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The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) recently announced that Versie Johnson-Mallard, Ph.D., APRN-BC, FAAN, FAANP, ������ College of Nursing dean, professor and Henderson Endowed Chair, has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors until 2024. In this role Dean Johnson-Mallard will oversee the Academy’s strategic planning and financial management.  

“The Academy is pleased to announce the Fellows, elected by their peers, who will be assuming leadership positions within the organization following the conclusion of this year’s hybrid Health Policy Conference,” said Academy President Eileen Sullivan-Marx, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. “During my term as President, I have been inspired by the work of Academy Fellows to keep their communities safe and promote public health. I have seen first-hand the passion that drives our Fellows, the collective expertise our organization possesses, and the impact our voice makes on the health of those we serve. I know each of these exceptional leaders will be dedicated to advancing the organization’s vision, mission, and strategy so that we can continue to improve health and achieve health equity.”

The Academy’s mission to serve the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy through organizational excellence and effective nursing leadership initially captivated Johnson-Mallard, who was inducted into the organization in 2014. She served on this year’s Policy Conference Planning Advisory Committee and was the immediate past Chair of the Women’s Health Expert Panel. A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar alum, Johnson-Mallard is an expert in women’s as well as reproductive health and studies behavioral change in response to culturally appropriate nursing interventions.

“My passion for excellence in nursing drives my contributions to the profession,” Johnson-Mallard said. “I will use my position on the Board of Directors to further policies that will improve the health of the patients we serve and the nurses we mentor.”

Over the years, the nursing profession has been fundamental in implementing various healthcare policies. Nurses who serve on boards enhance the quality of health, education, and nursing care. 

“The College of Nursing and the Academy benefit from a shared mission to improve health and achieve health equity,” Johnson-Mallard said. “The paradigm has shifted from nurses simply following policies to nurses creating and implementing policies. Nurses model healthy behaviors, diversity and help to strengthen systems nationally and internationally.”

As a member of the Academy, Johnson-Mallard most enjoys the networking component with association executives; university presidents, chancellors, and deans; state and federal political appointees; hospital chief executives and vice presidents for nursing; nurse consultants; researchers; and entrepreneurs. Through these continued conversations Johnson-Mallard is dedicated to sharing ������ College of Nursing’s excellence.

“I am advocating for the success of the college, enhancing a sense of belonging for our students, investigating with national experts around streamlining programs and seeking successful methods to streamline demands on faculty, staff, and students,” Johnson-Mallard said. “Kent State College of Nursing is populated with accomplished leaders in education, practice, and research that are primed for nomination to become members of the Academy.”

About the American Academy of Nursing

The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 2,700 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.