Salina is a registered nurse with over 20 years of experience. As an Arizona native, Salina’s diverse career includes practicing in acute care, critical care, nursing education and most recently, nursing leadership.

Salina spent the last 15 years dedicated to her true passion, nursing education. Her love for connecting, inspiring, and mentoring the next generation of nurses prompted her to complete her doctorate in education through Arizona State University. Her doctoral program prepared her for the challenges of higher education in complex systems requiring change for a dynamic student population. Salina’s research centered around the retention of first-semester undergraduate nursing students in a rigorous academic program of study. Her emphasis continues to be equity, implementation of high-impact retention practices, and systematically removing barriers for students.

In 2020, Salina became a member of the senior leadership team of Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University. She is currently the Senior Director of Prelicensure Nursing Programs, overseeing over 730 nursing students in multiple graduate and undergraduate programs and in multiple locations and sites.