Adjunct Faculty Ken Nanney & Anna DeVries Step in to Help
Ken Nanney, in-house attorney for Atrium Health, stepped in to help UNC Charlotte when he learned that Windsor Schmidt would be unable to teach this semester. Mr. Nanney heard the news a few days before classes began and graciously agreed to teach Professor Schmidt’s Health Law and Ethics class. Fortunately, he was not unfamiliar with this course: Mr. Nanney had served as a guest lecturer when Professor Rosie Tong taught the class, and served as its lead instructor in 2013 and 2014. While Mr. Nanney still had his previous teaching materials, the students had already purchased a different textbook selected by Professor Schmidt, necessitating a quick adaptation to ensure the text and lectures jibed.
Based on his experience working with executives at Atrium Health, Mr. Nanney believes, “it is important for students to know this course information so they can navigate the healthcare system as best as they can.” He elaborated, “I like to point out structural issues in the healthcare system. Some students get inspired about ways they can improve the system and that’s what makes me happy.” Mr. Nanney brings a practical perspective to the course, infusing real world experiences relevant to administrators to help his students succeed in their careers. He encourages his students to have a passion for what they do because, “students have great potential to make a difference in the world.”
Working alongside Ken Nanney was Anna DeVries, Administrative Director of Enterprise Research at Atrium Health. Ms. DeVries, boasting MHA and JD degrees from St. Louis University, recently completed an administrative fellowship at Atrium Health. She had only recently reached out to the MHA program about ways to mentor/support our students and engage with our program when this opportunity presented itself.
In addition to covering several lectures and acting as a mediator between the students and Mr. Nanney, Ms. DeVries also is giving several lectures in support of Professor Schmidt’s doctoral class on research and professional ethics. Ms. DeVries had been thinking about teaching for a while, so she was excited about the opportunity to teach and assist this semester. She also notes that, “I was an MHA student not too long ago, so I like to help balance the law information taught in the course and show how it pertains to an MHA degree.”
The MHA program thanks Ken Nanney and Anna DeVries for so capably stepping into the breech this semester!