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Compassionate Care Research Symposium 2026

On Friday, April 17, 2026, the University of Virginia School of Nursing; School of Education and Human Development; and Contemplative Sciences Center co-hosted at the Contemplative Commons a half day pan-University Compassionate Care Research Symposium related to compassion research and scholarship across Grounds. This symposium explored compassion related research with an interdisciplinary focus in order to spark connections and collaborations. With a keynote address by Kelly Crace, Executive Director of the Contemplative Sciences Center, the conference brought together scholars across Grounds to present cutting-edge research, learn from one another, and generate collaboration, through presentations, networking sessions, and poster viewing.

The symposium included the following talks and presentations:

  • Welcoming remarks by organizers Virginia LeBaron (School of Nursing), Tish Jennings (School of Education & Human Development), and Michael Sheehy (Contemplative Sciences Center)
  • Kelly Crace (Executive Director, Contemplative Sciences Center) gave the keynote address on compassion and its role in flourishing across change and contexts 
  • Lili Powell (School of Nursing) presented the paper “Popular, But Are They Effective? The Immediate, 30-Day, and Predictive Effects of CCI Retreats for Nursing Students”, co-authored by Alisha Beale, Ivy Hinton, Hannah Crosby, and Natalie May
  • Skylar Raynor (School of Education and Human Development) presented the paper, “Youth and Caregiver Perspectives on the Impacts of Digital Media Use on Youth Well-Being” co-authored by Katelyn Birchfield, Emma Brazier, Candra Skrzypek, Paloma Perez, and Catherine P. Bradshaw
  • Richard Ridge (School of Nursing) presented the paper “The Impact of Patient as Teacher: Pedagogy on Student Nurse Empathy” co-authored by Jessica Taggart
  • Franklin Li (College of Arts & Sciences) presented the paper “Launching a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Digital Cognitive Bias Modification Intervention for Anxiety in Parkinson’s and Huntington’s Disease” co-authored by Colin Habersaat, Freya Lin, Yao Tang, Jessie Gibson, and Bethany Teachman   

  • Lauren Catlett (School of Nursing) presented the paper “Co-designing a Web-Based Healthcare Resource for Transgender and Gender Diverse Older Adults” co-authored by Kimberly D. Acquaviva, Crystal Chu, Noelle Marie Javier, and Virginia LeBaron.

  • Stephen Butler and Aproteem Choudhury (The Compassion Institute) presented the paper “From Compassion Training to Cultures of Care: Linking Individual Transformation and Collective Well-Being in Healthcare”

  • Kathleen Porter (School of Medicine) presented the paper “Quality of Life Goals and Factors Influencing QoL Among Patients Diagnosed with Brain Metastases and Their Caregivers: A Multi-Site Qualitative Study” co-authored by Camilo E. Fadul, Gloribel A. Bonilla, Caroline Mulligan, Saffah Niazi, Sophia Qamari, Alissa A. Thomas, Jasmin Jo, Wen You, and Roger T. Anderson

  • Esther Otis (Martha Jefferson Sentara) presented the paper “Supporting Nurses When a Patient Dies” co-authored by Kathryn B. Reed, Lauren K. Sink, Patricia A. Scherle, and Johnsa Greene-Morris

  • Keri-Anne Lue (School of Engineering & Applied Science) presented the paper “Predictors of Seat Belt Fit Quality Among Pregnant Vehicle Occupants” co-authored by Lillian Dorathy, Jason Forman, and Pavel Chernyavskiy

  • Hye Song Joung (School of Nursing) presented the paper “Racial and Ethnic Differences in Prostate Cancer Screening Outcomes: A Secondary Analysis of the PLCO Trial” co-authored by David N. Martin and Randy A. Jones

  • Jane Kim (School of Nursing) presented the paper “Social Connections and Care-Seeking in Rural Patients with Heart Failure”

  • Crystal Toll (School of Nursing) presented the paper “Cultivating Compassionate Academic Transitions: A Curricular Embedded Peer Mentorship Program for RN to BSN Students” co-authored by Gretchen Wiersma and Malinda Whitlow

The following poster boards were on display at the symposium:

  • “Understanding the Perceived Needs and Challenges in Behavioral Health Crisis Response in Albemarle Country VA: A Qualitative Study” by Annaliese Meistrich and Kathryn Reid

  • “Trends and Outcomes in Left Atrial Appendage Clearance Using Cardiac CT Angiography Prior to Cardioversion” by Gerrett Ott, Justin N. Elkhechen, Summer A. Kirkpatrick, Elliot Goldberg, and Todd C. Villines

  • “Encouraging Family Caregivers to Engage in Compassionate Self-Care” by Rose La Serte, Emily Lehman-Rios, Kathleen Porter, and Paula Sherwood

  • “Gender Mosaics: Conceptualizing Non-binary Gender in a Binary World” by Allison Schilling

  • “A Stepping Stone or a Stumbling Block? Exploring Demographics and Outcomes in the Travel Nursing Workforce” by Sookyung Park, Jess Keim-Malpass, and Jane Muir

  • “Promoting Brain Health in Community Settings: Findings from a Faith-Based Brain Wellness Program” by Adam Mohammed, Ishan Williams, Chris Cooper, and Wendy Cooper

  • “Physiological Monitoring of Student Engagement in a School-Based Prevention Program” by Skylar Raynor, Ali Ünlü, Michael Yoho, Katelyn Birchfield, Emma Brazier, and Catherine P. Bradshaw

  • “‘The Unexpected is Expected’: Family Caregivers' Perspectives of Home Care for Children with Medical Co…” by Carolyn Spilman, Jessica Keim-Malpass, Rupa S. Valdez, and Lisa Letzkus