Danica Sumpter

Danica Sumpter, PhD, RN
Recipient of The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing’s 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award

Danica Sumpter launched her nursing career in the neonatal ICU after earning her BSN from the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing in 2001. Even before completing her undergraduate studies, she knew graduate school was in her future, though the specific direction remained uncertain. Her journey took her from San Antonio to Philadelphia, where she earned both her MSN and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. Throughout her academic and professional career, her focus centered on the care of medically fragile infants and understanding the biopsychosocial dynamics of parenting a child with a congenital heart defect. 

After starting her own family, Sumpter and her husband returned to Austin to be closer to family. Her next chapter brought her into pediatric acute care nursing and a return to academia. She has been teaching at the UT Austin School of Nursing since 2012, where she has led didactic and practicum courses in child health, as well as a course on teaching and learning in practice settings. Over the years, Sumpter has discovered a deep passion for all things related to “teaching and learning.” In her current role as chair of the Family, Public Health and Nursing Administration Division, she has channeled this passion into faculty development, an area she finds particularly rewarding. 

Sumpter’s clinical experiences, alongside those of her students, have illuminated the persistent health inequities, particularly those affecting communities of color. She is especially committed to raising awareness and facilitating conversations aimed at dismantling institutionalized racism and improving the health outcomes of marginalized groups in America. As part of this commitment, she spearheaded the faculty/staff book club at the School of Nursing, creating a brave space for discussing race and racism. She has also played a key role in facilitating the school’s annual movie night, where films like “13th” and “White Like Me” have sparked important conversations about race and racism among faculty, staff and students. 

In addition to her work in academia, Sumpter is an active member of her church, a wife and the mother of two wonderful children. She also serves on the health sub-committee of the Black Mamas Community Collective and co-chairs the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at the School of Nursing. Though the work is often challenging and exhausting, Sumpter remains focused on making a meaningful impact, believing that systems of oppression thrive in silence—and that her role is to continue speaking up.