Christen Goolsby, DNP, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Graduate Studies at UTHealth Houston Cizik School of Nursing. A clinician, educator, mentor, and scholar with more than 20 years of nursing experience, Dr. Goolsby is dedicated to advancing graduate nursing education through innovation, mentorship, and clinical excellence. Her professional mission centers on preparing future nurse practitioners while improving healthcare outcomes among underserved and vulnerable populations through education, advocacy, and evidence-based practice.

As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with extensive experience in women’s health and primary care, Dr. Goolsby brings active clinical expertise into the classroom and learning environment. She continues to practice women’s health on a PRN basis in the Houston area, ensuring her teaching remains grounded in current clinical practice and guidelines. Her teaching focuses on preparing advanced practice nursing students to transition successfully into clinical practice through the development of advanced assessment skills, clinical reasoning, differential diagnosis, professional role formation, and patient-centered care.

Dr. Goolsby has led and coordinated Advanced Physical Examination and Differential Diagnosis coursework and has played an important role in advancing experiential learning through simulation, standardized patient experiences, and innovative teaching strategies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped develop virtual learning approaches to support continuity of clinical education. She was also among the first two faculty members at UTHealth Houston Cizik School of Nursing to integrate the Epic electronic health record into graduate nursing coursework, helping bridge classroom learning with real-world clinical documentation and workflow experiences.

Her scholarship focuses on women’s health, cervical cancer prevention, health disparities, and innovative educational strategies in advanced practice nursing. Her publications and presentations seek to raise awareness surrounding important women’s health topics while advancing the preparation of future healthcare providers. Her scholarly work has extended internationally, including an invited presentation in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, on global disparities in cervical cancer prevention and comparative screening and vaccination strategies.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Goolsby has demonstrated a strong commitment to mentorship, service, and community engagement. She has served as a mentor, volunteer, and invited speaker for youth and pipeline programs that expose students to healthcare careers. Most notably, she supports the IGNITE and ADVANCE initiatives at Cizik School of Nursing, mentoring students interested in nursing and healthcare professions. She is especially passionate about adolescent education and believes early exposure and mentorship are key to building a stronger and more diverse healthcare workforce. She has also served on multiple university and school committees supporting graduate education and institutional initiatives. Her dedication to education and service was recognized in 2022 with the Black Excellence Award during Black History Month at UTHealth Houston Cizik School of Nursing.

Throughout her career, Dr. Goolsby’s work reflects a commitment to mentorship, service, and educational excellence. She believes nursing education extends beyond preparing competent clinicians; it creates opportunities to develop leaders who improve healthcare systems, advocate for vulnerable communities, and positively impact future generations through leadership, service, and meaningful human connection.