Nancy Harris

Nancy Harris's career in nursing spans 40 years during which she has worked in pediatrics, neonatal Intensive Care Unit, hospitalist, and emergency services. While working in the emergency department for Samaritan Hospital she served as the manager for the hospital's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program.

Harris has completed several sexual assault forensic examiner and pediatric trainings, and during her career she has performed over 3,000 sexual assault exams. In 2009, Harris earned her certification as an adult nurse practitioner from SAGE College in Albany, New York. She was instrumental in developing a system wide program to include four hospitals and two child advocacy centers in the capital region. The regional Child Advocacy Center's current program covers 32 counties in New York State, and Harris is the acting Medical Manager.

Harris is a co-founder and Medical Manager for the TELESAFE Program—a pilot program provided by an Office of Victim Services Grant, providing services across New York State (NYS) for the last four years. She is a member of numerous multidisciplinary teams, child fatality review teams, NYS medical workgroup, and active with many local and international organizations. Harris and a team of colleagues created and provided free pediatric SANE training (with the help of NYS Children s Alliance (NYSCA)) for all medical providers in NYS and has developed a preceptorship program for those providers. Harris, along with a colleague, has been instrumental in the education of several forensic physicians, social workers, and nurses in Romania.

She has been the recipient of the TEAL award in 2020 which was presented by Albany County SART Team, the Making a Difference Award in 2022 presented by NYSCA, and in 2023 the Distinguished Fellow award from the International Association of Forensic Nursing. In April 2026, she received the Public Service Award presented by the Saratoga District Attorneys’ Office and in June received the Outstanding Front Line Professional Award from the Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children.