Darla (Kleven) Adams, ’84, ’95, ’07

Associate Dean and Director of Nurse Anesthesia Program, UND College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines (Retired)

Partner, Adams Family Farm

Acting Chair  |  Executive Committee  |  Alumni Relations & Development Committee  |  Audit Committee 

Terms served: 2019-2022, 2022-2025

Career

A Grand Forks native, Darla Adams brings over four decades of experience in nursing, with clinical expertise in nurse anesthesiology. Her longstanding academic affiliation with the University of North Dakota (UND) began in 1989 and includes key leadership roles: Director of the Nurse Anesthesiology Program, Associate Dean of Graduate Nursing, Interim Chief Nurse Administrator, and Associate Dean of the College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines.

Darla maintains an active clinical practice in nurse anesthesiology as an independent contractor and currently serves as an on-site reviewer for the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). She has also consulted in nursing education, strategic planning, and program accreditation.
Beyond health care and education, Darla is a partner in Adams Family Farm, a family-operated, 9,000+ acre agri-business specializing in sugar beets, small grains, and edible beans. The farm also processes and exports specialty beans to markets worldwide.

Community

Deeply committed to service, Darla has served on numerous nonprofit boards throughout her career. She has twice chaired the Board of Directors for the Grand Forks Community Violence and Intervention Center (CVIC), where she continues to support initiatives that strengthen community safety and wellbeing.

Personal Life

Family is at the heart of Darla’s life. She and her husband are proud parents of three adult children and grandparents to ten grandchildren—all of whom live in Grand Forks or Fargo. Whether spending time on the farm or attending a grandchild’s activity, Darla values the close-knit ties that keep her rooted in North Dakota.