BY ASHLEY STARR

As Deborah Roy, MSN, DNP ’23 walks up the pier and climbs the ladder to board the USS Bonn Homme Richard (LHD-6), she pauses for a moment to take it all in. It was hard to believe that the once “painfully shy” nursing student was now serving in the Navy and traveling the world.

 When Roy was graduating from nursing school and her classmates were accepting positions in local hospitals, she decided to go another route.

 “I wanted to see the world but was unsure how to do that on my own,” says Roy. “The Navy provided an opportunity to explore multiple specialties until I found one that fit, and I could see the world within an organization which would provide support.”

Not only did Roy push herself out of her comfort zone, but she also went on to lead an impressive 29-year career in the Navy. She worked in almost every job from staff nurse in several specialty areas, to charge nurse, nurse manager, clinic manager, business manager, director, associate chief nursing officer, chief nursing officer, and system chief nursing officer. She served on Naval ships and in the field with the Marines including Guam, Japan, Kuwait, and the Philippines. 

“The Navy challenged me to push myself and grow personally and professionally,” Roy says. “It was not all honey and roses, but even in adversity, I felt supported, valued, and able to grow.”

Her position on the UUS Bonn Homme Richard as a critical care nurse from 1998 to 2000 still stands out to her as the most memorable experience as she thinks about nearly three-decade tenure with the Navy. At this time, Roy was in charge of running a 45-bed ward and an expanded inpatient capacity of more than 200 beds that were used in case of major disasters after the Marines went ashore—certainly no easy feat. Not many nurses had the opportunity to work in an environment like this, and but Roy embraced the challenge and says she was “grateful for the chance to make an impact.”

“I was very independent as the only ICU nurse and got to influence a great deal of how we provided care,” says Roy. “I was part of a small but mighty team who worked well together, had fun, and cared immensely about our fellow shipmates.”

 

SHARED VISION

Throughout her career, Roy says she learned that regardless of your culture or background, we all want the same things for ourselves, family, and friends: value and purpose.

“It may look different, but everyone has value and purpose and should be part of the solution,” Roy says. “We are all leaders—no matter your position or title.”

Her time in the Navy taught Roy that almost anything can be accomplished and to believe in yourself because you are always capable of more than you think.

No matter where Roy served or in what role, there was a clear sense of mission—something that she has carried with her. 

“What we were doing was important and essential for the security of the United States,” Roy says. “We all knew why we were there, and we all wanted to be there doing our part.”

After deciding to retire from the Navy, it took Roy some time to figure out what she wanted to do in the next phase of her life.

“I really wanted to be part of an organization with a clear vision and core values that were close to my own,” Roy says. “I realized that I missed that from the military service, and to me, a mission needs to be more than words on a piece of paper.”

 

CORE VALUES

Roy comes from a family in academia, with her father teaching geology, and her mother as an Associate Dean at the collegiate level, and she always had a dream of teaching nursing. During her military time, she was passionate about talking to nurses and finding out what was important to them, their goals, and how they wanted to get there.

“In the military, you share what you know so the team is stronger,” says Roy. “I knew I could provide insight to help others meet their goals and dreams. It’s all about being part of a team.”

Roy’s passion for academia and her desire to be a part of an organization with a clear mission led her to Regis. 

“I was really impressed by the core values of Regis, and it was very evident that they lived it—and it was a living, breathing thing,” Roy says.

Roy immediately identified with Regis’ mission to educate the whole person and the importance of supporting the community. Regis filled the void she had been missing since leaving the Navy to be part of a team driven by values.

And even though she describes the experience of coming back to school later in life as “daunting” at first, she says she is happy she ultimately decided to enroll to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. “It’s never too late to exercise your mind and open new doors of thought,” she says.

The dedicated Regis faculty and staff helped her open those doors.

“Once I started in the DNP program, I found the Regis faculty was truly devoted to my success and lived the mission of Regis,” says Roy. “The staff and faculty were concerned about me and my goals, and they worked to help me and celebrated my successes.”

  

PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION

Fast-forward three years and Roy is now one of those dedicated faculty members, currently serving as the assistant professor and program director for the RN to BSN, clinical nurse leader masters, and master's in nursing leadership programs at Regis.

“I really enjoy my interactions with students and faculty as we work together for success,” says Roy. “I love hearing about my students' lives and goals and supporting them along the way.”

As she helps her current students work through challenges, she thinks back to her time in the Navy and draws on that experience to offer advice to students. 

“I remind students that there is more than way to achieve your goals,” says Roy. “There is opportunity within every failure. When you learn something from a mistake, it’s growth—not failure.”

Roy manages the nursing curriculum, ensuring the university is meeting the needs of both students and employers. She manages and supports the faculty who teach in the programs, making sure they have the resources they need, addresses any student or faculty issues, and monitors student and program metrics.

Roy also teaches in each of her programs and advises students on course planning, navigating challenges, and answering questions.

“There is nothing more worthwhile than assisting another person in learning and growing and eventually taking your place,” says Roy. “The ability to assist the next generation of nurses to take the reins is a wonderful way to make a living.”