Each year, the College of Nursing recognizes the achievements of an outstanding alumnus in awarding the Distinguished Alumni Award. These individuals have performed at the highest levels of their profession and have made valuable contributions to the advancement of healthcare.
This year’s winner is Dare Underwood Meeks. She exemplifies how a strong educational foundation and dedicated effort can positively influence one's career trajectory.
Five years after graduating with a bachelor's degree in nursing from Auburn, Meeks earned a master's degree in nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Since graduating from Auburn in 1995, her career has progressed remarkably from staff nurse to coordinator, then group Vice President, and ultimately to Chief Nursing Officer.
After her preceptor training at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham, Meeks briefly worked there, focusing on patient care, quality management, performance improvement, strategic planning, and cost benefit analysis.
Meeks began her career at Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham as a staff nurse, providing acute care for cardiac step-down patients in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. She then advanced to the role of Code-Blue Coordinator, responsible for reviewing each code/cardiac arrest in the facility and reporting to both the critical care committee and hospital administration. As a Cardiovascular Database Coordinator, Meeks oversaw the implementation and management of a software system designed to track cardiac outcomes.
She took on the role of nurse coordinator at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Hospital, overseeing and conducting the clinical portion of all Cardiac Procedures in Nuclear Medicine. She helped design and develop clinical databases and managed data used to create patient education materials for various Nuclear Cardiology procedures, and to support the clinical curriculum for cardiology fellows in nuclear cardiology.
Meeks transitioned to the administrative ranks at HealthSouth Corporation as a Quality Standards Specialist in the Surgery Division. Subsequently, she served as Division Compliance Officer and Director of syndications and operations support.
When she became the Vice President of Clinical Services at Practice Partners in Healthcare in Birmingham, Meeks oversaw the development and implementation of all patient care aspects.
Meeks is now Group Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at SCA Health, leading clinical strategies for a national surgical services management company.
Her list of accomplishments includes Multi State RN licensure in Alabama, Certified Administrator Surgery Center, and Master Certification in Just Culture. In recognition of her contributions to the nursing profession she received the Annual SCA Health Nightingale Award in 2022.
She actively participates in several professional organizations and advisory councils, showcasing her commitment to her career. Her exemplary roles include serving on the ASC Quality Collaboration Board of Directors, Alabama Statewide Health Coordinating Council, The Joint Commission Ambulatory Care Accreditation Advisory Council, The Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Collaboration-Technical Expert Committee, and Alabama Health Care Information and Data Advisory Council.
“Dare's nursing leadership has always been linked to the desire to ‘Do the Right Thing’, said her nominator. “She has provided excellent guidance and education to staff and providers over her long career to promote quality and fostering collaboration among teams all over the country. She has been recognized by her many peers and colleagues for her professional work as well as her volunteerism with her teams abroad. She demonstrates the Florence Nightingale Oath and the Auburn Creed every single day in her work! She is most deserving of the distinguished alumni award!”
Congratulations to Dare Underwood Meeks for exemplifying a model that students can aspire to follow.
