Dr. Gloria J. McNeal, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 17, 1947, revered as a leader in nursing education and healthcare innovation, passed away on May 31 following a brief illness.
She was the founding dean of the Drew University Mervyn M. Dymally School of Nursing, and served as the dean of the School of Health and Human Services at National University. As a visionary mentor, she dedicated herself to shaping the future of nursing, empowering Black nurses to excel in advanced practice nursing and academia.
Dr. McNeal also founded the National University Nurse Managed Clinic in Los Angeles, providing free primary care and healthcare services to over 880 individuals in the Watts-Willowbrook area since its grand opening in 2016.
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Her relentless efforts in mentorship transformed the landscape of nursing education and practice, inspiring a new generation of healthcare leaders. Individuals influenced by Dr. McNeal’s are Dr. Angela T. Williams, Dr. Arneta Finney, Dr. Sharon Cobb, Dr. Lisa Jones, Dr. Marcia Elliott Gant, and Dr. Angela James, as well as prominent Black nurses in the community whose careers were shaped by her guidance and support.
With over $12 million in secured extramural funding and transformative Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) initiatives totaling $2.5 million, Dr. McNeal’s contributions included groundbreaking work in telehealth and remote patient monitoring, which revolutionized critical care nursing and enabled nurses to deliver enhanced patient care through innovative methods. As the editor of The ABNF Journal, she championed diversity and excellence in nursing, with over 120 publications to her name.
Dr. McNeal influenced healthcare policy through her leadership on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Executive Committee where she played a key role in implementing the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations on The Future of Nursing.
Also, Dr. McNeal was a decorated veteran of the US Navy Nurse Corps and a distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Dr. Gloria J. McNeal will be laid to rest with military honors on Friday, June 28, at 12:30 p.m., at Joshua Memorial Park, located at 808 E Lancaster Blvd., in Lancaster.
