Dr. Aaltonen, president of APHA, recently stepped down from her role as an administrator and faculty member of Purdue University School of Nursing. She continues to serve on graduate student committees and as an advisor to Mortar Board, a senior honorary.  While at Purdue, she was a member of the Teaching Academy, was awarded the university undergraduate teacher award, and is listed in the Book of Great Teachers. For the past ten years, she taught an interdisciplinary graduate course in homeland security and preparedness with two colleagues from across campus. Much of her recent research has focused on preparedness. She also had the opportunity to take a select group of undergraduate nursing students to the Navajo Nation each year for a clinical experience in public health nursing.

Pam received her baccalaureate degree in nursing from St. Olaf College, her master’s in public health nursing & public health science from the University of Illinois Chicago and received a PhD from Purdue University.  

Prior to joining Purdue’s faculty, Pam was a public health nurse and nursing administrator in local health departments in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Illinois. Dr. Aaltonen has been active in a number of local, state, and national health organizations. She received the Hulman Life Time Achievement in Public Health Award in 2016.