MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Heather Aldrich thought she would like to be a nurse educator after she retired from nursing. But a short text four years ago made her think about it sooner. “I didn’t leave nursing because I didn’t love it (because I did, and I still do patient care), I just got an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I love explaining complicated concepts, watching the light go on in someone’s eyes, and taking the ‘terror’ out of a potentially intimidating situation.”

Heather started at Southwestern as a student after toying with the idea of medical school. Feeling at loose ends and visiting a friend in Coos Bay, on a whim she decided to try nursing. Eventually that lead to a bachelor’s degree from OHSU, then various kinds of nursing work from oncology, ICU, recovery, creating education programs for Bay Area Hospital, and teaching -clinicals for the college. 

Considering a nursing career but you’ve heard nursing school is hard? Heather says, “Nursing is for people with the right intent. Even if you’re not a ‘straight A student,’ if you are a caring person, we want you.”

Dr. Judith Dornbach, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, Associate Professor of Nursing, holds a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, as well as a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Dr. Dornbach is also board certified as an Advanced Nurse Executive and certified in Nursing Education from the National League for Nursing. She has a broad nursing background including direct patient care, education, management, and legal nurse consulting. Before joining the nursing faculty team at Southwestern, she was the Director of Health Management and Education at the University of California, Davis Health System, where she worked for nearly 30 years. Dr. Dornbach has over 20 years of experience in nursing education and began teaching at Southwestern in June 2018.

Dr. Dornbach instructs our first- and second-year students, lecturing to both our Curry and Coos county students using video technology, as well as teaching Pharmacology.

Judith aligns strongly with this quote from Nelson Mandela as sees it as her motto for teaching… “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”