Director of Learning and Development
Saint Francis Healthcare System
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States
Sanders graduated from SoutheastHealth College of Nursing and Health Sciences with an Associate's of Applied Science in Radiologic Sciences in 2006 and Nursing in 2011. During her career as both an interventional radiology technologist and nurse, her passion for students was evident. She continued to purse her education at Southeast Missouri State University, then at Cox College where she completed her master's in nursing education.
While teaching as an associate professor of nursing, she decided to continue her studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia to obtain her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Nursing Leadership & Innovations in Health Care. During this time, she transitioned from academia into a formal leadership role, as Director of Learning and Development in the Saint Francis Healthcare System. Her passion for students remains clear as she worked to establish an extensive academic-employer partnership network with local nursing and allied health programs to expand experiential learning opportunities and workforce development.
Her love for people, whether it be students, colleagues, or patients, lead her to focus on strengthening EBP knowledge in the region as a way to empower, engage, and revitalize the healthcare workforce. In collaboration with the Helen Fuld Institue for Evidence-based Practice, Jill has worked to thread the foundation of evidence-based practice into all professional development activities. She completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice with a focus in leadership and innovation in May 2024. She is currently pursuing her EBP-C certification.
In her personal life, she enjoys entertaining, cooking, and traveling with her husband, Matthew, and their two children, Adelaide (9) and Margeaux (6).
Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
1080 - Understanding Organizational Impact of Education on Knowledge and Clinical Outcomes
Saturday, April 11, 2026
9:15 AM - 10:00 AM CST