50 Most Influential Clinical Executives - 2024

Villarruel took over as dean of University of Pennsylvania’s nursing school — her alma mater — in 2014. Under her leadership, the institution has launched several initiatives dedicated to fostering innovation and promoting health, especially among underserved groups. She co-leads the Philadelphia Community Engagement Alliance, which recently announced a $5.5 million National Institutes of Health grant to support the self-management of chronic disease among Philadelphia residents. She is also co-investigator for a study seeking to understand the effects of physical activity among Latino people 55 and older.