Services

Featured Examples from Dr. Kurnat-Thoma's Policy Portfolio:

1) Georgetown University

• Affiliate, Sponsored University Associate, Georgetown Institute for Women Peace and Security (GIWPS), Walsh School of Foreign Service (2023-present)

• Academic publishing, global collaborations, Church social teaching, Church Synod 2021-present

• School of Nursing Adjunct Assistant and Associate Professor (2018-2023); Redesigned Core Course, NURS-624 (Spring 2022); Associate Member Award, CENTILE Teaching Academy Certificate (2022)

• 1 faculty publication, 2 graduate student publications, 1 graduate student international labor/policy podium talk 

• No. 10 Clinical Nurse Leader Resilience Education Through Foundations of Health Systems and Policy – Journal of Security, Intelligence, and Resilience Education (jsire.org)

• Use of Shackles on Incarcerated Pregnant Women - PubMed (nih.gov) (human rights, women's rights)

• "Enhancing the Professional Wellbeing of Nurses Through Healthy Nutrition", Creating Healthy Work Environments Conference, Sigma Theta Tau International, March 8-10, 2024

• U.S. food policy to address diet-related chronic disease - PubMed (nih.gov) 

2) Guest Editor, Georgetown University

• School of Medicine/GU Medical Center, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Systems Medicine Program Collaboration

• Institutional Review Board, Biomedical A/B,           Scientific Voting Member (2021-2023) 

• Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences; Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics

https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/53623/systems-and-network-approaches-to-precision-medicine-and-healthcare

• Publications, Editorial and LDT regulatory science policy recs:

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2024.1463962/full 

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2024.1407513/full 

• Editorial Board Member, Review Editor (9/2024-9/2025); Frontiers, Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics

3) International Society of Nurses in Genetics and American Nurses Association (ANA) 

• Ethics and Public Policy Committee; Scope/Standards Revision Project; Education and Ethics Workgroup Lead 2021-2025

Genomics Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 3rd Edition 

• State, National and International Plenary and Group Lectures, Presentations

4) Scientific and Professional Journal                    Peer Review Service

• Frontiers; International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (MDPI) and Journal of Personalized Medicine (MDPI); Journal of Aging and Health; Preventive Medicine (Elsevier)

• Journal of Nursing Administration; Biological Research for Nursing; Pediatric Nursing 

5) American Academy of Nursing (AAN)

• Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (2021)

• Inactive Status (12/2024-present)

• Environmental & Public Health EP, Global Nursing & Health EP, Informatices & Technology EP (2021-2024)

• Nursing Leadership in the Decarbonizing the US Health Sector, Lead Moderator Professional Organizations (11/2022-2023)

Decarbonizing Health Sector Policy Dialogue - American Academy of Nursing 

6) Clinical and Translational Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship 2018-2021 (Intramural Research Training Award, NIH, NINR, DHHS) 

• Trump/Pence Administration

• 2018-2021 Intramural Research Training Award, DHHS-NIH-OD-NLM-NINR) 

• 8-month Opioid Epidemic S/T Policy Detail ($1.5B NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term [HEAL] Initiative, Office of the Director, NIH, Bethesda, MD) 

• Revised Symptom Science Model (SSM) 2.0

A Concept Development for the Symptom Science Model 2.0 - PubMed (nih.gov) 

• American Academy of Nursing (AAN) Policy Detail, Genomic Nursing and Health Care Expert Panel, NINR-NIH-DHHS

  1. Precision health and nursing profession leadership, nursing workforce development 

  2. Genomic nursing health care policy 

  3. IRB Regulatory Framework for Genetic Testing, Return of Results (RoR) to Patients 

Precision health: A nursing perspective - PubMed (nih.gov) 

Current status and future directions of U.S. genomic nursing health care policy - PubMed (nih.gov)

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Boot Camp, Ethical Legal Social Implications (ELSI) Panel Moderator and Coordinator, Ethics Case Study Design (Session III)

NINR Methodologies Boot Camp: Artificial Intelligence | National Institute of Nursing Research (nih.gov) 

• Frailty, Aging and Nutrition Policy in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Resource Limited Settings

Frailty and Determinants of Health Among Older Adults in the United States 2011-2016 - PubMed (nih.gov) 

• NIH Science and Policy Group (Policy Dialogue w/White House Office of Science and Technology Policy)

• NIH Fellows Comittee, Office of Human Subjects Research Protection Liaison

• NIH Cyber Champions Forum

7) Catholic Church Women's Lay-Leadership, Archdiocese of Washington

• Synod Theologic Formation Certificates (2022-24);       Boston College of Theology and Ministry

• Women's Mission in the Synodal Church, World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (WUCWO), Virtual Inter-Continental Consultations, April-May 2024 

• USCCB Policy Advocacy as Requested

• Liturgical Ministry 

8) Professional Experience                                 Nurse Consultant (2010-2011)

• US Dept of Homeland Security; Customs and Border Protection (CBP); Office of Human Resources; Benefits, Medical and Worklife Division; Medical and Fitness Branch (Obama/Biden Administration)

• Southwest Injury Border Patrol Study Task Force

• Fitness for Duty Regulatory Compliance

• Medical & Physical Workforce Requirements Policy Analysis Project (~1200 federal agent employment positions)

• Case Management: coordination of national medical, physical health and psychological exam results for maintaining professional conduct standards for weapons carrying personnel

• EEOC Legal Defensibility from Contractor Submitted Research Reports for Industrial Organizational (I/O) Psychology Agency Requirements for Federal Agents; Psychometric Validity and Coordination of Clinical Practice Quality Standards with Personnel Research and Assessment Research Division personnel 

• Workforce trend analysis, QI/QA and informed consent requirement evaluations (Common Rule vs Homeland Security priorities)

Director of Research (2011-2012)

• URAC (Health Insurance Industry Accreditation); Trends and Practices in Medical Management, 2010 Industry Profile Report ($20,000 survey of 197 medical insurance/ benefits/QI-QA healthcare management companies)

Research Coordinator (2013-2018)

• Non-profit Nursing and Clinical Trial Research Pipeline Development (For-Profit Commercial Hospital Industry)

• Conversion of IRB system to an electronic submission format (FCOIs, Cybersecurity/Cyberbiosecurity, 2018 Common Rule Revision)

• Routine FDA FWA-IRB audit without any follow-up items

• 2 university small grants, 8 total IRB-approved nursing research protocols, 5 total peer-reviewed nursing research publications, 14 nursing research posters, 3 podium nursing research presentations

• Doubled organizatioanl clinical trial protocol capacity for Phase 1/2 medical genetics and oncology IND therapeutic drug protocols from NHGRI and NCI trained physician medical scientists (~20-40) in 2.5 years

9) Scientific Research and Technology Policy Training (2000-2010)

• University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute

• NIH/NINR Summer Genetics Institute, Intramural Research Training Award (2004) and Georgetown University School of Nursing

• NIH-NHGRI-NINR Predoctoral Intramural Research Training Award (2005-2010, Bush/Cheney and Obama/Biden Admins)

Genetics and genomics: the scientific drivers of personalized medicine - PubMed 

Association of Transcobalamin II (TCN2) and Transcobalamin II-Receptor (TCblR) Genetic Variations With Cobalamin Deficiency Parameters in Elderly Women - PubMed 

Evaluation of proton-coupled folate transporter (SLC46A1) polymorphisms as risk factors for neural tube defects and oral clefts - PubMed 

• DHHS Secretary's Advisory Committee for Genetics Health and Society; Genetic Education and Training Task Force, Healthcare Provider Workgroup Member (2008-2010)

Genetics Education and Training: Report of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society 

10) Policy Memorandums, Briefings, Testimony Media-Publicity Materials

• "Genetic Testing Oversight" (on behalf of ISONG) to DHHS Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health & Society (2/12/2008); (Bush/Cheney Admin)

• Biden/Harris White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC): Climate Resilient Health Systems and EJ; Performance Measurement Precision in EJ Outcomes Evaluation

• Biden-Harris White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health and Farm Bill 2022-2024 (see food policy publication above)

• Biden-Harris White House Rural Partners Network 2023-2024

• Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee: Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization (American Academy of Nursing, 3/2023)

• Senator Ben Cardin, State of Maryland: Maryland's Healthcare Community; COVID-19 Pandemic Response; Nursing Workforce; Burnout and Fatigue Mitigation; Protection of Family Friendly Policy Conditions in the State of Maryland 

• Maryland Campaign for Environmental Human Rights in service to the State of Maryland

• Archdiocese of Washington, Laudato Si

Cardinal Tagle marks the conclusion of Laudato Si' Week 2021 - Vatican News 

• Miscellaneous Policy Advocacy Statements, Petitions, e-Letters to Senators Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Schumer, Congressman Raskin, Governor Wes Moore