Jennifer Surgala Couvillon, PhD, MSN, RN-BC
Dr. Jennifer S. Couvillon is the president of Chamberlain University’s New Orleans campus. Dr. Couvillon brings more than 25 years of experience in clinical nursing and education to her role and is appointed to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.
Prior to joining Chamberlain, Dr. Couvillon served as assistant vice president of system nursing professional development at Ochsner Health and was an assistant professor of clinical nursing at Louisiana State University School of Nursing. She is a critical care nurse and started her career in the cardiac intensive care unit at Georgetown University Hospital.
Dr. Couvillon made a global impact as she recruited nursing students for study abroad programs in England and Ireland. Her perspective on universal healthcare was born when she cared for patients at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, England. Dr. Couvillon was recognized for her international service through the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society Nurse Chiron mentor program. Dr. Couvillion was named a New Orleans City Business Healthcare hero in 2016 and 2018, a City Business Woman of the Year in 2012, a New Orleans Great 100 Nurse in 2003 and Sigma Theta Tau Chiron Mentor of the year in 2005.
Dr. Couvillon has served as president of Sigma Theta Tau International, Epsilon Nu Chapter, and as president of the American Nurses Association New Orleans District Nursing Association. She is a board member of the Association for Nursing Professional Development and Louisiana Chapter for National League for Nursing (NLN). She is an NLN ambassador and School of Nursing evaluator for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Dr. Couvillon earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in nursing education from Duquesne University, a Master of Science in Nursing degree with a family nurse practitioner specialty from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Georgetown University. She is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (RN-BC) and is an NLN Certified Nurse Educator (CNE).
Dr. Couvillon was a National League for Nursing CNEA Commissioner from 2000-2022, has been a member of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing Board since 2018, and the American Red Cross Academic-Service Learning Advisor and Red Cross SELA Board Chair 2022-2024.
Visit chamberlain.edu/neworleans for more information.