Elias Provencio-Vasquez, RN, PhD
Dean and Professor, University of Colorado College of Nursing
Dr. Provencio-Vasquez is an experienced nurse educator, eminent researcher and proven administrator with more than 40 years of health care experience. He served as a clinical nurse, nurse researcher, nurse educator, school administrator and pediatric neonatal nurse practitioner. His former position as dean of the nursing school at the University of Texas-El Paso provides him with unique qualifications for his current role in the CU College of Nursing. Dr. Provencio-Vasquez has a master’s in maternal and child nursing and PhD in nursing research. He is a first- generation college graduate of Mexican immigrants. Becoming the ‘first’ would emerge as a theme as he became the first Latino male to earn a doctorate in nursing and head a nursing school in the United States.