About

Dr. Cummings was appointed founding College Dean of the College of Health Sciences for a two-year term, effective July 1, 2021. Prior to becoming College Dean, Dr. Cummings served as the Dean of the Faculty of Nursing for four years.

Dr. Cummings is passionate about relational nursing leadership that empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve shared goals. As the Principal Investigator of the CLEAR (Connecting Leadership, Education & Research) Outcomes Research Program, she focuses on building and disseminating a body of evidence about approaches to nursing and healthcare leadership that influence differential outcomes for the healthcare workforce, healthcare system and ultimately, for patients (including residents and clients) in the health system. 

Degrees

• PhD Nursing, University of Alberta (2003)
• MEd (Admin), University of Alberta (1986)
• BScN, Queen's University (1979)

Appointments

• 2022 – 2025 Board Member, Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Board of Directors
• 2021 – 2022 Inaugural Board Member, Alberta Association of Nurses
• 2017 – 2022 Board Member, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute Advisory Board for Cancer Research
• 2014 – 2023 Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
• 2014 – 2016 Immediate Past President, Board of Directors, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care
• 2015 Visiting Scholar, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2013 – 2020 Centennial Professor, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
• 2012 – 2015 Board Member, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
• 2010 – 2014 President, Board of Directors, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care
• 2010 – 2012 President-Elect, Board of Directors, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care
• 2014 Northern Communities Health Foundation Visiting Professor, Adelaide, Australia
• 2013 Helen Glass Researcher in Residence, Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba, MB, Canada
• 2012 Distinguished Visiting Scholar, School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
• 2011 Visiting Professor, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto, College of Nursing, Ribeirao Close, Brazil

Awards

• 2020 Charter Fellow, Canadian Academy of Nursing
• 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award, Canadian Association Nurses in Oncology
• 2017 150 Nurses for Canada, Canadian Nurses Association
• 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Research Hall of Fame
• 2014 Fellow, American Academy of Nursing
• 2014 Highly Cited Researcher, Social Sciences, Thomson Reuters
• 2013 – 2020 Centennial Professor, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
• 2006 – 2013 Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Population Health Investigator
• 2011 Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
• 2006 – 2011 New Investigator, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• 2010 Order of Merit for Research, Canadian Nurses Association
• 2008 Excellence in Nursing Research, Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing
• 2008 Award of Excellence in Research, CARNA
• 2003 – 2005 Best Dissertation, American Organization of Nurse Executives

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Research

Dr. Cummings is principal investigator of the Connecting Leadership Education & Research (CLEAR) Outcomes Program, which focuses on the development of leadership by individuals and organizations to achieve better outcomes for healthcare providers and patients. 

She was one of 3,215 Highly Cited Researchers in 2014, and ranks among the top 1% most cited for their subject field and year of publication.

Current Grants as Principal Investigator

• 2021-2024 CIHR Operating Grant: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Long Term Care Home Staff and Residents. ($756,890 CAD) Estabrooks CA (NPI), Cummings GG (Co-PI), Banerjee S, Beeber A, Berta W, Bryan S, Cranley L, Doupe M, Ginsburg L, Goodarzi Z, Goodman C, Gruneir A, Hoben M, Keefe J, Poss J, Reid C, Seitz D, Song Y, Squires J, Teare G, Wagg A, Weeks L (Co-Is).
• 2021-2022 CIHR Project Grant Priority Announcement Bridge Funding: How Missed Care Occurs in Nursing Homes: A Qualitative Study of Care Aides’ Perspectives. ($100,000 CAD) Cummings GG (NPI), Estabrooks C (Co-PI), Song Y, Olson K, Weeks L, Mallidou A, O’Rourke H (Co-Is).
• 2020-2023 CIHR Project Grant: Contextually Appropriate Nurse Staffing Models: A Realist Review. ($313,649) Cummings GG (NPI), Raymond C (Co-PI), Kitson A (Co-PI), Harvey G (Co-PI), Tod A (Co-PI), Booth A (Co-PI), Schoonhoven L (Co-PI), Lalleman P (Co-PI), Estabrooks C, Doupe M, Schultz T, Ryan T, Robertson S, Hoben M, Oostveen C, Stalpers D, Flynn R, Tate K, Gordon D (KU), Chilton S (KU), Villeneuve M (KU), Hutchinson A (KU), Debbage S (KU), Jackson W (KU). 
• 2019-2022 Alberta Innovates-AHS Partnership: PRIHS grant: Improving Acute Care for Long-Term Care Residents: A Better Way to Care for the Frail Elderly in Times of Medical Urgency ($1,250,300): Hair H (PA/Operational Lead), Holroyd-Leduc J (Co-PI), Lang E (Co-PI), Cummings GG (Co-PI), Spackman E, McLane P, Ewa V, et al (Co-Is).

Current Grants as Co-investigator

• CIHR Operating Grant: Health System Impact Fellowship – National Cohort Retreat - National Cohort Training Program. ($200,000 CAD). Enhancing a Community of Practice for the Health System Impact Fellowship Program: Advancing Capacity for Sustainable & Patient-Centered Learning Health Systems across Canada. Marshall D (NPI), Bryan S, Doupe M, Gallant N, Lopatina E, Manhas K, McGrail K, Noseworthy T, Singal D, Wasylak T, Zelinsky S (Co-PIs), Bielska I, Bruce M, Cheng I, Chishtie J, Cook S, Cressman C, Crowshoe T, Cummings GG, Currie G, Hamilton C, Hayeems R, Hedden L, Hu J, Ivers N, Lai J, Jewett R, Jose Santana M, Kandola D, King M, Koval A, Kuzmyn T, Lavallee D, Laur C, MacDonald S, Marchand J, Oddone Paolucci E, Parsons Leigh J, Rafferty E, Recsky C, Safari K, Tate K, Van Roosmalen J, Warshafsky D, Weijs C, Zwicker J (Co-Is).
• 2020-2023 The Research Council of Norway International Partnerships for Excellent Education and Research (INPART) Program. ($4 500 000 NOK [$609,979 CAD]). iNET: An International Network to Enhance Older Adult Transitions between Emergency Departments & Communities. Jacobsen F (NPI), (PI) Doupe M, (Co-Is): Cummings GG, Blinkenberg.
• 2019-2023 CIHR Project Grant: The Influence of Context on Implementation and Improvement (ICII). ($2,096,101) Estabrooks CA (NPI), (Co-Is): Anderson R, Beeber A, Berta W, Chamberlain S, Cummings GG, Easterbrook A, Hayduk L, Hoben M, Lanham H, Lo TKT, Norton P, Song Y, (KUs): Anderson C, Connell K, Cook H, Forbes H, Schalm C, Sheppard I, Silvius J, Stevens S, Trinidad G, (Collabs): Elliott-Lopez V, Visockas AM. 
• 2019-2022 CIHR Project Grant: Longitudinal monitoring for quality of care at the end of life in nursing homes ($512,551) Gruneir A (PI), Estabrooks CA (Co-PI), Hoben M (Co-PI), Silvius J (PI-KU), Berta W, Bronskill S, Cummings GG, Doupe M, Lo T, Marshall S, Poss J, Anderson C, Forbes H, Good A, Kieloch B, McBain K, Murphy R, Sheppard I, Trinidad G, Visockas AM, Easterbrook A, Chamberlain S, Gish J, Kemp K, Mottorshead T.

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Teaching

Dr. Cummings supervises undergraduate and graduate students, and teaches leadership, policy, knowledge translation and research. She mentors graduate students interested in leadership, management policy and other organizational aspects of health care delivery that influence organizational, health care provider, and patient outcomes. In addition to graduate students, she supervises postdoctoral fellows and Honors undergraduate students.

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