SEARCY, AR, March 10, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Carolyn E. Hunter Layne, DNP, RN, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

A distinguished leader in nursing education, Dr. Hunter Layne has dedicated five decades to advancing the field through teaching, leadership, clinical advancements, and advocacy. Since 2020, she has served as an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she teaches online registered nurses and students enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Nursing courses.

Dr. Hunter Layne's responsibilities also include serving on curriculum, policy, research, and student activity committees, coordinating courses in ethics, legalities, and advocacy, and supporting her colleagues in two-year nursing programs. Committed to fostering an environment where others receive recognition for their achievements, she continues to inspire those around her through her approach to leadership and student mentorship.

Prior to her current academic role, Dr. Hunter Layne was the nurse manager at Friends for Life Pregnancy Center from 2016 to 2020. In this capacity, she managed clinical operations including ultrasounds and sexually transmitted infection testing, ensuring the highest standards of patient care and ethical practice.

From 2007 to 2015, Dr. Hunter Layne made a broad impact through three concurrent positions: clinical coordinator at the Clinical Wound Care Hyperbaric Clinic, regional director of clinical operations at Diversified Therapy, and electronic health record implementation specialist at Healogics. Through each of these roles, she was pivotal in developing wound care programs, facilitating the implementation of electronic health record systems across multiple states, and overseeing clinical functions at a regional level.

Earlier in her journey, Dr. Hunter Layne gained valuable leadership experience as the Director of Manpower Development at an Arkansas Tenet Hospital, where she contributed to workforce planning and professional development initiatives, traveled to area hospitals to teach ethics and facilitate customer service, and led efforts to recruit and retain staff.

Dr. Hunter Layne's career is marked by her dedication to sharing knowledge and displaying adaptability in the face of change; in addition to working full-time and managing significant personal challenges, she completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Arkansas State University in 2025. Her doctoral project focused on strategies for nurse recruitment within a state nurses' organization, addressing critical issues such as the undervaluation of millennial nurses and the importance of authentic and transformational leadership styles in creating ethically driven workplace cultures.

Prior to earning a doctorate, Dr. Hunter Layne began her higher education journey with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Central Arkansas (UCA) followed by a Master's in Education (MSE), a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harding University. Also known for her scholarly contributions, she has written articles on leadership, including driving recruitment and retention while addressing stagnant membership in state nursing organizations.

Along with her education, Dr. Hunter Layne credits her achievements in teaching and clinical management to her commitment to the ideals of lifelong learning, adaptability, and support from her faith, family, community, and professional relationships.

Also, an active member of the Arkansas Nurses Association and a public speaker on ethical principles in nursing practice, Dr. Hunter Layne has been widely recognized for her impact on her students, the broader nursing education sector, and patient advocacy. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, she was presented with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurse Educators from the DAISY Foundation in May 2025 and honored as a Nursing Hero by the Arkansas Times in October 2025.

Reflecting the values instilled by her family's longstanding legacy of resilience — her paternal grandmother raised nine children while navigating the challenges of the Great Depression — Dr. Hunter Layne is deeply engaged in civic endeavors as well. She serves as a Sunday school teacher for older adults at her church, serves on memorial and bereavement committees, and supports food pantry initiatives and Christmas programs that aid children in need throughout her community.

Married and a proud mother of three sons, Dr. Hunter Layne seeks to inspire others by sharing both successes and challenges from her journey, thus demonstrating that perseverance leads to achievement regardless of one's age or circumstances. Always happy to share her knowledge and experience, she encourages future nurses to embrace leadership styles rooted in ethics, growth, and respect for diversity, and to cultivate essential soft skills such as listening, empathy, and compassion to make a lasting impact on health care communities and the patients they serve. She notes that no doubt, her most successful accomplishment is being the mother of her three sons. Above all else, she gives All Glory to the Lord.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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