She has developed a learning-service community partnership model that has been introduced into the School of Nursing’s undergraduate curriculum since 1998, and has been at the forefront of the movement to assist nurses in rural and underserved areas to advance their education through grants to support distance learning. Colleagues consider her extensive research, clinical knowledge, and teaching ability to be a valuable asset to the nursing program. Former graduate students describe Kataoka-Yahiro as a true leader in her area of expertise, a stellar role model, and a consummate mentor in the areas of publishing and research. She is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in critical thinking. Her Critical Thinking Model in Nursing Judgment has been applied to nursing education throughout the country and been a framework consistently cited in publications.