The University of the Virgin Islands is proud to announce that Dr. Suzette Lettsome, an assistant professor in UVI’s School of Nursing and a passionate advocate for community health, has been appointed as the new President of the Virgin Islands State Nurses Association, an affiliate of the American Nurses Association. This prestigious role reflects Dr. Lettsome’s unwavering dedication to enhancing the nursing profession and promoting the health and well-being of the Virgin Islands community.
Originally from St. Thomas, Dr. Lettsome is an accomplished alumna of UVI, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She further honed her expertise with a Master of Science in Public Health Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. Dr. Lettsome deeply understands the local healthcare landscape. She has nearly a decade of experience in community health nursing. Three of those years include working as as a registered nurse at Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas.
Returning to UVI
Since joining UVI in 2007, she has served as an assistant professor and contributed to research as a research assistant at UVI’s Caribbean Exploratory Research Center. Her professional affiliations include the Caribbean Nursing Association and the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness.
“As a nurse, it is an expectation and obligation to belong and actively participate in professional nursing associations. As professors, we are grooming our students and preparing them to enter the professional world,” noted Dr. Letsome.
Dr. Lettsome envisions bringing nurses across various sectors—schools, clinics, and private practices—together under the VISNA umbrella to foster a supportive and collaborative environment. “In my role as president, I aim to unite nurses to advocate for one another, encourage ongoing education, and collectively elevate the nursing profession to have a deeper impact on the health and wellness of our community,” she stated.
Dr. Lettsome highlighted the importance of unity within the Virgin Islands nursing community, “We have nurses that have wonderful skills and do exceptional things in the Territory, but they do it alone. We want to be there to support them, and as an association, we want to give to the body of knowledge to better the quality of nursing care.”
Under her leadership, VISNA will continue to represent the Virgin Islands on regional and national stages.
