DEVA-MARIE BECK, PhD, RN, DTM
INTERNATIONAL CO-DIRECTOR
Deva-Marie Beck is a Canadian/American who has been working—for nearly three decades—on approaches to citizen advocacy for achieving global health and the UN's Global Goals, including the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Her multi-disciplinary education in both arts and science, shaped Dr. Beck's commitment to become a nurse specializing in clinical critical care and women's health (1976 - 2002) and global wellness (1992 - present). Dr. Beck holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Nursing and International Development from the Union Institute and University (2002), and undergraduate degrees in Nursing, Health Sciences, and Theatre Arts.
Since 2006, Dr. Beck has voluntarily served as NIGH's International Co-Director, now based at NIGH World's headquarters in Canada's National Capital Region and in Geneva, Switzerland. She continues globally connected with nurses and midwives, who are prime stakeholders for achieving UN Global Goals related to healthcare delivery and addressing health determinants.
She has led NIGH's work on UN Briefings, group discussions, website development, media campaigns, including — with the World Health Organization — 'Nurses & Midwives! Now More Than Ever! (in 8 languages) and 'At The Heart of It All: Nurses & Midwives for Universal Health Coverage — as well as NIGH's Daring to Tell Our Stories to the World and the Daring, Caring & Sharing to Save Mothers' Lives campaigns.
Dr. Beck has also authored and co-authored numerous peer reviewed journal articles (see recent list below) and book chapters, as well as keynote presentations on all six continents — most recently for the 2020 Conference of the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation in London, UK. She also played a key role in achieving NIGH's Special Consultative Status' granted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2018.
In collaboration with the Congress of NGO's in Consultative Status with the UN (CoNGO), Dr. Beck has contributed two UN Civil Society Development Forum panel presentations to prepare for UN ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Reviews for Global Health in Geneva (2009) and for Gender Equality, Empowerment of Women and Development Cooperation in New York City (2010).
Dr. Beck is also an active member of the "Yellowhead Trail" Chapter of Toastmasters International (TI) and has served as an 2018-2019 Area Director for TI District 64. Based on eight years of accomplishing a series of 40 required presentations and related leadership activities to educate and empower the personal and professional growth of her peers, Dr. Beck has recently achieved the highest-level education Award from TI — as a Distinguished Toast Master ‘DTM.’ She now aims to use this ‘credential’ to develop innovative ways to educate, encourage and engage nurses and concerned citizens to share their voices and tell their stories in the global civil society arena.
Recently, Dr. Beck returned to Canada's National Capital Region after residing in the Manitoba prairie towns of Neepawa and Kelwood for seven years. While in Manitoba, she expanded her knowledge of grassroots views and local-to-global outreach applications towards raising public consciousness and personal commitment to world health. Her primary goal is to continue to engage and empower nurses, midwives and concerned citizens to be advocates for the most pressing health and development needs of our time — at local-to-global levels.
Her multi-disciplinary education in both arts and science, shaped Dr. Beck's commitment to become a nurse specializing in clinical critical care and women's health (1976 - 2002) and global wellness (1992 - present). Dr. Beck holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Nursing and International Development from the Union Institute and University (2002), and undergraduate degrees in Nursing, Health Sciences, and Theatre Arts.
Since 2006, Dr. Beck has voluntarily served as NIGH's International Co-Director, now based at NIGH World's headquarters in Canada's National Capital Region and in Geneva, Switzerland. She continues globally connected with nurses and midwives, who are prime stakeholders for achieving UN Global Goals related to healthcare delivery and addressing health determinants.
She has led NIGH's work on UN Briefings, group discussions, website development, media campaigns, including — with the World Health Organization — 'Nurses & Midwives! Now More Than Ever! (in 8 languages) and 'At The Heart of It All: Nurses & Midwives for Universal Health Coverage — as well as NIGH's Daring to Tell Our Stories to the World and the Daring, Caring & Sharing to Save Mothers' Lives campaigns.
Dr. Beck has also authored and co-authored numerous peer reviewed journal articles (see recent list below) and book chapters, as well as keynote presentations on all six continents — most recently for the 2020 Conference of the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation in London, UK. She also played a key role in achieving NIGH's Special Consultative Status' granted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2018.
In collaboration with the Congress of NGO's in Consultative Status with the UN (CoNGO), Dr. Beck has contributed two UN Civil Society Development Forum panel presentations to prepare for UN ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Reviews for Global Health in Geneva (2009) and for Gender Equality, Empowerment of Women and Development Cooperation in New York City (2010).
Dr. Beck is also an active member of the "Yellowhead Trail" Chapter of Toastmasters International (TI) and has served as an 2018-2019 Area Director for TI District 64. Based on eight years of accomplishing a series of 40 required presentations and related leadership activities to educate and empower the personal and professional growth of her peers, Dr. Beck has recently achieved the highest-level education Award from TI — as a Distinguished Toast Master ‘DTM.’ She now aims to use this ‘credential’ to develop innovative ways to educate, encourage and engage nurses and concerned citizens to share their voices and tell their stories in the global civil society arena.
Recently, Dr. Beck returned to Canada's National Capital Region after residing in the Manitoba prairie towns of Neepawa and Kelwood for seven years. While in Manitoba, she expanded her knowledge of grassroots views and local-to-global outreach applications towards raising public consciousness and personal commitment to world health. Her primary goal is to continue to engage and empower nurses, midwives and concerned citizens to be advocates for the most pressing health and development needs of our time — at local-to-global levels.
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
- Dossey, B. M. & Beck, D. M. (2019). In Florence Nightingale’s Footsteps: Global Citizens as Environmental and Civil Society Activists: The UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Paradigm Explorer, 31 (3,): 11-15.
- Beck, D. M. & Dossey, B. M. (2019). In Nightingale's Footsteps—Individual to Global: From Nurse Coaches to Environmental and Civil Society Activists. Creative Nursing: A Journal of Values, Issues, Experience and Collaboration, Volume, 25 (3): 1-6.
- Beck, D. M., Dossey, B. M., & Rosa, W. E. (2018). Florence Nightingale and The 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Beginnings, 18 (2): 18-23.
- Beck, D. M., Dossey, B. M., & Rushton, C. H. (2013). Building the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health — NIGH: Can We Engage and Empower the Public Voices of Nurses Worldwide? Nursing Science Quarterly, 26 (10): 366-371.
- Beck, D. M. & Dossey, B. M. (2013). Grassroots-to-Global Champions for Maternal Health. Beginnings, 33 (5): 18-19.
- Beck, D. M., Dossey, B. M., & Rushton, C. (2011). Integral Nursing and the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health: Florence Nightingale’s Integral Legacy for The 21st Century. Journal of Integral Theory and Practice, 6 (4): 71-92.
- Beck, D. M. (2010). Remembering Florence Nightingale’s Panorama: 21st century Nursing — At A Critical Crossroads. Journal of Holistic Nursing Practice, 28 (4): 291-301.
- Beck, D. M. (2010). The Greatest Health Divide in the World — Half Million Die in Childbirth Annually. Beginnings, 30 (1): 10-11.
- Beck, D. M. (2016). Artistic and Scientific: Broadening the Scope of Our 21st Century Health Advocacy. In Rosa, W. (Ed). Nurses As Leaders: Evolutionary Visions of Leadership (pp. 247-263). New York: Springer Publishing Company.
- Beck, D. M. (2006). Nightingale’s Passion for Advocacy: Local to Global. In Andrist, L. C., Nichols, P. K. & Wolf, K. (Eds). A History of Nursing Ideas (pp. 473-485). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.