SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

Maria Cordeiro is a doctoral candidate and Donald W. Reynolds Scholar with the Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at the University of Oklahoma, College of Nursing. Cordeiro earned an ASN from West Georgia College, a BSN from the University of Central Oklahoma, her MS as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at the University of Oklahoma and a post-master’s certificate as an adult/gerontologic Nurse Practitioner from Emory University. Her career focus in the care of older adults has led to leadership roles as Director of Nursing and Quality Manager in long-term care facilities. Cordeiro has also served on the Boards of the Oklahoma Medical Directors Association, the Atlanta chapter of the National Gerontological Nursing Association and the Interdisciplinary Geriatric Interest Group at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. As a board-certified geriatric nurse, she has provided expert witness testimony in Administrative Law court and been a geriatric case manager. Cordeiro served as adjunct faculty in psychiatric/mental health nursing at Oklahoma City University and has given multiple lectures on the care of older adults, particularly those with dementia. In addition to providing primary and psychiatric care as a GNP, Maria has been a clinical preceptor for several NP students and functioned as clinical advisor and resource for new NPs and PAs. Her research centers on cognition and everyday problem-solving in older adults with cognitive impairment. She is currently conducting a study to investigate the impact of low-intensity exercise on cognition in older adults in assisted living.