Discussion of Film Ruby Bridges Moderators

Healthcare Professional * Child Advocate * Innovation Strategist * 

Thought Leader

With more than 35 years in the field of nursing, Dr. Cynthia Samuel has turned her passion for child advocacy in the areas of physical and mental health, and her desire to revolutionize how nurses are seen and heard into a personal mission. As a recognized, respected, and award- winning health equity innovation strategist, Dr. Cynthia Samuel is a voice for the voiceless, as she is committed to next-level change, in how the medical community serves children and supports nurses.

Dr. Samuel addresses the multifactorial challenges that impact the nursing community, illuminating systemic inequities that result in burnout, lack of retention and diminished growth and effectiveness by collaborating with leaders both inside and outside the healthcare industry to create change through education practices, policy, mentorship, and research.

In addition to serving as a School Nurse in Northern New Jersey, Dr. Samuel is a Member of the Dean of SHMS DEISJ Steering Committee at Seton Hall University, served as a DEI Task Force Member for the National Association of School Nurses, current Standards and Practice Co-Chair, and Executive Board Member for the New Jersey State School Nurses Association. Dr. Samuel is published in several nursing journals, presents nationally, and has also served as a panelist advocating for school nursing practice and its impact on empowering families and the community.

During her tenure as President, Past-President, and Executive Director of the New Jersey State School Nurses Association, Ms. Woop collaborated with NJEA Government Relations, legislators, and school nurses throughout NJ to obtain passage of PL 1999. Ms. Woop represented NJ school nurses at meetings with the NJ Education Association, NJ Department of Health, NJ American Academy of Pediatrics, NJ Board of Nursing, and the NJ Department of Education where she served as a member of the Education and Law Enforcement Task Force and Later Start School Times panel. A member of the NJ Brain Injury Association, she was Lead Writer for Brain Injury A Guide for School Nurses and appointed to the Special Education Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force by Governor Christie. 

An Adjunct Faculty at Caldwell University Education Department and member of the School Nurse Advisory Committee she assisted the NJ Department of Education and the National Association of School Nurses in review of the School Nurse Program for National and State Accreditation. In addition, she initiated the Jean Hazley Lecture Series TBI and Concussion in Sports. As an Adjunct at NJCU she supervised students in Clinical Practice and Health Education Certification Programs. A NASN

Certificated Replicator of Physical Assessment Skills Seminars, Ms. Woop conducted workshops at County, State, and National Conferences and at NJ Community Colleges. 

A NJ State Certified Counselor, she served as a Career Counselor for the NJ Department of Women for Women in Transition and as a guest Lecturer Women’s Health Issues and Trends in Women in Government. MS Woop served as a School Nurse Consultant at Med League Support Services, Inc. and performed services as an expert in support/testimony for a variety of matters as per contract. 

Elected as Municipal Councilwoman, she served three terms and was liaison to the Health Department and Chair of the Health, Sanitation and Community Development Committees. Ms. Woop received a Certification in Powers and Duties of the Municipal Governing Body from Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy Center for Government Services.

 A longtime Community Activist Ms. Woop is a member of the New Jersey LWVMA and currently serving as Director of the Women, Gender, and Families Committee. As Director, Ms. Woop focuses on Reproductive Justice including comprehensive reproductive healthcare, Maternal Health and working to improve health outcomes of expectant mothers, especially for the most vulnerable. As an experienced Health Educator and school nurse she is committed to supporting comprehensive sex education in schools and challenging the disinformation about recent changes in the Curriculum Standards for New Jersey Students.