About Us
Office of Advanced Practice
In partnership with University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine and University of Colorado Hospital
As part of one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers, the Office of Advanced Practice supports more than 900 Advanced Practice Providers across adult health. Our APPs serve as faculty within the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine and College of Nursing, holding academic appointments from Instructor through Professor and practicing across CU Anschutz, University of Colorado Hospital, and affiliated clinical sites throughout the Denver Metro area.
Representing Physician Assistants, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (NPs, CNMs, CNSs and CRNAs) and Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants, our APP faculty bring extensive expertise across primary care, specialty, and subspecialty practice. They provide care across the full continuum, from ambulatory primary care and medical subspecialties to hospital medicine, intensive care, surgical services, and highly specialized procedural settings. Embedded within interprofessional teams in every clinical environment, our APPs are essential partners in delivering comprehensive, coordinated care.
Beyond clinical practice, our APPs contribute to education, mentorship, scholarship, and program development. They serve as clinical educators for students, residents, and fellows and maintain strong partnerships with the College of Nursing, the Child Health Associate Physician Assistant Program, and other professional training programs.
The Office of Advanced Practice leads system-level initiatives that support:
- Structured onboarding and transition-to-practice programming
- Development of postgraduate APP fellowships
- Leadership development, academic advancement, and career growth
- Engagement in research, quality improvement, and institutional committees
- Regulatory and compliance guidance in partnership with hospital and system stakeholders
- Operational support for departments, divisions, and service lines to advance effective, sustainable APP practice
APPs are fully integrated into the clinical, academic, and operational fabric of the health system, working alongside physicians, nurses, and administrators to improve care, advance innovation, and grow future leaders.
Welcome to the Office of Advanced Practice.
Where APPs grow. Where APPs lead. Where collaboration moves healthcare forward.
Message from the VP
Welcome to the Office of Advanced Practice.
At the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine and UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Advanced Practice Providers are at the heart of the care we provide. Since the Office of Advanced Practice was established in 2014, we have been proud to support, advocate for, and walk alongside our growing community of over 900 APPs.
Our mission is simple but strong: to create an environment where APPs can thrive — where learning is encouraged, wellness is valued, excellence is expected, and opportunities for professional growth are within reach. We believe in the power of collaboration, standing shoulder to shoulder with our physician, nursing, and allied health partners to deliver exceptional care when our patients need it most.
I am proud of the work our APPs do every day and deeply grateful for the spirit of dedication, compassion, and expertise they bring to our institution. Our APP community, the OAP team, and the reputation we have built together as national leaders in advanced practice are a reflection of our shared values and commitment to service.
Jennifer Rodgers, DNP, ACNP-BC, FAANP
Chief Nursing Officer
Vice President, Advanced Practice
Assistant Professor, Pulmonary and Critical Care
Mission, Vision, Values
Mission
The Office of Advanced Practice is committed to enhancing healthcare by empowering advanced practice providers, learners, and leaders through inclusivity, advocacy, and continuous professional development, ensuring excellence in patient care and practice innovation.
Vision
Our vision is to be a nationally distinguished leader in advanced practice.
Values
The Office of Advanced Practice is dually supported by University of Colorado School of Medicine and University of Colorado Hospital which represents advanced practice academic faculty clinicians.
The Office of Advanced Practice "CARES"
Supporting the evolution, professional development, and advancement of the role and contributions of advanced practice providers in healthcare.
Respect
Ensuring dignity and extending empathy to everyone; fostering a culture that embraces diversity, equity, inclusivity, and mutual understanding.
Excellence
Striving for the highest standards and innovation in patient care and professional practice.
Support
Providing the infrastructure for continuous learning, wellbeing, and mentorship among advanced practice providers.
Meet our Team
Dr. Jennifer Rodgers, DNP is the Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Advanced Practice at the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, a 6-time Magnet® hospital. She is responsible for overseeing the advanced practice provider and nursing workforce, patient safety, patient experience, and quality outcomes. She is instrumental in supporting the shared governance structure for the nursing and advanced practice teams. She is passionate about mentoring nurses, APPs, and leaders across the organization. She has been instrumental in the formalization of the promotion and professional advancement opportunities for APPs and the development of the UCHealth Critical Care and Surgical APP Post-Graduate Fellowship.
Jennifer is a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners; a member of the National Advanced Practice Advisory Council and serves as a board member of the Center for Personalized Education for Healthcare Professionals (CPEP).
Jennifer has a diverse clinical and leadership background, with over 30 years of experience in multiple settings and leadership roles spanning from case management, education, operational leadership, critical care, acute care, ambulatory, advanced practice, and advocacy.
Jennifer has created nationally recognized NP led programs and is widely known for her expertise in COPD and advanced practice.
Jennifer Rodgers, DNP, ACNP-BC, FAANP
Chief Nursing Officer
Vice President, Advanced Practice
Assistant Professor, Pulmonary and Critical Care
She is passionate about developing leadership roles for APPs and RNs, new models of care, building strong interdisciplinary teams and elevating the practice of nursing. Her awards include Health Care Hero, Marietta Stanton Outstanding DNP Student Award, AANP ’s State Excellence Award, and the United States Attorney’s Office Outstanding Community Service Award.
Dr. Rodgers received her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in 2017 from the University of Alabama. She is board certified as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, with 25 years of experience as a pulmonary nurse practitioner, currently practicing in the COPD Clinic at the University of Colorado Hospital.
Dr. Scott Laker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Additionally, he serves as the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and supports the Office of Advanced Practice in this role by guiding initiatives pertaining to the APPs within the School of Medicine.
He is trained in Pain Medicine and Sports Medicine and treats a large spectrum of non-surgical sports and spine conditions including sports-related concussion, sports injuries, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, herniated discs, and radiculopathy.
In addition to his role in the Office of Clinical Affairs, Dr. Laker currently serves as the PM&R Residency Director and the Medical Director at Lone Tree Medical Center and Highlands Ranch Hospital's Medical Office.
Scott Laker, MD
Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs
Office of Advanced Practice Partner
Associate Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Dr. Tatiana Emanuel is an experienced healthcare leader and physician assistant with nearly a decade of clinical, academic, and administrative experience. She currently serves as the Director of the Office of Advanced Practice, where she supports Advanced Practice Provider faculty within the University of Colorado School of Medicine and College of Nursing across the Denver Metro Area. In this role, Dr. Emanuel is dedicated to advancing the role of APPs through strategic initiatives that enhance APP integration, professional development, and leadership opportunities. Her work extends nationally through advocacy and service in professional organizations, including the Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants, the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants, and the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
Dr. Emanuel brings a diverse educational background, including an Associate Degree in Nursing and a Master’s Degree in Economics. She earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from UT Health San Antonio in 2014 and later completed a Doctor of Medical Science at Lynchburg University in 2019.
Prior to joining the University of Colorado, Dr. Emanuel held faculty positions at UT Health San Antonio’s School of Medicine and School of Health Professions, where she contributed to education, mentorship, research, and national and international presentations.
Tatiana C. Emanuel, DMSc, PA-C, CPAAPA
Director, Office of Advanced Practice
Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
In her role as Lead Advanced Practice Provider in Emergency Medicine, she spearheaded quality improvement initiatives, optimized clinical workflows, and championed access to care for underserved populations. She also served as a disaster medicine PA with the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force, deploying in response to multiple crises.
Dr. Emanuel’s contributions to healthcare and APP leadership have earned her numerous state and national awards, recognizing her commitment to clinical excellence, education, and healthcare.
Katie Dickerman, MSN, ANP-BC is the Associate Director for Education and Professional Development in the Office of Advanced Practice and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology. A board certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and certified executive coach, Katie is recognized for her clinical expertise, leadership, and professional advocacy for Advanced Practice within academic medicine.
In her role with the Office of Advanced Practice, she leads system wide educational and professional development initiatives for Advanced Practice Providers, including fellowship programming, leadership development, academic promotion, onboarding, and institutional well-being efforts. She oversees major educational forums such as Advanced Practice Grand Rounds and the OAP Annual Conference and partners with institutional leaders to strengthen career development pathways for APP faculty.
As former Lead APP for the Division of Gastroenterology, Katie led significant expansion of the APP workforce, more than tripling the team and extending services to two additional practice locations.
Her leadership focused on building alignment, elevating educational standards, and fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and supporting APPs in developing sustainable and meaningful careers.
Katie Dickerman, ANP-BC
Associate Director
Education and Professional Development
Assistant Professor, Division of Gastroenterology
Katie has long been engaged in clinician well-being efforts across the Division of Gastroenterology, the Department of Medicine, and the School of Medicine. She has served as a divisional and departmental well-being representative, led initiatives aimed at improving connection and professional fulfillment, and authored scholarship examining workplace culture and clinician well-being in academic health systems.
Her professional interests center on workforce development, mentorship, workplace culture and the study of high functioning teams within complex care environments. Through coaching and leadership development, she is committed to helping clinicians clarify their values, navigate growth, and thrive within academic medicine.
Caitlin Blaine, PA-C is the Associate Director of Critical Care and the interim Associate Director for Surgical Services for the Office of Advanced Practice. She completed her PA education at the George Washington University in 2010 and has since practiced in critical care, joining the division of Cardiothoracic Surgery here at Anschutz in 2015.
Prior to assuming her role as Associate Director in 2024, Caitlin served as the Lead Advance Practice Provider in the Cardiothoracic ICU (CTICU) for seven years. As lead, she developed and implemented a new staffing model while growing and guiding her team through significant workforce challenges, including three Covid ICU deployments during the global pandemic. Her quality improvement efforts include her sustained involvement in the Sedation Off, Awake, Rehabilitate (SOAR) project, a multidisciplinary initiative focused on promoting mobility and wakefulness in critically ill patients. She additionally served as the first co-director of the CTICU Collaborative Case Review Committee (CCR), showing a focus on improving systems and team-based processes that impact patient care.
As Associate Director, her interests focus on supporting effective, high‑functioning teams in complex care environments, with an emphasis on team cohesion and the development of individual strengths.
Caitlin Blaine, MSHS PA-C
Associate Director, Critical Care
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Cardiothoracic ICU
She is particularly focused on creative care models, intentional community building, and identifying what critical care APPs need to remain fulfilled, engaged, and able to thrive over the course of their careers.
Outside of the hospital, she is a guest lecturer at the CHA/PA program at the University of Colorado, is a Colorado Academy of PAs (CAPA) Director at Large, and a dedicated member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). She enjoys trail running, playing and coaching soccer, reading, bike commuting, and spending time with her husband, their 2 kids, and their Denver community.
Dr. Kimberly Ndahayo, DNP is the Associate Director for Ambulatory Care for the Office of Advanced Practice at University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Ndahayo obtained her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in 2023 from University of Colorado College of Nursing.
She is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and a Senior Instructor in the Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Section at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is passionate about quality improvement work and is currently a co-lead on a quality improvement initiative working to improve how we transition complex care from Children’s Hospital to University Hospital/UCH.
Her other interests have focused on women’s health issues with epilepsy and diagnoses and treatment of functional neurologic disorders. She is excited to use her experience and expertise to equip, advocate for, and enhance the role of all APP faculty within the University of Colorado School of Medicine and College of Nursing across the Denver Metro Area.
In her spare time, she loves to run on the beautiful outdoor trails of Colorado, has her second-degree black belt in Taekwondo, and keeps busy with her husband and five amazing boys.
Kim Ndahayo, DNP, FNP-C
Associate Director, Ambulatory Care
Senior Instructor, Department of Neurology
Robin Tyner, PA-C is the Associate
Director for Inpatient Services for the Office of Advanced Practice. Originally
from San Antonio, Texas, she began her healthcare journey as a combat medic in
the United States Army before completing her physician assistant training at
Pacific University in 2013.
She joined the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus in 2016 and earned her MBA in Health Administration in 2020. She served as Lead APP for the Department of Emergency Medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and led her team through multiple operational and staffing challenges while improving retention. With her leadership, the team strengthened collaboration with physician residents which has enhanced APP integration and practice.
She has contributed to multiple departmental committees with a focus on quality and process improvement, operations, clinical case review, and patient safety. Her professional passions include education, quality improvement, provider well-being, and cultivating positive work environments through supportive team dynamics.
Outside of the hospital, Robin is an active member of the Colorado Academy of Physician Associates (CAPA) and serves on multiple committees to advocate for the profession, top of scope practice and highlight the incredible work PAs are doing across Colorado. She also enjoys practicing yoga, running, spending time outdoors, and being with her family and friends.
She joined the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus in 2016 and earned her MBA in Health Administration in 2020. She served as Lead APP for the Department of Emergency Medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and led her team through multiple operational and staffing challenges while improving retention. With her leadership, the team strengthened collaboration with physician residents which has enhanced APP integration and practice.
She has contributed to multiple departmental committees with a focus on quality and process improvement, operations, clinical case review, and patient safety. Her professional passions include education, quality improvement, provider well-being, and cultivating positive work environments through supportive team dynamics.
Outside of the hospital, Robin is an active member of the Colorado Academy of Physician Associates (CAPA) and serves on multiple committees to advocate for the profession, top of scope practice and highlight the incredible work PAs are doing across Colorado. She also enjoys practicing yoga, running, spending time outdoors, and being with her family and friends.
Robin Tyner, MPAS, MBA, PA-C
Associate Director, Inpatient Services
Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
Tony Contreras began his career
with UCHealth in 2022 as the Program Coordinator for the Office of Advanced
Practice.
In this role, Tony supports a wide range of initiatives, including Advanced Practice Council, Advanced Practice Grand Rounds, new hire orientation, and event planning for educational and engagement forums. He provides key administrative and operational support to the Director of the Office of Advanced Practice and helps ensure the smooth coordination of programs that support our advanced practice providers across the organization.
Tony is committed to service and quality and is known for adding thoughtful attention to detail and a refined, professional touch to everything he supports. A Colorado native and former flight attendant, he brings a strong service mindset and sense of hospitality to his work. Outside of the office, Tony enjoys traveling the world and exploring new cultures.
In this role, Tony supports a wide range of initiatives, including Advanced Practice Council, Advanced Practice Grand Rounds, new hire orientation, and event planning for educational and engagement forums. He provides key administrative and operational support to the Director of the Office of Advanced Practice and helps ensure the smooth coordination of programs that support our advanced practice providers across the organization.
Tony is committed to service and quality and is known for adding thoughtful attention to detail and a refined, professional touch to everything he supports. A Colorado native and former flight attendant, he brings a strong service mindset and sense of hospitality to his work. Outside of the office, Tony enjoys traveling the world and exploring new cultures.
Theodore (Tony) Contreras
Program Coordinator
Adrienne Ormsby began her journey at UCHealth in 2019 with the Office of Advanced Practice. She later supported Jennifer Rodgers in her role as Ambulatory Nursing Associate Chief Nursing Officer, gaining valuable system-level insight into clinical operations and executive leadership.
Adrienne then helped establish the Performance Excellence team, building a group of Project Management Consultants who worked in tandem with Process Improvement to drive operational efficiency and advance organizational priorities.
She returned to the Office of Advanced Practice in 2022 as the Program Manager, where she supports APP Leads, oversees student placement and academic partnerships, and coordinates key initiatives that strengthen the APP workforce.
Adrienne leads strategic planning efforts, manages complex projects, and partners with clinical and operational leaders to advance professional development, engagement, and sustainable practice models for advanced practice providers across the organization. She brings commitment and a spirit of excellence in supporting our APPs through organization, responsiveness, and attention to detail.
Adrienne Ormsby
Program Manager
Academic Contributions
Advanced Practice Providers at University of Colorado engage in a wide range of scholarly activity. Their contributions include conducting original research, authoring and co-authoring peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and editorials, and serving in editorial roles for academic publications. Our APPs also participate in educational initiatives, offering lectures and mentorship across academic levels. They frequently present their work through podium and poster presentations at local, national, and international conferences. They are involved in grant writing and management, overseeing funded projects that advance healthcare knowledge and practice. See below for highlights of recent scholarship activity by APPs at CU.
- Practice patterns and outcomes of conventional versus split-dose cisplatin in neoadjuvant ddMVAC in bladder cancer - PubMed
- Hemodynamics indicates differences between patients with and without a stroke outcome after left ventricular assist device implantation - PubMed
- Safety of Maintaining Nutrition Through Moderate Sedation for Burn Wound Care - PubMed
- Development of a novel cancer survivorship database to describe health care utilization patterns for Coloradans who have completed primary cancer treatment - PubMed
- Voices from the frontline: Perspectives from certified nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants at an Academic Medical Center - PubMed
- Thoracoabdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion: Real-world Experience and Outcomes of DCD Liver Transplantation - PubMed
- Perspectives on Sedation Among Interdisciplinary Team Members in ICU: A Survey Study - PubMed
Welcome to the Office of Advanced Practice.
Where APPs grow. Where APPs lead. Where collaboration moves healthcare forward.
