Coletta C. Barrett, DNP, MHA, RN, FAHA, FACHE

Coletta Barrett, DNP, MHA, RN, FAHA, FACHE, is an accomplished healthcare executive, nurse leader, educator, and community advocate with five decades of experience in nursing, cardiovascular health, healthcare administration, and population health. She currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Doctor of Nursing Practice–Executive Leadership program at Southeastern Louisiana University. Previously, Coletta spent 18 years with Our Lady of the Lake Health, where she served as Vice President of Mission and later as a Senior Executive Consultant. Her career has focused on improving healthcare systems, strengthening communities, advancing nursing leadership, and creating partnerships to address complex health and social challenges.

Coletta's passion for cardiovascular health began at age 11 after the sudden death of her grandfather from a heart attack. That experience shaped her lifelong commitment to nursing and inspired extensive volunteer leadership with the American Heart Association. She served as National Chairman of the American Heart Association Board from 2003 to 2004 and contributed to the launch of the Go Red for Women campaign. Her community work has also included Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and the Mayor's Healthy City Initiative. Throughout her career, Coletta has championed collaboration among healthcare organizations, government, businesses, and community partners to develop sustainable solutions to population-health challenges.

Coletta's education includes a nursing diploma from Charity Hospital School of Nursing, cardiovascular nurse specialist training, a BSN from Southeastern Louisiana University, a Master of Healthcare Administration from Tulane University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from Southeastern Louisiana University, where she was the inaugural graduate of the BSN-to-DNP Executive Leadership program. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Heart Association and has received numerous honors, including induction into the Louisiana Nurses Foundation Hall of Fame, the YWCA Women of Achievement Award, the Leadership Baton Rouge Lifetime Achievement Award, and the United Way Brotherhood-Sisterhood Social Justice Award. Today, Coletta continues to educate and mentor emerging nurse leaders while promoting innovation, collaboration, and meaningful improvements in healthcare and community well-being.