Associate Professor
Education
Biography
Dr. Tonya Shanahan earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1996 from the University of Alabama’s Capstone College of Nursing, her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2007 from Mississippi University for Women, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in 2016 from Samford University’s Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing.
Dr. Shanahan began her clinical career with Whatley Health Services, Inc. in 2008, where she served as a Family Nurse Practitioner in the Healthcare for the Homeless of West Alabama. This experience deepened her commitment to caring for vulnerable populations and strengthened her passion for nurse education. She later joined the University of Alabama, where she taught for six years as a part-time clinical instructor before transitioning to a full-time Clinical Assistant Professor.
In 2017, Dr. Shanahan accepted a faculty appointment at Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing, where she has served for the past eight years as an Assistant Professor before earning promotion to Associate Professor. Her first four years were dedicated to teaching and supporting student success in both didactic and clinical roles. She was then appointed Family Nurse Practitioner Track Coordinator and, after one year in that role, selected as Nurse Practitioner Department Chair, a position she has held for the past two years.
In these leadership roles, Dr. Shanahan has gained extensive experience in curriculum and program development. She helped lead the transition to a competency-based education model and guided the Nurse Practitioner Department through accreditation.
Currently, Dr. Shanahan serves as an Associate Professor at the Capstone College of Nursing, bringing 15 years of academic teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Along with 17 years of clinical practice experience. She maintains an active faculty practice at Moundville Primary Care Associates as part of their Wellness and Weight Loss Clinic. She remains dedicated to preparing nurse practitioners who deliver competent, compassionate, and evidence-based care at the master’s and doctoral levels.