Jill Nielsen

Jill Nielsen, Family Nurse Practitioner, is a native of Minnesota. She moved to Georgia in 1990 to attend Emory University and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She continued her graduate education at Emory and has been a practicing Nurse Practitioner since 1996 after graduating with dual degrees in Master of Nursing Science and a Master’s in Public Health. She also most recently completed her Doctorate in Nursing Practice at the University of Tennessee in 2017.
After graduating in 1996 with her Family Nurse Practitioner degree, she began practicing in Atlanta before moving to the north Georgia mountains. In 2002, she started practicing in Blairsville after falling in love with the beautiful mountains and wanting to be closer to the outdoor activities that she and her family enjoy. She became interested in diabetes management after realizing the need and gap in diabetes care in the rural community. She is Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management, a Certified Diabetes Educator, and a Certified Insulin Pump Trainer. She holds regular Prediabetes and Diabetes Group classes in her practice as well as in the community. She faithfully precepts advance practice, nursing students and volunteers, regularly managing clients at Healing Hands Clinic. One of her most cherished volunteer positions includes work at ProjectChimp sanctuary where she is part of the medical team that cares for chimpanzees retired from medical research. She currently serves as President of the North Georgia Mountain Chapter of United Advanced Practice Nurses and received the annual state award for Excellence in Leadership in 2015 for UAPRN. She was also appointed in 2020 to serve on the Georgia Commission on Women and is also currently serving as an advisory, founding board member of the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center located at the Mercer University School of Medicine.