With 23 years of medical experience, Tonja Copeland is a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) at UC Davis Health. Tonja was inspired to become a nurse from an early age: while her sister was sick with childhood illnesses, it was the compassion of the nurses that stood out to Tonja.

“The nurses impressed me because they weren’t just taking care of my sister — they were taking care of me; they were taking care of my mom. I didn’t have a lot of role models in my life, but it was the nurses who took care of my sister that molded me and made me want to become a nurse,” she said.

This drive to become a nurse followed Tonja throughout her life. In 1999, she graduated from Sacramento City College as an LVN.

A lifelong learner, Tonja wasn’t content staying an LVN. She discovered the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing through a co-worker at UC Davis Health. In 2019, with only a high school diploma and an LVN nursing certificate in hand, Tonja completed two associate degrees, a business certificate, a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree in four years. Tonja graduated from Betty Irene Moore in 2023.

A nurse at UC Davis Health for seven years, Tonja has been recognized with multiple honors, including the Excellence Award for Exemplary Leadership and Flexibility and the Excellence Award for Being a Team Player. She was also the first recipient of the “Star Student Nurse Award,” which is given to a graduate who embodies UC Davis Health’s values.