Dr. Couig, in addition to her position as an Associate Professor on the Research Faculty, holds the Carter/Fleck Endowed Professorship. She is also the Director, Center for Health Equity and Preparedness at the UNM College of Nursing. Prior to joining UNM, Couig served as a senior nurse executive in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Nursing Services. In her post at the VA, Couig advised the chief nurse officer on public health emergency preparedness and registered nurse residency programs. Couig served as the national Program Manager for the RN Transition-to-Practice Residency Program and was responsible for developing infrastructure to support the implementation and continuity of this mandatory program for 141 VA Medical Centers.