University of Washington Names Hilaire Thompson as Next Dean of School of Nursing
University of Washington Provost Tricia Serio today announced the appointment of Hilaire Thompson as next executive dean of the School of Nursing, effective Aug. 1, pending approval by the Board of Regents.
Thompson fills the position previously held by Azita Emami, who left in 2023 to lead the Yale School of Nursing. Allison Webel served as interim executive dean.
Thompson already is intimately familiar with UW’s world-class healthcare training and delivery. She’s a professor of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics in the UW School of Nursing, core faculty at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and an adjunct professor in Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education in the UW School of Medicine.
“Dr. Thompson brings incredible knowledge and dedication to this leadership role, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the profession and the opportunities for the School to advance its history of excellence across the tri-campus system,” Serio said.
As a UW faculty member since 2006, Thompson held several leadership roles, including graduate program director for the School of Nursing. Through that position, she developed several collaborative relationships, held budgetary and human resource responsibilities, and delegated responsibilities from the associate dean for academic affairs. Since 2021, she has served as an associate vice provost in the Office of Academic Personnel in the Provost’s Office.
“The University of Washington School of Nursing has a tremendous legacy of both innovation and excellence in research, education and practice. I look forward to partnering with students, staff and faculty across the three campuses, as well as our community and clinical partners, to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve,” Thompson said.
Thompson’s research centers on improving outcomes following geriatric traumatic brain injury, as well as fall prevention. This work has been recognized with induction into Sigma’s International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame and membership in the Washington State Academy of Sciences. Her work is funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thompson earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Mary Washington College in Virginia and her accelerated bachelor’s of science in nursing from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. A registered nurse and nurse practitioner, she earned her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed her postdoctoral work at the UW.