East Tennessee State University Drs. Debbie Byrd and Florence Weierbach have been named distinguished fellows of the National Academies of Practice (NAP), a national honor recognizing leadership and excellence in advancing interprofessional care.

Both were honored with other members of the Class of 2026 during the Annual Induction Banquet and Awards Ceremony in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday, March 14.

Byrd serves as dean of ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, and Weierbach is a professor in ETSU’s College of Nursing. Dr. Christina Dzioba, an assistant professor in the ETSU College of Nursing, was also welcomed as a professional member of the NAP.

The Distinguished Fellow designation (FNAP) is a lifetime honor awarded to health care leaders with at least 10 years of exemplary professional experience and a demonstrated commitment to interprofessional practice and accessible, affordable health care. Fellows are nominated and elected by distinguished peers in their profession and across health disciplines.

Founded in 1981, the National Academies of Practice advances interprofessional education, scholarship, research, practice and public policy. Membership is an honor extended to leaders who have excelled in their profession and are committed to advancing interprofessional practice.

A professor of Pharmacy Practice, Byrd’s experience includes the development of new patient care services for underserved Family Medicine patients at sites including a private community hospital, rural mobile health clinic, rural private practice, and a large academic medical center.

Honored as a Preceptor of Excellence, her leadership in education includes curricular redesign; faculty orientation and mentoring programs; formal resident teaching and learning program activities; and academia and leadership Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE). Byrd has served as Gatton’s dean since 2016.

“I was deeply honored to be recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice,” said Byrd. “Interprofessional collaboration is essential to improving patient outcomes, especially in rural and underserved communities. I am proud to represent our college and the work our faculty, student pharmacists and alumni do each day to advance patient-centered care.”

Weierbach has been with ETSU since 2010 and serves as the ETSU College of Nursing’s interprofessional education liaison and was one of the interdisciplinary developers of the university’s asynchronous interprofessional education program.  

Additionally, she is an associate director of the Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research at ETSU, a consultant for the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators with the Tennessee (TN) Office of Investigations for Health-Related Boards and , and a board member for Providence, a faith-based,board member for Providence, a faith-based free health care clinic in Kingsport.

“I am honored to be recognized as a Distinguished Fellow with the NAP’s Nursing Academy,” said Weierbach. “My entire career as a nurse and nursing educator has involved interprofessional practice and collaboration in the clinical and education environment. This national recognition recognizes the value of the RN in the health care team.”

ETSU’s Academic Health Sciences Center – which encompasses its colleges of Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health – is home to outstanding faculty who regularly produce cutting-edge scholarship, secure elite fellowships and earn nationwide recognition.

With more than 40 health sciences programs, students at ETSU benefit from a robust combination of academic programs, training facilities and elite educators that elevate the interprofessional experience.

To learn more about ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, visit etsu.edu/pharmacy/. To learn more about the ETSU College of Nursing, visit etsu.edu/nursing/.