Santa Maria named 2026 Presidential Leadership Scholar Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston dean joins accomplished network of leaders
Diane Santa Maria, dean of Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston, has been named one of 60 scholars who will form the Presidential Leadership Scholars’ (PLS) 11th annual class. Over the past decade, PLS has brought together nearly 600 established, purpose-driven leaders to collaborate and make a difference in the world as they learn about leadership through the lens of the presidential experiences of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson.
The class was selected after a rigorous application and review process. Scholars were chosen based on their leadership growth potential and the strength of their personal leadership projects aimed at addressing a critical challenge or need in a community, profession, or organization.
Santa Maria, DrPH, MSN, RN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FSAHM, FAAN, received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in January 2025 in recognition of her work. She has served as principal investigator on more than $7 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for studies among youth experiencing homelessness that address HIV and substance use prevention. Her currently funded research projects involve testing a mobile health intervention aimed at HIV prevention among this population and expanding post-sexual assault services for youth to include HIV and substance use prevention. Her leadership roles include serving as a member of the NIH’s Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council. She is also director of the Developmental Core and co-director of the Substance Use Scientific Working Group at the Texas Developmental Center for AIDS Research.
“I am honored and humbled to be selected for this program and for the opportunity to learn and collaborate with leaders across industries, professions, and geography at a time when working together to solve problems has never been more important,” Santa Maria said.
During the six-month program, Santa Maria will develop her initiative focused on addressing the nursing workforce shortage by improving access to educational scholarships and student resources.
“Dr. Santa Maria’s selection for this highly prestigious program is a testament to her extraordinary achievements and national impact in both academia and nursing science,” said Melina Kibbe, MD, UTHealth Houston president and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair. “Through her visionary leadership, Cizik School of Nursing has not only emerged as the state’s foremost institution in NIH funding among nursing schools, but also as a national leader, offering some of the country’s most highly ranked and respected nursing programs.”
Over the course of the PLS program, scholars will travel to each participating presidential center to learn from former presidents, key former administration officials, business and civic leaders, and leading academics. They will study and put into practice varying approaches to leadership and exchange ideas to help strengthen their impact.
Scholars have consistently reported remarkable growth in skills, responsibilities, and opportunities for impact since the program began in 2015. For example, 93% of scholars state they have a strong sense of purpose as a leader, and 100% of scholars state they are inspired to accomplish and achieve more after completing the program.
The 2026 program will begin on Jan. 21 in Washington, D.C.
Santa Maria was named dean of Cizik School of Nursing in 2020 after leading the school ad interim for two years. She holds the Jane and Robert Cizik Distinguished Chair and Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair in Nursing Education Leadership. She was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society’s International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in 2022 and is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.
Santa Maria holds a Doctor of Public Health from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, a Master of Science in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing in Cleveland, Ohio, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The Ohio State University School of Nursing.
About Presidential Leadership Scholars
The Presidential Leadership Scholars program is a partnership among the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. To learn more, visit www.presidentialleadershipscholars.org. For updates about the Presidential Leadership Scholars, use #PLScholars and follow @PLSprogram on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.
