Marife Aczon-Armstrong, PhD, MSN, MSCP, CCM, RN-BC, FAAN
Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Health Professions
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (808) 739-8387
Dr. Aczon-Armstrong was born and raised in Binangonan, Rizal, Philippines, and grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. While working as a billing clerk at a nephrology clinic in Honolulu, she was mentored by a retired Peace Corps nurse who encouraged her to pursue a career in nursing. Dr. Aczon-Armstrong has been a nurse for 31 years, a nationally board-certified nurse case manager for 26 years, and a nurse educator for 18 years. She has also served as a Fulbright Senior Specialist for 11 years as visiting professor at Uganda Christian University in Mukono, Uganda, Africa, teaching in the Master of Nursing Science Nurse Educator Track. In October 2025, she was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN). In January 2026, she was honored as one of the Top 10 Global Filipino Nurses by the Philippine Nurses Association of America at the Conrad Hilton Manila in the Philippines.
Academic Degrees
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing with focus on research and education, University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Master of Science in Nursing: Nursing Administration and Clinical System Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Master of Science in Counseling Psychology: Community and Mental Health Counseling, Chaminade University of Honolulu
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Hawaii Pacific University
- License Practical Nursing, Kapiolani Community College
Awards and Honors
- Top 10 Global Filipino Nurses January 2026, Philippine Nurses Association of America Foundation
- Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) Cohort 2025
- Fulbright Senior Specialist appointment (2014-2018); (2021-2025)
- Alumni Doctoral Scholar Nurse Fellow Class of 2010, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration’s Minority Fellowship Program (SAMHSA MFP) at American Nurses Association (ANA)
- Service Awardee (2021-2022) Certificate of Appreciation for service to the Inaugural National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing, American Nurses Association
Licensures and Certifications
- Registered Nurse, Hawaii and Nevada
- National Board Certified Nurse Case Manager
- Quality Matters Certificate of Completion, Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR)
- Peer Reviewer Course (PRC) Certificate, Quality Matters (Global Quality Assurance on-line and innovative digital teaching and learning.
Selected Grants/Publications/Presentations
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2026). “Volunteerism as Leadership: Using Your Skills, Voice, and Influence to Serve”, 6th International Filipino Nursing Symposium, “Level Up: Evolving Roles, Expanding Impact” on May 16, 2026 at the University of Sydney, Australia. (Keynote Speaker)
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2026). “Enhancing Engagement Through Team-Based Testing in Undergraduate Nursing Education”, 2026 Western Institute of Nursing Conference on April 21-24, 2026 at Hilton San Francisco Union Square, San Francisco, CA. (Podium)
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2026). “Volunteerism as Leadership: Using Your Skills, Voice, and Influence to Serve”. Grow West – Global Women’s Breakfast- “Many Voices, One Science” on February 10, 2026 at Kunia, Hawaii. (Keynote Speaker)
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2026). “Enhancing Engagement and Equity Through Team-Based Testing in Undergraduate Nursing Education”. Filipino Nurses Global Summit VI and 15th International Nursing Conference on January 22-23, 2026 at Conrad Hilton, Manila, Philippines (Podium)
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2026). “From Global Scholarship to Innovative Nursing Leadership: Lessons from a Fulbright Journey” at Centro Escolar University College of Nursing, International Research Seminar, “Beyond the Classroom: Preparing Globally Competitive Filipino Nurses Through Professional Empowerment and Team-Based Leadership” on January 21, 2026 at Gil Puyat Campus, Makati, Manila, Philippines. (Keynote Speaker)
- Project Director/Principal Investigator (2022-2023), Registered Nurses in Primary Care (RNPC) Program, role for the one-year no cost extension to complete HRSA 2.8 million grant award. Roseman University College of Nursing, Henderson, NV.
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2023). “Emerging from Service Learning to Servant Leadership: Fulbright Journey” at Philippine Nurses Association of Hawaii 2023 Educational Conference, “EMERGE with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion: Healthcare Strategies for Nursing and our Communities”. Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, HI.
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2023). “Resiliency & Innovation: Bridging Gaps in Vital Healthcare Disparities” at the From I Nurse II Another’s 1st Annual Nurse Empowerment Brunch, August 2023, Nevada State College, Las Vegas, NV.
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2023). “Cultivating and Nurturing Civility in Healthcare”. “Civility in the Classroom: Nurse Educators” at the Philippine Nurses Association of Nevada’s Summer Educational Seminar, Chairman’s Auditorium at Optum, Las Vegas, NV.
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. & Mandal, M. (2023). “What it means to be a Fulbright Scholar: Life-changing Experience” at the 59th Annual Western in Nursing (WIN) National Conference, Tucson, AZ.
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. (2022). Subject Matter Expert (SME) Panel Expert member for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Series #2. Presentation: Racism in Clinical Practice. Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKbG_85CjIw
- Aczon-Armstrong, M. & Sorrell, T. (2021). “Boosting Vaccine Confidence in Minority Populations”. ANA COVID19 video education series.
Service to the Profession
- Visiting Professor, Fulbright Scholar at Uganda Christian University in Mukono, Uganda, Africa. Master of Nursing Science Nurse Education Track
- Lead Faculty and Coordinator, International Medical Mission Trips: 2019 Uganda, Africa and 2023 Rizal, Philippines
- National Advisory Committee Member and Mentor, SAMHSA MFP at ANA
- Editorial Board Member/Reviewer, Journal of Chronic Diseases International, Austin Publishers. ISSN:2379-7983
- Committee Member, Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
- Membership Assembly Representative for Nevada Nurses Association represented nurses of NV during “Hill Day” at Washington D.C.
- Director-At Large (2023-2025), Nevada Nurses Association
- Founding President, Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association of Hawaii (AAPINA Hawaii) and AAPINA of Nevada.
- Director-At Large (2025-2027), Hawaii American Nurses Association
Assigned Nursing Courses:
NUR 407 – Evidence Based Practice
NUR 816 – Epidemiology for Advanced Practice Nursing
NUR 852 – DNP Scholarly Project I: Design & Ethical Consideration of Practice Application
NUR 854 – DNP Scholarly Project II: Applying Practice Knowledge: Implementation/Outcomes
NUR 856 – DNP Scholarly Project III: Dissemination