Elizabeth (Beth) Roten MSN

Biography

Elizabeth “Beth” Roten, RN, MSN, is an accomplished nurse executive, educator, and academic leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing nursing education, rural health equity, and innovative workforce development across healthcare and academic settings. She currently serves as Director of Nursing Education at Western Colorado University, where she is leading the development and launch of a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program designed to address critical nursing workforce shortages across Gunnison County and Colorado’s Western Slope.

Prior to joining Western Colorado University, Ms. Roten held senior executive leadership roles within the VA Western Colorado Health Care System, including Associate Chief Nurse for Outpatient Services and Chief of Organizational Development, Research, and Education. In these roles, she provided strategic oversight for clinical operations, nursing education, research, telehealth, rural health clinics, and interdisciplinary academic programs. She is widely recognized for building high-impact clinical training and residency programs and for securing and managing more than $10 million in competitive healthcare education and workforce development grants focused on rural and underserved populations.

Ms. Roten has extensive experience designing and overseeing accredited education and training programs, including nurse practitioner residencies, clinical scholar programs, simulation-based education, graduate medical education, and multidisciplinary trainee programs involving over 50 academic partners. Her leadership has supported hundreds of students, interns, residents, and clinicians across nursing and allied health disciplines. She has also led institutional efforts in modernization, organizational development, research infrastructure, and technology-enabled education.

As an educator, Ms. Roten has taught across BSN, ADN, LPN, and CNA programs throughout Western Colorado, serving as both a faculty member and clinical educator in academic–practice partnership models. Her teaching and mentorship are grounded in a deep commitment to evidence-based practice, rural workforce development, and student success.

Ms. Roten holds a Master of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, is licensed as a Registered Nurse in Colorado, and is a recipient of numerous professional honors, including the Colorado State Nightingale Award. She is nationally recognized for her work in rural nursing education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative approaches to healthcare workforce development.

Through her leadership at Western Colorado University, Ms. Roten is committed to preparing the next generation of nurses to serve rural and frontier communities with excellence, compassion, and clinical expertise.