Kelli M. Galle, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, is a nurse practitioner, educator, and PhD student at the UTHealth Houston Cizik School of Nursing. With a clinical background spanning neonatal intensive care, primary care, and hospice, her work bridges frontline experience with nursing education and health systems research.

Ms. Galle serves as an undergraduate nursing faculty member and advances competency-based, practice-ready education. Her work emphasizes experiential learning, simulation, trauma-informed communication, and the integration of emerging technologies. She has contributed to national and international presentations and publications on educational innovation, focusing on preparing students to think critically, communicate effectively, and deliver high-quality, patient-centered care in complex clinical settings.

Her program of scholarship focuses on improving the timeliness and accuracy of hospice referrals by addressing provider-level barriers and developing structured decision-support approaches to enhance recognition of hospice eligibility. This work aims to support earlier identification of patients who would benefit from hospice care, reduce referral delays, and improve the quality of end-of-life care.