UPMC Washington educator Kelly Preston blends nursing, teaching and advocacy

Kelly Preston, an Advanced Educator at UPMC Washington, is highlighted for her clinical background, academic leadership and community advocacy in maternal health. Her profile underscores how nursing education, policy engagement and mentorship are shaping the next generation of nurses in Pennsylvania.

Why it matters: - Kelly Preston’s work sits at the intersection of nursing education, maternal-newborn care and workforce development. - Her role affects how future nurses are trained, mentored and prepared for a healthcare system facing staffing, safety and faculty shortages. - Her advocacy for maternal health and nursing policy connects classroom learning to patient outcomes and profession-wide change.

What happened: - Influential Women profiled Kelly Preston, MSN, RN, RNC-MNN, RNC-IAP, RNC-OB, GERO-BC, CBC, CNE, as an Advanced Educator at UPMC Washington in Washington, Pennsylvania. - Preston brings more than 18 years of nursing experience and more than four years of academic leadership to her current role. - Her background includes clinical practice, education, leadership, advocacy and community service. - Preston works with faculty on continuing education, curriculum coordination and interprofessional collaboration across multiple campuses. - She serves on institutional committees focused on executive leadership, simulation, curriculum development and evidence-based practice.

The details: - Preston’s strongest clinical focus is maternal-newborn nursing and nursing education. - Her experience also includes medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, mental health and geriatric care. - She earned a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Waynesburg University. - Preston is pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Capella University. - Her early career began after high school in a diploma nursing program. - She worked in medical-surgical nursing and long-term care and held leadership roles as a charge nurse and RN assessment coordinator. - That coordinator work included Medicare and Medicaid systems. - Preston also holds the CBC certification. - She is a certified CPR instructor and an active mentor. - Her core values are integrity, compassion, professionalism, advocacy and accountability.

Between the lines: - Preston’s profile frames nursing education as more than technical instruction; it is also about confidence, judgment and advocacy. - Her emphasis on mentorship suggests a response to the profession’s pipeline problem, where experienced nurses help retain and develop new ones. - Her focus on maternal mortality, postpartum depression and psychosis points to a broader view of nursing leadership that includes community health and public awareness. - Her advocacy for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs signals belief that policy and funding are essential to stabilize the nursing workforce. - The profile also presents her philosophy as values-driven, with trust and human connection as central to effective care and teaching.

What's next: - Preston is expected to continue her doctoral studies while expanding her work in quality improvement, healthcare policy advocacy and nursing leadership. - Her community involvement with MoMMAs Voices Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Advocates, Cherished Mom, Best Buddies and Global Links is likely to continue. - She also remains focused on mentoring young women entering nursing and urging nurses to speak up in clinical and policy settings. - The profile indicates she will keep balancing classroom leadership, student support and maternal health advocacy as her career develops.

The bottom line: - Preston’s profile shows how one nurse educator can influence bedside care, classroom training and community health at the same time. - Her career centers on preparing future nurses while pushing for stronger advocacy, better support systems and more compassionate care.