Dana Burns

Dr Dana Burns is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Practice Innovation and Faculty Practice Initiatives at Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Nursing. She maintains a clinical practice in the VCU Health System’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. With over 25 years of advanced practice expertise, Dr Burns is triple board-certified in family practice, advanced diabetes management, and culinary medicine. Dr Burns earned degrees from the University of Rhode Island, Columbia University, and Florida Atlantic University. A Distinguished Fellow of the National Academy of Practice, she is nationally recognized for her leadership in interprofessional education, clinical innovation, and culinary medicine. She serves as lead clinician for the NP-PharmD Comprehensive Diabetes and Obesity Management Clinic, a faculty-led, student-driven interprofessional teaching clinic at VCU Health and as Principal Investigator on the VCU Culinary Medicine Healthy Living Project. Her funded research spans diabetes prevention, pre-transplant weight management, and community-engaged culinary medicine programming. A Certified Gallup Strengths Coach with national leadership roles, Dr. Burns is a peer reviewed scholar, award-winning educator, and sought-after speaker. Across every role, she is driven by one mission: bridging classroom, clinic, and community through the transformative power of food as medicine.