Cyndi Cortes firmly believes God equips and prepares us for each step of life’s journey.  While working at Children’s Hospital, Cortes developed a love and concern for children and adults with special health care needs and their caregivers.  While at Samford University, she helped plan, organize, and implement CampUs, a summer day camp for children with special health care needs. As an “Army brat”, Cortes had the opportunity to experience other cultures and developed an appreciation for diversity.  Additionally, Cortes and her husband lived in Mexico for four years and both of their children were born there.  “With my red hair, people don’t expect me to speak Spanish or to understand the Hispanic culture, but I do!” said Cortes.

Degrees and Certifications

• DrPH, maternal child health concentration, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Post-master's certificate, pediatric primary care, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• MSN, pediatric nursing, developmental disabilities concentration, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• MRE, religious education, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
• BSN with Spanish minor, Ida Moffett School of Nursing, Samford University
• Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care (CPNP-PC)
• Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN)
• Certified Online Instructor (COI)

Expertise

• Children with special health care needs
• Preparation of congregational health promoters
• Global studies
• Migrant farm workers 
• Interprofessional education 
• Quality of life as outcome measure
• Pediatric rehabilitation nursing

Awards and Honors

• Fulbright Scholar Program, Discipline Peer Reviewer
• State of Alabama Independent Living Council, appointed by governor
• Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing 
• Community Foundation Grant. Chandler Mountain Farm Worker Projects. Collins, A., Cortes, C., & Shelton, L. (2015)
• Innovative Technology Grant, Samford University. A School-Wide Innovative Technology Initiative: Testing with Alternate Format Items. Cortes, C. & Schlosser, S. P.  (2015)
• Academic Initiative Grant, Samford University. Summer day camp for children with special health care needs (CSHCN): An interprofessional education opportunity for Samford students and faculty. Cunningham, J., Cortes, C., & Bigham, A. (2013)

Publications

• Cortes, C. (2024). Writing a Health Policy Brief: Advocating for Health Equity and Services for Historically Marginalized Communities. 52^nd Annual NBNA Institute and Conference. San Francisco, CA.
• Cortes, C. (2023). Sickle Cell Disease. New Life Mission Hospital. Kurlupada, Kesinga, India.
• Cortes, C. (2023). Cough Related Respiratory Conditions. Kurlupada, Kesinga, India.
• Cortes, C. (2023). Asthma. Kurlupada, Kesinga, India.
• Cortes, C. (2023). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Kurlupada, Kesinga, India.
• Cortes, C. (2023). Community Acquired Pneumonia. Kurlupada, Kesinga, India.
• Cortes, C. (2021). COVID-19 Update. Living Your Best Life. (Radio presentation – Community outreach with Birmingham Black Nurses Association)
• Gurley, L., Cortes, C., & Hardin. L. (2021). Innovative Educational Team Approach for Achieving DNP Program Competencies for Distance Learners During COVID-19 Pandemic. Mini-Conference on Teaching and Learning. Samford University.
• Gurley, L., Cortes, C., & Hardin. L. (2021). Innovative Educational Team Approach for Achieving DNP Program Competencies for Distance Learners. 2021 NONPF 47^th Annual Conference: New Frontiers for NP Education (Virtual Conference April 21-24, 2021). [The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties]
• Gurley, L., Cortes, C., & Hardin. L. (2021). Innovative Educational Team Approach for Achieving DNP Program Competencies for Distance Learners. Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing Faculty Day March 22, 20219.
• Cortes, C. (2021). What is COVID-19 and How to Protect Against It. BBNA: Living Your Best Life (Radio presentation- Community outreach with Birmingham Black Nurses Association)
• Cortes, C. (2020). What is COVID-19 and How to Protect Against It. Community Outreach Partnership Between Birmingham Black Nurses Association and Alabama Department of Public Health. (presented four times October-November, 2020)
• Buckner, E., Cortes, C., & Ledbetter, M. (2020). Middle-Range Theory Uniting Practice and Scholarship: Exemplars of Theory-based DNP Projects. 2020 Doctoral Education Conference, American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Naples, Florida
• Cortes, C. (2018). Working Interprofessionally with Migrant Farm Workers: An Innovation in Clinical Practice and Interprofessional Education. 44th Annual Conference of The Transcultural Nursing Society. San Antonio, Texas.
• Cortes, C. (2017). Partnering with Community Health Workers and Faith-Based Organizations to Provide Hypertension Management in Haiti. Sigma Theta Tau International's 28th International Nursing Research Congress. Dublin, Ireland.
• Shelton, L. & Cortes, C. (2017). A Pilot Interprofessional Education and Practice Project with Migrant Farm Workers. Sigma Theta Tau International's 28th International Nursing Research Congress. Dublin, Ireland.
• Cortes, C. (2017). The Relationship of Medical Homeness to the Quality of Life of Mothers of Children with and Without Special Health Care Needs: A Research Study. 2017 IVMSON Faculty Research Lunch and Learn. Birmingham, AL
• Cortes, C. (2018). Rehabilitation nursing for congenital pediatric conditions. Available from Medbridge: Continuing education courses.
• Cortes, C. (2018). Support for caregivers of children with special health care needs. Available from Medbridge: Continuing education courses.
• Lundeen, J., Warr, R., Cortes, C. G., Wallis, F., Coleman, J. J. (2018). The development of a clinical peer review tool. Nursing Education Perspectives, 39(1), 43-45.doi: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000191
• Moore, T., Casiday, R., Cortes, C., Davey, K., Stoltzfus, K., Terry, P., & Robertson, A. (2017). An interprofessional review of cultural competency education: Approaches to strengthen healthcare management education in preparing culturally competent healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Administration Education, 34, 319-343.
• Whisenant, D. P., Cortes, C. G., Ewell, P., & Cuellar, N. (2017). The use of community based participatory research to assess perceived health status and health education needs of persons in rural and urban Haiti. Journal of Rural Nursing and health Care, 17(1). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v17i1.427
• Collins, A. W., Broeseker, A., Cunningham, J., Cortes, C. G., Beall, J., Bigham, A. (2017). A longitudinal online interprofessional education experience involving family nurse practitioner students and pharmacy students. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31, 218-225. doi: 10.1080/13561820.2016.1255600
• Lundeen, J., Warr, R., Cortes, C. G., Wallis, F., Coleman, J. J. (in press). The development of a clinical peer review tool. Nursing Education Perspectives.
• Collins, A. W., Broeseker, A., Cunningham, J., Cortes, C. G., Beall, J., Bigham, A. (in press). A longitudinal online interprofessional education experience involving family nurse practitioner students and pharmacy students. Journal of Interprofessional Care.
• Whisenant, D. P., Hill, J., Cortes, C. G., & Holston, J. (2014) Developing a health promotion program for women in rural Jamaica: How we began and implications for practice. International Journal of Nursing, 1(2), 1-10.
• Coronica, R. & Cortes, C. G. (2014). Clinical practice guideline for screening, diagnosing, referring and monitoring of cytomegalovirus retinitis. Insight: The Journal of the American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses, 39(4), 5-13.
• Whisenant, D. P., Cortes, C. G., & Hill, J. (2013) Is faith-based health promotion effective? Results from two programs.  JCN Publish Ahead of Print.  Available at www.journalofchristiannursing.com.
• Cortes, C. G. (2011). Pediatric Rehabilitation Nursing, In K. Mauk (Ed.), Rehabilitation Nursing. Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett. 
• Cortes, C. G. (2007).  Pediatric rehabilitation nursing: Education and certification.  Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Approach, 1 (1), 51-56.

Presentations

• Cortes, C. (2017 – accepted). Faith and Promoting Healthy Behaviors. Health and Human Flourishing: Multidisciplinary Perspectives Conference. LCC International University, Klaipėda, Lithuania.
• Cortes, C. (2016). Servicios Para Niños con Necesidades Especiales Médicos. (Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs).  Presented to nursing faculty and staff and to occupational therapy faculty, staff, and students. Universidad Centro Médico Bautista, Asunción, Paraguay.
• Cortes, C. (2016). Partnering with Community Health Promoters and Faith Based Organizations to Provide Hypertension Management in Haiti: An Innovative Practice Model. American Association of Nurse Practitioners Annual Conference. San Antonio, Texas. (accepted)
• Cortes, C. (2016). A Pilot Study to Incorporate Interprofessional Education with FNP Students in an Online Program and Pharmacy Students in a Traditional Program Using a Blended Approach. AACN Mater’s Education Conference, Houston, Texas; (2015) Armstrong InterProfessional Health Care Summit, Savannah, Georgia.
• Cortes, C. (2016). Learning About Professional Roles and Correcting Misinformation Through IPE Experiences. AACN Mater’s Education Conference, Houston, Texas. 
• Schlosser, S. P., McDaniel, G. S., & Cortes, C. G. (2015). Writing Boot Camp: Developing Written Communication Competency in Graduate Nursing Students. NLN Summit, Las Vegas, Nevada. 
• Whisenant, D. W. & Cortes, C. G. (2015). Interprofessional Process for Developing Community Health Promoter Curriculum in Haiti.Armstrong InterProfessional Health Care Summit, Savannah, Georgia.
• Cortes, C. G., Whisenant, D. P., & Hill, J. (2014). Self-reported health education needs of residents in the West Region of Haiti.  Nursing Leadership in Global Health Symposium.  Nashville, Tennessee. 
• Bigham, A., Cunningham, J., Collins, A., & Cortes, C. (2013). Advancing the Nation’s Health Through Interprofessional Collaboration: Strategies for Graduate Nursing Education. ALN Annual Meeting.  Jacksonville, Alabama.
• Cortes, C. G., Collins, A. W., & Cunningham, J. L. (2013). Incorporating Interprofessional Education (IPE) in an Online FNP Program: Phase 1.   NONPF 39th Annual Meeting - Nurse Practitioner Education: At the Heart of Health Care, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 
• Cunningham, J. L., Cortes, C. G., Bigham, A., & Collins, A. W. (2013). Interprofessional Education: Strategies for Nurse Practitioner and Pharmacy Students Learning Together. NONPF 39th Annual Meeting - Nurse Practitioner Education: At the Heart of Health Care, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 
• Cortes, C. G., Whisenant, D. P., & Hill, J. (2012). Evaluation of Church Based Weight Loss Programs. Nurses Christian Fellowship International: Quadrennial International Conference, Santiago, Chile. 
• Whisenant, D. P., Hill, J., & Cortes, C. G. (2012). Rural Jamaican Women's Self Perception of Health and Health Education Needs. Nurses Christian Fellowship International: Quadrennial International Conference, Santiago, Chile. 
• Cortes, C. G. (2012). A Holistic Approach to Helping Children with Special Needs Transition Smoothly into Adulthood. Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN), Nashville, Tennessee. 
• Collins, A. W., Cortes, C. G., Cunningham, J. L., Holston, J., & Isley, B. (2012). Innovative Clinical Supervision Strategies for Distance Education in Nurse Practitioner Programs.   National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, Charleston, South Carolina. 
• Cortes, C. G. & Whisenant, D. P. (2012). Evaluating the Role of Spirituality in a Weight Loss Program. Third Biennial Innovations in Faith-Based Nursing Conference. Marion, Indiana.
• Cortes, C. G. (2012). Respite Care: Care for the Caregiver. Care at the End-of-LifeConference,Alacare Home Health and Hospice, Birmingham, Alabama.
• Cortes, C. G. & Whisenant, D. P. (2011). Population Health Management in Action: The Case for Advocacy and Assistance.   Alabama Department of Public Health, Office of Women's Health, 4th Annual Women's Health Update, Birmingham, Alabama. 
• Cunningham, J., Findlay, M., & Cortes, C. (2010). Samford University Mobile Health Van. Sixth Annual Mobile Health Clinics Forum.  New Orleans, LA.
• Cortes, C. (2009). The Effectiveness of Antegrade Continence Enema (ACE) Procedures on Toileting Independence in the Pediatric Spina Bifida Population. ARN Annual Educational Conference.  Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• Cortes C., Mulvihill B., Redden D. (2008). The Relationship of Medical Homeness to the Quality of Life of Mothers of Children with and without Special Health Care Needs. American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine annual conference.

Involvement

• National Black Nurses Association, Health Policy Committee Member & Note Taker (secretary) & policy reviewer
• Birmingham Black Nurses Association, Scholarship Committee member
  Mini Nurse Academy (committee member and facilitator)
• Sigma (Sigma Theta Tau International) Honor Society of Nursing
• Alabama League for Nursing
• American Nurses Association
• Association of Teachers fo Maternal and Child Health
• Central Alabama Nurse Practitioner Association
• Christian Nurses Fellowship International
• Health Services Advisory Committee-East Cost Migrant Head Start, liasion 
• National Health Services Corp., ambassador 
• National League for Nurses
• Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama
• United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham
• Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Hearts and Hands buddy and Sunday School teacher
• International medical and evangelical mission trips

Research Areas

• Caregivers of Children with Special Health Care Needs
• Disparities in Access to Healthcare and Disparities in Health Outcomes
• Global Health