08/31/2026
For more than 30 years, Lisa Salisbury has worked in healthcare and continued finding ways to grow along the way. She started as an EMT, then became a paramedic and registered nurse. Her experience has included emergency room nursing, hospital leadership and advanced practice nursing. Today, she is dual board-certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
After moving to Scottsbluff with her husband and children, Salisbury decided to continue her education. She attended Western Nebraska Community College from 2013 to 2015 to complete courses she needed before moving on to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. As a nontraditional student balancing work, family and school, she said her time at WNCC was “phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal.”
Several people at WNCC made a lasting impression on her, including Collin Croft, Jack Webb and Manuel "Junior" Alvarez. Their support helped her feel more confident as she worked toward the next step in her career. Salisbury later earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UNMC in 2018. She continued her education to become a Family Nurse Practitioner and completed additional training in psychiatric mental health care in 2025.
Mental health became especially important to Salisbury through both her professional and personal experiences. Su***de prevention is one area she feels strongly about, and she wants people to know they do not have to face difficult times alone. Her story was selected and shared during a UNMC commencement ceremony as a message of hope for those affected by su***de.
Outside of healthcare, Salisbury has also stayed involved in the community. She is a certified yoga instructor who has taught in schools, nursing homes and athletic programs. She has used yoga to encourage confidence, self-acceptance and resilience. She also volunteered as a USA Gymnastics tumbling and trampoline coach and is involved with Soroptimist International of Scottsbluff County, where she supports women pursuing education and independence.
Salisbury has never been afraid to keep learning or try something new. She hopes her own path shows her children that education does not have to happen on one set timeline. “I feel like I’m a seeker of knowledge and I like to inspire,” she said.
WNCC ended up being an important stop along the way for Salisbury. What started as a place to complete a few courses gave her the support she needed to keep moving forward. She credits the college and the people she met there with helping her take that next step, one that eventually led to a career she says she truly loves.
