Assistant Professor
California State University of Bakersfield
Leslie Kirstein, MSN, RN is a nursing faculty member and simulation educator at California State University Bakersfield and a doctoral candidate in educational leadership. Her dissertation explores the integration of Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Theory and the PEARLS framework in structured debriefing to enhance clinical judgment in first-year nursing students. Through her research, she aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice in simulation-based education, aligning with INACSL’s mission to advance best practices in simulation. An advocate for evidence-based teaching, she has completed INACSL training and is pursuing CHSE certification. She actively mentors first-year nursing students and contributes to curriculum development at her institution.