Clark-Cutaia named Nannie Longfellow Endowed Professor of Nursing Science

Maya Clark-Cutaia grew up an Army brat in Germany. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, her career took flight – literally.

Clark-Cutaia joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve Nurse Corps, where she spent nine years as a flight nurse, transporting and caring for service members. She later served as a community health nurse, ensuring service members were mission-ready, but an ACL injury forced her into early retirement.

“It took a decade for the injury to heal in a way that would’ve allowed me to be a flight nurse again,” Clark-Cutaia said. “I still miss it!”

While she healed physically, Clark-Cutaia completed her doctoral studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

This month, she joined the University of Delaware School of Nursing in the College of Health Sciences as the Nannie Longfellow Endowed Professor of Nursing Science.

“I am thrilled to join the University of Delaware – a leader in nursing education with a sharp focus on innovation and simulation,” said Clark-Cutaia. “I love UD’s campus feel, and from the moment I arrived at McDowell Hall, I felt welcomed with open arms and excited about all the possibilities.”

Clark-Cutaia, an acute-care nurse practitioner with 15 years of experience, comes to UD from Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing in New York City. There, she served as the inaugural Evelyn Lauder Associate Dean for Nurse Practitioner Programs.

“Dr. Clark-Cutaia is a visionary nurse scientist and academic leader with a vigorous research program,” said Elizabeth Speakman, senior associate dean of the School of Nursing and chief nurse administrator. “Her expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow the School of Nursing’s impact and reach.”

At UD, Clark-Cutaia looks forward to furthering her research to advance health equity for people living with chronic illness. Her research was inspired by her late father, who was diagnosed with diabetes as a teen and had a heart attack in his early forties.

“I’ve always been interested in why certain groups experience disproportionate health challenges and have been focused on improving outcomes for people with cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease,” she said. “My real interest is understanding where a person comes from and tailoring what we teach them to help them succeed and improve outcomes.”

She also looks forward to growing UD’s Ph.D. nursing program.

“It’s so important to have a strong Ph.D. cohort,” she said. “We laughed and cried together, married together and had babies together; a strong cohort makes the process survivable.”

While she won’t be in the classroom this fall, her teaching style is one of acknowledgment and respect. She starts all her classes asking, “What’s going on, and how can I help?”

“We all come in with trauma and experiences that we carry with us,” she said. “But my military background brings high expectations, so my students know from the jump that they have to take care of people for a living, and that’s a tall order. I will give them the resources to meet my expectations, and I expect they rise to the occasion.”

For all her professional accomplishments, Clark-Cutaia is most proud of building a successful career while being a good parent and partner.

“I demonstrate to my children that it’s OK to be career-driven; there’s never going to be a perfect balance,” she said. “Just show up as your best self, whatever that looks like on any given day.”

Clark-Cutaia lives in Philadelphia with her husband and three children and enjoys crafting, knitting, yoga and reading. She’s also excited to attend Blue Hens football games this fall.