Nursing educator named to federal advisory council
Liz Aquino, associate dean for academic affairs in the UIC College of Nursing, was appointed to a four-year term on the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice in the Health Resources and Services Administration.

The council advises the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress on policy issues related to the nursing workforce, nursing education and nursing practice improvement. The secretary is charged under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act with responsibility for those areas.
“Serving on the HRSA National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice will allow me to contribute my expertise and experiences to guide policies and decisions affecting the nursing profession,” Aquino said.
Aquino joined UIC College of Nursing as the associate dean for academic affairs in 2022 after serving as an associate professor at DePaul University School of Nursing. She has been a registered nurse for nearly two decades, with clinical experience in surgical-trauma intensive-care nursing.
At UIC College of Nursing, she co-created the Bill and Brittany Conway PREPARE program, a cutting-edge summer preparation course for incoming prelicensure students, and led record-setting enrollment across UIC College of Nursing programs.
With a strong belief that “nurses must lead discussions and influence decisions shaping the profession and healthcare system,” Aquino has been a leading voice for nurses on local and national boards. In addition to serving as former president of the American Nurses Association-Illinois, she is a founder and board member of the Society of Latinx Nurses and past president of the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses.
“I am committed to being a passionate advocate for providing the appropriate resources for advancing the nursing profession to meet the evolving demands of healthcare while fostering a happy, healthy and resilient workforce,” Aquino said.