Brigit VanGraafeiland, DNP, CRNP, CNE, FAAN, FAANP is an accomplished nursing leader, educator, and pediatric nurse practitioner with extensive experience in clinical practice, academia, scholarship, and policy advocacy. She currently serves as Associate Professor and Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, where she has held multiple leadership roles including Chair of the All School Curriculum Committee and Co-Chair of the DNP Curriculum Subcommittee.
Dr. VanGraafeiland is widely recognized for her contributions to pediatric health, foster care advocacy, and child maltreatment prevention. She chairs the Alliance for Children in Foster Care and serves as an advocate for vulnerable youth through national organizations. Her honors include Presidential Commendations (2024, 2025), Emerging Leader Award (2023), and induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (2018) and American Association of Nurse Practitioners (2022). Her leadership extends to professional organizations, including serving as Member-at-Large on the Executive Board of NAPNAP, past president of its Chesapeake Chapter, and champion for foster care initiatives within the American Academy of Nursing.
Her research portfolio includes funded and unfunded projects on patient safety, quality improvement, child maltreatment screening, and social determinants of health. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on pediatric care, trauma-informed practice, and advanced nursing education, In clinical practice, Dr. VanGraafeiland has served in pediatric primary care, urgent care, and specialty settings.
JHU Center Affiliation:
Center for Equity in Child and Youth Health and Wellbeing