Linda Koh to Be Inducted into American Academy of Nursing's 2026 Class Of Fellows

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Linda Koh, PhD '22, MS, RN, PHN, assistant professor at the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing (EMCON), will be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) later this year. This year's class of fellows represents 39 states, the District of Columbia, and 17 countries and will be honored at the Academy’s annual health policy conference taking place in October.

"These newest Fellows are catalysts for change, leveraging their clinical expertise and scientific knowledge to address patient needs and solve complex health care challenges," the AAN wrote in a press release, with AAN President Debra J. Barksdale adding, "Through evidence-based innovation, leadership, and scholarship, they have improved outcomes, shaped policy and practice, strengthened nursing education and care delivery, and advanced scalable solutions that promote healthy lives for all people. Their accomplishments demonstrate the depth and reach that define Fellowship in the Academy."

Koh says it's "an incredible honor and a privilege" to be recognized by the AAN.

"I look forward to continuing community collaboration in nutrition and sustainability to advance the shared mission: to improve health and achieve health equity by impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation, and science."

—Linda Koh, assistant professor

Since 2024, Koh has collaborated with public health nurses through the Valley Health Regional Collaborative (VHRC) on community engagement and research. She launched the Koh Lab in 2025 with graduate research assistants and PhD candidates from the Marieb College of Nursing. Together with VHRC, the Koh Lab started The Teaching Kitchen in response to community requests for plant-based nutrition resources. The Teaching Kitchen provides undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on opportunities to develop leadership skills, deliver health education in a community setting, partner with local residents, and learn about public health and public health nursing in rural settings. The team maintains an Instagram account and is launching a website soon.

Induction into the AAN is a significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession. Fellows are selected based on their outstanding contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 3,400 fellows, the AAN represents some of nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.