Fellow
July 15, 2025 | Elizabeth Wingfield
The American Academy of Nursing selected Dr. Tracy Hicks and Dr. Jacqueline Michael to be a part of their 2025 class of fellows. This honor
recognizes nurses whose careers have demonstrated significant, sustained and outstanding
contributions to the profession and health care. Hicks is an assistant dean of professional
development in The University of Texas at Tyler School of Nursing, and Michael served
as a School of Nursing clinical professor until her retirement earlier this year.
“This recognition affirms Dr. Hicks’ and Dr. Michael’s enduring contributions to nursing and health care—not only in East Texas but nationwide,” said Dr. Barbara K. Haas, interim provost. “Their work exemplifies how nurse leaders can shape policy, improve care and inspire the next generation of practitioners.”
This year, the AAN, an honorific society and a national policy organization, selected nurse leaders from 12 countries and 42 states based on their impact on health policy, advanced practice and education, and health care system change. Hicks and Michael will be inducted at the AAN’s annual Health Policy Conference this October, joining more than 3,200 Academy Fellows.
“I’m incredibly honored to be selected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing,”
said Hicks. “It’s both humbling and energizing to be recognized alongside so many
phenomenal leaders. This fellowship affirms the importance of investing in our profession—and
in the next generation of nurses who will carry it forward.”
Hicks holds a Master of Business Administration from Texas Christian University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Frontier Nursing University. She is currently a member of 13 nursing organizations across the nation and serves as the Texas Nurse Practitioners Board of Directors president elect.
Michael holds a PhD in health studies from Texas Woman’s University and a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner certificate from Midwestern State University. She owns her own practice and has served on the Texas Nurses Association District 4 Mock Trial Planning Committee for the past 12 years.
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.