INF 40 Under 40 Awardee: Danesha Howard

With over 20 years of experience in healthcare, Danesha Howard has built a career grounded in versatility, compassion, and a deep commitment to patient centered care. Her journey began at just 14 years old, working as a pharmacy technician, and evolved into a dynamic career as a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner with Full Practice Authority (APRN-FPA) in Illinois. For the past 11 years, Danesha has provided care as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, holding active licenses across Illinois, California, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana (RN), and Florida (Telehealth). Her diverse clinical background spans critical care, post-operative care, urgent and immediate care, family practice, primary care, telemedicine, and community health. Today, she practices as a telemedicine primary care provider, meeting patients wherever they are and ensuring quality care is accessible across multiple states.

A Foundation in Lifelong Learning and Holistic Care

Danesha’s dedication to healthcare began early. She completed her Associate of Science in Nursing through Purdue University’s Accelerated RN program at age 18, becoming a registered nurse as a teenager. Her commitment to holistic, whole person care deepened when she became certified in Holistic and Integrative Health in 2012. By 2013, she completed an Accelerated Bachelor to Master’s Nursing Degree at Purdue University, specializing in family practice, and soon stepped into executive leadership roles, including managing a holistic private family practice and coordinating the launch of a new clinic site within Illinois’ largest healthcare organization.

Educator, Volunteer, and Advocate

Beyond her clinical work, Danesha is deeply committed to education and service. She precepts and teaches undergraduate and graduate nursing students across multiple institutions, shaping the next generation of nurse leaders. Her passion for service extends globally she has participated in mission trips to five countries and has volunteered with her church’s health professional’s ministry since 2002. In 2024, Danesha launched Dynamic Medical Wellness, a private practice based in Illinois that delivers telemedicine based primary care with a focus on holistic, compassionate, and patient centered services. Her mission is clear: to provide dynamic healthcare for all, because everyone deserves quality, holistic care.

The Illinois Nurses Foundation proudly celebrates Danesha Howard as a 2025 40 Under 40 Emerging Nurse Leader for her dedication to innovation, education, and advancing holistic, accessible healthcare.

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