Poehler Lecture: Called to Care: Faith, Joy, Resilience, and the Healing Power of Nursing

Honored Speaker: Dr. Kendra Saal DNP, RN, PHN

When: Thursday, April 16, 2026, 11:00 a.m.

Where: Buetow Music Center Auditorium

Dr. Kendra Saal shares her personal and professional journey through the lens of faith—from her calling to become a nurse, to her experience as a cancer survivor, and her continued mission as a nursing educator.

Drawing from Scripture and real-life experiences, she explores how faith sustains caregivers through adversity and how resilience is strengthened not by self-reliance but by dependence on God’s grace. Woven throughout her story is the enduring joy found in serving others—a joy that anchors the heart, renews purpose, and illuminates even the most difficult moments of caregiving.

This lecture highlights the sacred nature of nursing, the transformative power of compassionate presence, and the profound privilege of shaping future nurses who serve with both skill and spirit. Dr. Saal reminds us that whether we are caring for others or walking through our own valleys, God offers strength, resilience, and a sustaining joy that restores and inspires.

Lecturer Bio

Dr. Kendra Saal, DNP, RN, PHN joined Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP) in January 2017 and brings over 16 years of experience in nursing education. Her academic career began as a nursing instructor teaching theory, lab, and clinical courses for a private, for-profit institution. She has been a registered nurse for more than 20 years, with extensive clinical experience spanning women’s health, obstetrics, pediatrics, neonatal intensive care, mental health, school nursing, and nursing leadership.

Dr. Saal played an instrumental role in establishing CSP’s annual nursing service trip to Guatemala in partnership with Friends of San Lucas, where she also served on the organization’s medical board for two years. She has led both online and in-person Bible studies for nursing students and faculty and looks forward to furthering her work in faith-based nursing as she begins her studies in Parish Nursing.

A passionate and enthusiastic educator, Dr. Saal is committed to fostering nursing excellence and positively influencing both nursing education and the broader healthcare environment. She currently serves as the St. Paul Nursing Program Chair and Assistant Professor in the Nursing Department.

On a personal note, Dr. Saal has been married to her husband, Jeremy, for over 32 years and is the proud mother of 27-year-old triplets—Nicholas, Andrew, and Isabella—all graduates of CSP. She loves to travel and shares the unique distinction, along with her husband, of having visited every Disney park in the world.