麻豆传媒

UB nursing faculty members Kafuli Agbemenum, Kelly Foltz-Ramos and Eunhee Park have been selected for induction into the 2025 class of fellows of the American Academy of Nursing. This recognition, one of the highest honors in the nursing profession, reflects the national and global impact of their contributions to nursing education, research, health equity and policy.

They will be formally inducted during the academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, to be held Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

UB’s fellows:

Kafuli Agbemenu, associate professor

Agbemenu is nationally and internationally recognized for her research on reproductive health equity among underserved populations, particularly African immigrant and refugee women in the U.S.

Her scholarship addresses persistent disparities in maternal and reproductive health, emphasizing culturally responsive interventions for non-English-speaking and low-literacy populations. Her work includes development of the first smartphone-based family planning intervention tailored for African refugee women, funded by an NIH R21 grant. She has also led groundbreaking research in Buffalo and Pittsburgh on sexual health communication between African immigrant mothers and daughters, filling a critical gap in the literature.

Her findings have informed sexual and reproductive health programs across the country and have been cited by international organizations including UNESCO, which incorporated her work into 27 global policy documents. She serves as director of community outreach for the Reproductive Empowerment (CORE) Lab and co-lead of the Refugee Health and Well-Being Team at UB’s Center for Global Health Equity, and contributes nationally through roles with the Society of Family Planning and internationally with the International Conference on Family Planning Steering Committee.

Kelly Foltz-Ramos, assistant professor and director of simulation and innovation

A nationally recognized leader in simulation-based education, Foltz-Ramos has transformed the way nurses and interprofessional teams are trained in New York State and beyond.

Her work focuses on enhancing clinical preparedness through simulation methodologies that emphasize critical thinking, teamwork and communication. She played a pivotal role in shaping New York’s 2023 nursing simulation legislation and co-leads the SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellows Program, which is building a statewide repository of evidence-based training materials for more than 70 nursing programs. These efforts ensure equitable access to high-quality educational tools, especially for rural and low-resource institutions.

As principal investigator of a $1.49 million HRSA-funded project, Foltz-Ramos has developed virtual reality training to prepare nursing students for practice in underserved communities. Most recently, she led the successful effort to designate UB as the first SUNY Simulation Center of Excellence, securing $34 million in funding to build a state-of-the-art center that will serve as a hub for simulation innovation, research and workforce development.

Eunhee Park, associate professor

Park is recognized for her groundbreaking work in adolescent health promotion, digital health innovation and public health policy. A nurse scientist and public health nurse, Park focuses on understanding and addressing risk behaviors, such as smoking, e-cigarette use and substance use, among adolescents and individuals from low-income communities.

Her research, which includes more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and over $1.5 million in funding as principal investigator, has helped identify critical developmental patterns and contextual factors contributing to youth risk behaviors. Park’s work is rooted in community partnerships and participatory models, including collaborations with rural and urban schools, youth organizations and public health agencies. Her interventions, ranging from digital media curricula to AI-powered cessation apps, leverage technology to engage “digital-native” youth in underserved communities.

Her national and global impact is evident through her leadership roles in the American Public Health Association, the Global Korean Nursing Foundation and the Eastern Nursing Research Society, where she has advanced nursing’s role in shaping public health strategies and equity-focused policies.