Meet the LCC Team
Tricia Benson is the Chief Engagement Officer for the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. In this role, she will cultivate and champion strategic partnerships, advance collaboration, oversee special projects, and seek philanthropic opportunities that advance the mission and strategic priorities of Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (NHWSN). The initial project includes the renovation of 250 Ponce de Leon in Decatur to include simulation facilities and initiatives in partnership with Emory Healthcare nursing leadership.
Tricia earned a master’s degree in nursing from the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University. Earlier in her career, Tricia held several roles at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta including the Director of the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Over time, Tricia developed successful fundraising skills and moved into philanthropy. Most recently she worked for the national office of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as Senior Director of Planned Giving, Annual Fund and Direct Response. Her other roles include Director of Foundation Relations and Planned Giving at the Human Rights Campaign and Program Director at Camp Sunshine.
Tricia lives in Decatur, Georgia with her wife Amy and two children, Riley and Will.
Dr. Elizabeth Downes is a Professor, clinical track, a Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Educator and Clinical Scholar with more than 30 years of experience working in partnership with ministries of health and academic institutions to strengthen the capacity and competency of nursing workforces around the world. She has advanced nursing education and clinical training in more than a dozen countries, including Ethiopia, Fiji, Liberia, the Bahamas, Mozambique, Sudan and Zimbabwe. She developed an Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) curriculum for the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Western Pacific that resulted in the production of a sustainable nursing workforce to meet the region’s health care needs.
She has served as an international consultant to The Carter Center, an organization founded by President Jimmy Carter to advance peace and health worldwide and has played a key role in the development of faculty continuing education and national curriculums for nursing schools in countries throughout Africa. She co-authored a textbook for educators, Educating Health Professionals in Low-Resource Countries, which has shaped education and clinical training for health care professionals in low-income countries. Domestically, she leads several programs to improve health outcomes and access for vulnerable populations, including refugees and migrant farmer workers.
She is the Betty Tigner Turner Clinical Professor in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University where she serves as the Assistant Dean for Global Health and co-Director of the Lillian Carter Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Academy of Nursing and the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nursing Education. Her more recent accomplishments include completing the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Global Nurse Leader Institute (GNLI) Scholar program and certifying as an ICN/CGFNS Global Nurse Consultant.
Lisa Nunez is the Director for The Lillian Carter Center (LCC) at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (SON). Lisa continues to enhance and advance the work of Global Engagement and Service-Learning with our international partnerships.
In this role, she will assist in creating the strategic planning, development and implementation of global programs. She will continue to support international partnership development and management that aligns with the Mission and Vision of the School of Nursing. Lisa continues to collaborate with local and national organizations to promote and protect underserved communities.
Lisa lives in Acworth, Georgia with her husband Robert and two children, Madeline and Charlize.
Sonya joined the School of Nursing as an Administrative Assistant in 2015. She joined the Lillian Carter Center team in 2021 as a Program Coordinator. Sonya works alongside Lisa Nunez assisting with Immersions for the students and Administrative tasks.
Lisa Tauferner is the virtual assistant for The Lillian Carter Center and works from her home office in Bryan, Texas. She supports the LCC staff with various administrative duties an can be contacted for meeting scheduling requests.
Heather Allstrom is a work-study student for The Lillian Carter Center (LCC) at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (SON). Heather is a nursing student and Fuld Service-Learning Fellow at Emory University and will graduate with a Master of Nursing in August 2022. Upon graduation, Heather will be continuing at Emory, pursuing a Doctorate of Nursing Practice and expects to graduate in 2024 as a Women's Health and Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner.
She previously served in AmeriCorps and attended the University of Connecticut where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development and Family Sciences.
Service Learning
Assistant Clinical Professor
Peace Corps Coverdell Fellow Program Coordinator
Global and Community Engagement Coordinator
Global Research
Faculty Lead
Associate Professor