Banner launches fellowship for underrepresented nursing leaders

12/16/2025

Thanks to generous support from Womble Bond Dickinson and law partners Ken Van Winkle and Sam Chang, Banner Health recently launched a fellowship program for underrepresented nursing leaders and allies. The fellowship creates intentional pathways for underrepresented populations in nursing, offering nurses career advancement opportunities and strengthening the quality and cultural competency of health care delivery across Banner Health. 

“This fellowship matters because representation in leadership isn't just about fairness—it's about excellence. Diverse leadership teams make better decisions, drive innovation, and create environments where all staff and patients feel valued and understood,” said Van Winkle, who is also a longtime Banner Health Foundation Board member. “By equipping fellows with leadership opportunities, Banner will build a pipeline of leaders who will shape the future of patient care for decades to come.”

The three-year fellowship track will progressively develop nurses from entry-level roles to increasingly responsible leadership positions, equipping them with:

• Business acumen and financial management skills
• Strategic leadership concepts
• Quality improvement and patient safety expertise
• Enhanced organizational behavior understanding
• Valuable professional networking opportunities

“Nurses are the backbone of health care—they are the healers, the advocates, and the compassionate presence that patients and families rely on during their most vulnerable moments,” said Robin Shepherd, Chief Nursing Executive for Banner Health. “As health care evolves, so must nursing leadership—and that means ensuring our leaders reflect the rich diversity of the communities we serve.”

Gifts from the law firm and its leaders are supporting a cohort of five nurses in the first year, each of whom was introduced and celebrated at a recent reception held at the Womble Bond Dickinson office. Fellows were selected based on academic achievement, leadership potential, commitment to serving minority communities, and professional aspirations.

Shepherd went on to thank Van Winkle, Chang, and everyone at Womble Bond Dickinson for their support, saying “Your corporate and personal gift commitments have transformed this vision into reality. Your investment demonstrates a profound understanding that diverse leadership isn't just the right thing to do—it's essential to delivering exceptional health care. Thank you for believing in this program and in the fellows we celebrate tonight.”