NLN Installs New National Leadership

NLN Installs New National Leadership

Washington, DC — The National League for Nursing has installed new officers in key posts of the Board of Governors, plus two new governors at-large, along with additions to the Nominations Committee and Certification Commission. Installation took place during the Annual Business Meeting of the 2023 NLN Education Summit, held September 28-30 at National Harbor near Washington, D.C.

Patricia Sharpnack, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, ANEF, FAAN, dean and Strawbridge Professor in the Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio, having concluded her two-year term as NLN chair-elect, was advanced to serve as NLN chair. She will serve in that role through 2025.

Yolanda VanRiel, PhD, RN, MEDSURG-BC, OCN, CNE, ANEF, chair of the Department of Nursing at North Carolina Central University, was elected NLN chair-elect for 2023-25, ceding her current seat as a governor at-large on the Board of Governors.

Mark Hand, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, clinical professor at East Carolina University College of Nursing in Greenville, has rejoined the Board of Governors to serve a three-year term as Treasurer. He previously served on the board from 2019-2022.

“As NLN chair-elect for the past two years, Patricia has already proven herself an indispensable part of the National League for Nursing leadership team. I am thrilled to welcome her as chair and I look forward to her continued good counsel and having the entire membership benefit from her wisdom, experience, and dedication to our mission,” said NLN President and CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN.

In her inaugural address, Dr. Sharpnack eloquently spoke about the “why,” the purpose of nursing education and called on colleagues to reflect on its vital importance:

“I believe that we must step back a moment, at times, to remember our purpose as educators. If we believe our purpose is to prepare graduates who are excited to be a part of a respected profession that touches the lives of patients and their families while maintaining an exquisite relationship with them; that we are preparing them for a dynamic profession that transforms ordinary persons into knowledgeable and skilled heroes; and that we are preparing them for a compassionate profession that makes a difference in the lives of those they touch—then our “why” is grounded in ensuring that the work that we do is well positioned to achieve this purpose.”

Dr. Malone also welcomed the newly elected officers and governors at-large, saying, “Through their board service, I have also come to know and value Yolanda and Mark, whose support for and contributions to our multifaceted programs and activities have been immeasurable. On behalf of our professional staff, I extend congratulations to them as newly elected officers and to the distinguished governors at-large who have joined the Board of Governors through this year’s election.”

About Patricia Sharpnack, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, ANEF, FAAN

The Dean and Strawbridge Professor in the Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions at Ursuline College, Dr. Patricia Sharpnack holds leadership and board positions on several regulatory bodies, health care agencies, and regional, national, and international professional organizations. She is a three-term past-president of the Ohio Board of Nursing, Board supervisory member, and chair of the Nursing Education Advisory Board. Her extensive experience and accomplishments have been recognized over the years with prestigious awards and accolades. Dr. Sharpnack is a TeamSTEPPS Master Team Trainer and member of the Advisory Board to the American Hospital Association.

About Yolanda VanRiel, PhD, RN, MEDSURG-BC, OCN, CNE, ANEF

Dr. Yolanda VanRiel, chair of the Department of Nursing at North Carolina Central University, has 28 years of nursing experience, including over 20 years as a nurse educator. The author of numerous presentations, publications, and grants, Dr. VanRiel has focused her scholarship on nursing education, provider-patient communications, health disparities, and oncology. Her achievements have been recognized with numerous professional accolades. A fellow in the NLN Academy of Nursing Education, Dr. VanRiel is a certified nurse educator (CNE), with additional certifications in oncology and medical-surgical nursing. Along with the National League for Nursing, Dr. VanRiel holds memberships in the American Nurses Association, Oncology Nursing Society, and the Gamma Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. She is past president of the North Carolina League for Nursing, which under her leadership won the NLN Constituent League Excellence in Innovation Award, and served as vice chair of the North Carolina Board of Nursing in 2019.

About Mark Hand, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE

Dr. Mark Hand, a clinical professor at East Carolina University (ECU) College of Nursing in Greenville, is the recipient of the 2023 North Carolina Nurses Association Education Nurse of the Year Award. In addition, he has received several honors and awards of distinction. Dr. Hand is a published author and sought-after speaker. He often collaborates with nursing students, ensuring they have opportunities for valuable professional development experiences. In keeping with this interest, he serves as faculty mentor for the American Association of Men in Nursing (AAMN) chapter at ECU. Most recently, he received the AAMN 2023 Gene Tranbarger Research Award for his manuscript “Men as Nursing Faculty: Factors of Recruitment and Retention.” His research focus includes LGBTQ+ health education, men as nursing faculty, and nursing student success. Dr. Hand is a certified nurse educator and a member of the Editorial Board of the NLN scholarly journal, Nursing Education Perspectives. He is also a past president of the North Carolina League for Nursing.

Governors-At-Large (3-year term: 2023-2026)

• Elizabeth “Suzy” Cain, chief financial officer, KFF (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation): Public Appointee
• Anne Marie Fink, PhD, RN, CNE, associate dean for college and student services and director of the LEAD professional development program in the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Villanova University: Elected
  

Nominations Committee Election (3-year term: 2023-2026)

• Kechi Iheduru-Anderson, DNP, RN, CNE, CWCN, nursing program director and professor, School of Rehabilitation and Medical Sciences, The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant
• Jessica Ochs, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, FNAP, CNE, professor, Cummings School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Endicott College, Beverly, Massachusetts
  

The Nominations Committee solicits nominations from individual and agency representative members for all League elected positions reflecting the organization’s diverse membership.

Certification Commission Election (3-year term: 2023-2026)

• Frank Hicks, PhD, RN, CNE, associate dean for academic programs and affairs, professor, adult health and gerontological nursing, Rush University College of Nursing, Chicago
  

The Certification Commission oversees and supervises the NLN Academic Nurse Educator Certification Program.

For more information, visit NLN.org.

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