Dr Quatrara earned her BSN from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and both her MSN and DNP from the University of Virginia School of Nursing.  She is board certified both as a medical surgical RN and as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, and she holds a certificate of training in Adult Malnutrition.  She has a rich clinical background in acute and progressive care.  She is a seasoned clinician with a practice portfolio that includes trauma, general surgery, surgical oncology and digestive health.  As the UVA Medical Center’s Director of Nursing Research, Dr. Quatrara led numerous clinical research and evidence based practice projects to improve patient care outcomes.  She is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses, where she served as a volunteer certification exam item-writer.  She is also the Clinical Representative to the interprofessional Alliance to Advance Patient Nutrition and currently edits the journal column, Nutrition to Improve Outcomes.  She is published in a variety of journals on a myriad of clinical topics, and has written chapters for a number of widely-used advanced practice nursing texts.  She is a national-level speaker on topics of Digestive Health, Nutrition and Clinical Research.