Colleen Simmons supports the Vascular Center by serving in a dual role of both Nurse and Practice Manager of the Vascular Center Clinic.  As manager, Colleen initiates, implements, and evaluates new programs, organizes staff and patient educational events, works closely with marketing, research, nursing and medical staff to ensure that optimal resources will be available for our patient populations.  Colleen oversees both the daily clinical and operational performance of the Vascular Center Clinic.

     An RN since 1983, Colleen began her nursing career with UCDMC in 1991 when she accepted a position in the Trauma Nursing Unit.  There, she worked with patients requiring a variety of services, including vascular surgery, neurology, orthopedics, general and plastic surgery.  In 1997, after earning a Masters’ degree in Educational Administration, Colleen joined the Center for Nursing Education as a Clinical Nurse Educator where she worked to develop and teach various programs including nursing orientation, sedation assessment, and pain management.  In that role, Colleen also served as the liaison between the University and the Board of Registered Nurses in ensuring accreditation criteria for continuing education programs.  She worked closely with community colleges instructors and nursing area managers to coordinate placement of nursing students from various programs within the medical center.  Prior to joining the Vascular Center team, Colleen most recently worked as the Assistant Nurse Manager in Radiology.  There, Colleen coordinated nursing services in various radiological modalities including CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine, Ultrasound, Interventional Radiology and Neurointerventional Radiology.