Debra Kent, DNP, MSN, APRN-PC, RN

Debra Kent, DNP, MSN, APRN-PC, RN, joined Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, as director of the adult survivorship program. She also serves as an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics and as an associate professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. Debra specializes in pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant.

Debra acquired expertise in a previous role where she served as a nurse practitioner in pediatric and adolescent and young adult cancer survivorship, where she assisted in providing care for nearly 2,000 pediatric and young adult survivors of childhood cancer. Debra led research and quality improvement initiatives in human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization and provided community leadership for local and statewide partnerships to improve HPV immunization.

She was part of a team that co-led the development of the first oncology-primary care program for adult survivors of pediatric cancer. The program serves as a national model of care for transitioning pediatric cancer survivors who are out-growing pediatric survivorship services. Her specialty in pediatric survivorship has led to numerous presentations, publications and faculty guest lectures on pediatric oncology topics. She was one of the original eight participating task force members/authors in the development of the Children's Oncology Group survivorship guidelines for pediatric, adolescent and young adult cancer, which have been adopted nationally and internationally.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh, followed by a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Cincinnati. Kent completed her doctorate of nursing practice in population health leadership from Xavier University in Cincinnati.