UCSF Faculty
Kimberly Baltzell, PhD, MS, RN
Director | Global Action in Nursing; Professor | UCSF School of Nursing
Dr. Kimberly Baltzell focuses on vulnerable populations both in the US and sub-Saharan Africa. She leads the Global Action in Nursing (GAIN) project, which promotes nursing leadership and clinical skill development across Africa, with in-country partners guiding clinical content on topics such as maternal neonatal health and cancer risk. As a member of the Institute for Global Health Sciences Director's Executive Team, Dr. Baltzell collaborates with leadership to enhance faculty support and quality of care in low- and middle-income countries. She is also affiliated with the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health and the Global Cancer Program.
Stella Biolous, PhD, RN, FAAN
Professor | UCSF School of Nursing
Dr. Stella Bialous has over 30 years of experience in tobacco and cancer control, working both nationally and internationally. Her work focuses on addressing tobacco use, a leading cause of death and health disparities, and includes extensive collaboration with the World Health Organization and other global organizations on implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. She has contributed to the development of key documents on tobacco, cancer, and NCD control and has worked with agencies like the WHO and the National Cancer Institute. She also served as President of the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care from 2014 to 2018.
Orlando Harris, PhD, MPH, FNP
Associate Professor | UCSF School of Nursing
Dr. Orlando Harris specializes in community-based participatory research with a focus on vulnerable sexual and gender minorities in the US and the Caribbean. His work aims to develop culturally relevant interventions to improve health outcomes and address factors contributing to poor health among Caribbean sexual and gender minorities. Dr. Harris has conducted pioneering research on sexual decision-making and violence, including one of the first studies on sexual violence among Jamaican men and transgender women. His research seeks to reduce health disparities and amplify the voices of marginalized communities in Jamaica and the wider Anglophone Caribbean.
Andrea Kuster, DNP, RN, FNP
Associate Professor | UCSF School of Nursing
Dr. Andrea Kuster specializes in reproductive health and serves as Director of Obstetric Medi-Cal Services at UCSF Health, where she also mentors family nurse practitioner students. With over 15 years of experience in public health nursing, Dr. Kuster is an expert in cultural humility and is dedicated to advancing health equity, particularly through lactation support as a means of disease prevention. She has been recognized with several teaching awards for her commitment to creating a supportive learning environment.
Jerry Ouner (Nutor), PhD, RN
Assistant Professor | UCSF School of Nursing
Dr. Jerry Ouner's research focuses on improving healthcare for underserved populations, particularly in rural and urban communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Ouner's work centers on maternal and child health, with a specific interest in families affected by the HIV epidemic. He also founded the Africa Interdisciplinary Health Conference, and his research explores how environmental, social, and economic factors influence adherence to antiretroviral therapy and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Ashley Ramirez, DNP, MBA, APRN
Quality Improvement Advisor | UCSF Health
Dr. Ashley Ramirez is an advanced practice nurse leader with a passion for bridging the gap between science and practice through systems thinking to improve quality and efficiency. She has over 18 years of experience as an Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in pediatric and neonatal critical care, with a focus on education, simulation, and program development. Dr. Ramirez has taught at the Kamuzu College of Nursing in Malawi and contributed to numerous Operation Smile education initiatives. As a Global Health Clinical Scholar from UCSF, her work centers on building health workforce capacity in lower-income countries.
Abbey Roepke, MSN, MPH
Assistant Clinical Professor | UCSF School of Nursing
Abbey Roepke has over 10 years of experience in cardiothoracic surgery and cardiology ICUs. She earned her Master of Public Health and Family Nurse Practitioner degrees in 2017 and has worked in Federally Qualified Health Centers, managing complex care programs. Her passion for global health began during a community health rotation with Somalian refugees, and she has since volunteered in Vietnam, Nepal, Kenya, and Uganda as a nurse educator. Abbey is committed to reducing health inequalities both locally and globally.
Rebecca Silvers, DNP, CPNP
Director | UCSF Center for Global Nursing; Assistant Clinical Professor | UCSF School of Nursing; Nurse Practitioner | UCSF Health
Dr. Rebecca Silvers is a pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in the care of children recovering from brain surgery and those with critical neurological conditions. She holds advanced degrees in nursing from McGill University and Vanderbilt University, with a focus on quality improvement, education, and pediatric global health. As the founding director of UCSF's Center for Global Nursing, Dr. Silvers has worked in over 20 countries and leads international research collaborations as the nursing lead for UCSF’s World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Emergency, Critical, and Operative Care.
Mardochee Val, MSN, CRNA
Nurse Anesthetist Supervisor | UCSF Health
Mardochee Val is a Nurse Anesthetist Supervisor at UCSF. She graduated from nursing school in 2008 and has a passion for community health, having educated Haitian women in their native language during her training. Mardochee has served as co-chair of the CRNA DEI committee, where she helped lead DEI-focused training and discussions. Now in her supervisory role, she continues to champion diversity and inclusion within her department.
