Kathleen S. Thimsen

Kathleen Thimsen has demonstrated over the course of her career her expertise, leadership, training, and dedication in the successful implementation of research projects, and in designing new programs that build capacity and are created to be sustainable, impactful interventions focused on vulnerable populations. 

Thimsen was instrumental in laying the groundwork in creating a victim-focused collaborative network in 2015 that is an interdisciplinary and interprofessional community, academic, and hospital-based network purposed in human trafficking at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, and the Barnes-Jewish Healthcare system, St. Louis, Missouri. The network provides research, care, policy, and other programs. As the lead on the healthcare work group, she has provided education and training for over 3,200 healthcare professionals on comprehensive training on pre-, peri- and post-hospital care encounters for victims. In addition, she has provided consultation and facilitation between community-based providers and hospital system emergency departments to create safe and appropriate referral for after-care that addresses short and long-term tiered programming aimed at achieving survivorship and recovery. 

Thimsen was also one of the founding members of the Academy of Forensic Nursing (2018) and the Forensic Nursing Certification Board (2020). She served as the Treasurer for the FNCB until October of 2021. 

Thimsen is an Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She serves as the Director of the Doctorate in Nursing Practice program.