Misty Wilkie PhD, RN, FAAN

Misty Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa/Métis) is a Clinical Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. Dr. Wilkie’s research and clinical interests include supporting minority nursing students with a focus on those from American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous backgrounds to improve health outcomes for the individuals and their communities. Prior to her appointment at the University, Dr. Wilkie was a Professor at Bemidji State University. During her tenure at BSU, in 2017, she was the first in Minnesota to receive a HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity grant and was the Founder/Director of Niganawenimaanaanig (Ojibwemowin for ‘we take care of them’) securing $4.2 million in federal funding to recruit, retain, graduate, and license American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous baccalaureate prepared nurses. Dr. Wilkie has served on several national diversity, equity, and inclusivity committees and is internationally recognized for her work to support minority nursing students. In collaboration with Shadow Health/Elsevier, Inc., she helped develop the first American Indian simulation for a digital clinical experience to provide nursing students across the country with an opportunity to provide culturally sensitive care to a unique Indigenous patient.

PhD, University of Minnesota
Major: Nursing

MS, University of North Dakota
Major: Nursing

BS, Bemidji State University 
Major: Nursing

AS, Hibbing Community College

• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative
• Registered Nurse, Minnesota Board of Nursing

• Unit Service Award, University of Minnesota Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, 2025
• Daisy Award for Equity Minded Nursing, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, 2025
• Appointment to serve on Federal Advisory Committee for Department of Veterans Affairs, 2022
• Outstanding American Indian Post-Secondary Teacher of the Year, Minnesota Indian Education Association, 2018
• Fellow, American Academy of Nursing, 2018

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Leadership Network
• American Nurses Association
• American Public Health Association
• Higher Learning Commission Peer Corp, Member/Reviewer
• National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association
• National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

Wilkie M. L. (2025). Decolonizing health and restoring balance: Indigenous-led efforts to improve health outcomes among American Indian and Alaska Native populations through doctoral nursing education. Creative Nursing, 31(3), 236–242. https://doi.org/10.1177/10784535251350296 

Wilkie, M. L., Martin, L, & Peterson, B. (2024). Changing the narrative: Addressing American Indian/Alaska Native physical and mental health needs through academic holistic support. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 52, 162-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2024.08.004.

Wilkie, M. L., Martin, L., Peterson, B., Hanson, M., & Monsen, K. A. (2023). Indigenous model to support nursing student success, cultural identity and workforce diversity. The Journal of Nursing Education, 62(9), 523–527. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20230601-01 

Heuer, L. & Wilkie, M. L. (2022). Rural nursing: American Indians and Alaska Natives in Indian country. In L. A. Ferguson & K. Lowrance (Eds.), Rural health nursing: Barriers and benefits (pp. 143-210). DEStech Publications, Inc.

Clark, T.C., Best, O., Bearskin, M.L.B., Wilson, D., Power, T., Phillips-Beck, W., Graham, H., Nelson, K., Wilkie, M. L., Lowe, J., Wiapo, C., Brockie, T. (2021). COVID-19 among Indigenous communities: Case studies on Indigenous nursing responses in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. Nursing Praxis, 37, 71-83.

Wilkie, M. L. (2020). Empowered by cultural identity and catalyzed by resilience: A path to support American Indian nursing student success. Creative Nursing, 26(1), 43-47. https://doi.org/10.1891/1078-4535.26.1.43

Webinars

Quinn, W.V., Littlejohn, S., Eddie, R., Wilkie, M. L., Defoe, T., Brunelle, A., & Allen, J. (2019, November 12). Creating healthier communities: Native American nursing students’ experiences and the role of mentoring. [Webinar]. In The AARP/RWJF Campaign for Action- Future of Nursing Webinar Series. https://campaignforaction.org/webinar/creating-healthier-communities-native-american-nursing-students-experiences-and-the-role-of-mentoring/

Warne, B., Wilkie, M. L., & Gallegos, J. (2018, June 21). Successful ways to meet the needs of Native American nursing students. [Webinar]. In The AARP/RWJF Campaign for Action- Future of Nursing Webinar Series. https://campaignforaction.org/webinar/successful-ways-to-meet-the-needs-of-native-american-nursing-students/

Fear, W., Martin, L., Wilkie, M. L., Peters, R. & Quinn, W. (2018, April 25). Generational trauma, its effect on Native Americans, and how nurses can help. [Webinar]. In The AARP/RWJF Campaign for Action - Native American Nursing Learning Collaborative Webinar Series. https://campaignforaction.org/webinar/generational-trauma-its-effect-on-native-americans-and-how-nurses-can-help/

Video

Wilke-Condiff, M., Bercier, S., Thomas, N., Eaglestaff, M. L., Garnett-Williams, K., Martinez, A., Meridith, L., Ahman, J., White Bear Azure, M., Greybull, I., Lawrence, C., Olson, D., Jeanotte, D., O'Berry, T. (Practitioners). (2017). Essence of healing: Journey of American Indian Nurses  [Video]. Sage Knowledge. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529731477 

Wilkie, M. L., “Innovative Strategies to Enhance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice,” University of Minnesota Planting Seeds of Innovation Colloquium, Minneapolis, MN. (June 2024). Invited.

Wilkie, M. L. “An Innovative and Culturally Sensitive Pathway to Support AIAN Nurses in Obtaining a Doctoral Degree at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing,” Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Annual Conference, Bodø, Norway. (June 2024).

Wilkie, M. L. “Update on Pathway to Doctoral Education for AI/AN Nurses to Improve Health Outcomes," National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association Conference, Rapid City, SD. (June 2024). Invited.

Wilkie, M. L. “Establishing a Culturally Safe Pathway for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses to Earn a Doctoral Degree,” American Association of Colleges of Nursing Diversity Symposium, New Orleans, LA. (February 2024).

Wilkie, M. L. “Call to Action: Creating a Model for American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous Nursing Student Success,” Minnesota State University Mankato, Mankato, MN (2024). Invited.

Wilkie, M. L. “Nindinawemaaganidog: My Relatives,” Native Nations Nursing, Healers, & Helpers Summit, Hayward, WI. (October 2023). Invited.

Wilkie, M. L. “Embracing Indigenous Wisdom: Experiencing the World Through an Indigenous Lens,” Society for the Advancement of Modeling and Role Modeling Biennial International Conference, Virtual. (October 2023).

Wilkie, M. L. "The Story of How One Nurse Decided to Change the World,” University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Cultural Inclusive Care Conference, Virtual. (March 2023). Invited. 

Wilkie, M. L. “Pathway to Doctoral Education for AI/AN Nurses to Improve Health Outcomes,” National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association Conference, Tucson, AZ. (March 2023). Invited.

Wilkie, M. L. & Owen, M. “American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous Health Profession Student Experiences,” Minnesota State University Mankato, Mankato, MN (2023). Invited.

Award: Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant: Bemidji State Niganawenimaanaanaanig ‘we take care of them’
Principal Investigator: Wilkie, Misty
Sponsoring Organization: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services HRSA
Award Dates: 2021-2025

Award: Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant: Bemidji State Niganawenimaanaanaanig ‘we take care of them’
Principal Investigator: Wilkie, Misty
Sponsoring Organization: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services HRSA
Award Dates: 2017-2021