NLN Board of Governors

BOG Engagement Expectations

NLN Chair
Patricia A. Sharpnack, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, ANEF, FAAN
Dean and Strawbridge Professor, Ursuline College, The Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions

Dr. Patricia Sharpnack currently holds leadership and board positions on several regulatory bodies, healthcare agencies, and professional organizations at regional, national, and international levels. She was the three-term past-president of the Ohio Board of Nursing, Board Supervisory Member and Chair of the Nursing Education Advisory Board. Dr. Sharpnack is the recipient of the 2012 Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) Nursing Education Advancement of the Science Award, the 2015 NEONI Legacy Award in Education, the 2018 International Quality and Safety in Education of Nurses Leadership Award, the 2019 MNRS Academic-Practice Partnership Award, the 2020 NCSBN Elaine Ellibee Award for outstanding leadership as a Board President, the 2020 Ursuline College Amadeus Rappe Alumni Award, the 2021 Elaine H. Martyn Writing Award from the Ohio Nurses Association, and the 2021 NLN Mary Adelaide Nutting Excellence in Nursing Education Leadership Award. Dr. Sharpnack is a TeamSTEPPS Master Team Trainer and member of the Advisory Board to the American Hospital Association.                                                                                                                                

NLN Chair-elect
Yolanda M. VanRiel, PhD, RN, MEDSURG-BC, OCN, CNE, ANEF
Chair of the Department of Nursing, North Carolina Central University and Patient Placement Coordinator at First Health of the Carolinas-Moore Regional Hospital

Yolanda M. VanRiel, PhD, RN, MEDSURG-BC, OCN, CNE, ANEF, chair of the Department of Nursing at North Carolina Central University and a patient placement coordinator at First Health of the Carolinas-Moore Regional Hospital, has 25 years of nursing experience, including two decades 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 professional accolades, among them the Richmond Community College Outstanding Alumni Award, NCNA Nurse Educator of the Year Award, Gamma Zeta Chapter STTI Excellence in Nursing Education Award, and the UNC-Greensboro School of Nursing Teaching Excellence Award. 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 and the North Carolina 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 has served as vice chair of the North Carolina Board of Nursing in 2019.

Secretary
Tedra Smith, DNP, CPNP-PC, CNE, CHSE
Associate Professor & Assistant Dean for Graduate Clinical Education – MSN, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing

Dr. Tedra Smith is an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Graduate Clinical Education-MSN at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing.  She is the recipient of the 2021 National Black Nurses Association Nurse Educator of the Year Award and the 2022 Cindajo Overton Outstanding Nurse Educator Award. Her primary scholarly interest focus on simulation in nursing education and community-based health care for children. She has received funding to support these endeavors from HRSA, school, and foundation grants. Dr. Smith has held various leadership positions and is a member of the editorial board for the Pediatric Nursing Journal. 

Treasurer
Mark C. Hand, PhD, RN, CNE
Clinical Professor, East Carolina University –  College of Nursing

Dr. Mark Hand is a Clinical Professor at East Carolina University College of Nursing in Greenville, NC. He is the recipient of the 2023 North Carolina Nurses Association Education Nurse of the Year. He has been the recipient of several honors and distinction including Excellence in Research, Excellence in Education, and Excellence in Leadership from the SIGMA chapter of Beta NU. Dr. Hand is a published author and active speaker.  He often collaborates with nursing students, ensuring they get the chance to experience those valuable types of professional development opportunities. He is the faculty mentor for the American Association of Men in Nursing Chapter at ECU. He recently received the AAMN 2023 Gene Tranbarger Research Award for his manuscript “Men as Nursing Faculty: Factors  of  Recruitment and Retention”. His research interest includes LGBTQ+ health education, men as nursing faculty, and nursing student success. He is a certified nurse educator and editorial board member for the Nursing Education Perspectives of the NLN. He is the Past President of the North Carolina League for Nursing.

Governor
Majeda El-Banna, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF
Dean, Qatar University, College of Nursing
Associate Professor, The George Washington University, School of Nursing

Dr. El-Banna has held several key academic and administrative leadership positions. She is currently serving her second term as Governor-at-Large for the National League for Nursing (NLN). Her research focuses on advancing nursing education and enhancing student outcomes through the development, improvement, and implementation of innovative teaching pedagogies grounded in evidence-based research. She has made a sustained contribution to shifting the classroom environment from teacher-driven to student-centered learning by using pedagogical models that require higher-order reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Her unique scholarly contribution to nursing education is well recognized nationally and internationally. Her educational research has been funded by the school, university, and foundations. In recognition of her contributions to the field, Dr. El-Banna has been inducted as an American Nurse Educator Fellow (ANEF). Additionally, she is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) and serves as a Subject Matter Expert Reviewer for the Quality Matters program. Dr. El-Banna has received numerous teaching awards at the school and university levels. She was recently awarded the 2023 Nursing Excellence Alumni Award by the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Governor
Anne M. Fink, PhD, RN, CNE
Associate Dean for College and Student Services, Director, LEAD Professional Development Program, Villanova University – M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing

Dr. Anne M. Fink is the Associate Dean for College and Student Services at the Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing. She is also the Director of the college’s LEAD Professional Development Program, recipient of the 2022 American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award in the Private Colleges and Universities category. Dr. Fink is a Certified Nurse Educator who has practiced in a variety of clinical settings and has over 30 years of experience in nursing education. She has taught students from the pre-licensure level through doctoral study using traditional, simulation and distance education strategies. Her research agenda focuses on elimination of health disparities in maternal-child health. Dr. Fink is a reviewer for The Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, the Journal of Professional Nursing, Nursing Outlook and Nursing Education Today. Dr. Fink is the recipient of the Alpha Nu Chapter STTI Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award. She is an active member of the Pennsylvania Action Coalition’s Nurse Diversity Council. Dr. Fink is also a past member of the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator Commission and is the current chairperson for the Pennsylvania League for Nursing Area I state constituency.

Governor
Rebecca Hill, PhD, DNP, FNP-C, CNE, FAAN
Associate Dean, Academic Affairs; Associate Professor                                                                                        MGH Institute of Health Professions, School of Nursing 

Rebecca Hill, PhD, DNP, FNP-C, CNE, FAAN, earned her BSN from the University of Rhode Island, her MSN, post-master’s certificate in nursing education, and DNP from Duke University and her PhD in nursing from Boston College. She is a family nurse practitioner and certified nurse educator. Dr. Hill currently serves as the associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing in Boston, Massachusetts. During her tenure at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, she has taught in the prelicensure and master’s programs, both on campus and online, developed a Master of Science – Nursing Education Program, and has represented the school of nursing across the organization, within academic medical centers, and with the Board of Registration in Nursing for the state of Massachusetts.

In 2019, she was recognized as the recipient of the Nancy T. Watts award – the highest honor bestowed to one faculty member annually, recognizing exceptional teaching. Dr. Hill is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Nurses Association, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the National League for Nursing, and Sigma Theta Tau International. Dr. Hill currently serves on the executive board for the Massachusetts/Rhode Island League for Nursing (MARILN) and as co-chair of the international Committee on Interprofessional Research, Education, and Ankyloglossia Science. She was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing in 2023 and serves on the Breastfeeding Expert Panel. 

Public Members

Governor
Elizabeth "Suzy" Cain
Chief Financial Officer, KFF (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)

Elizabeth “Suzy” Cain is the chief financial officer of KFF. Cain serves as the primary business officer for KFF, overseeing accounting, financial and tax reporting, financial analysis and forecasting. Prior to joining KFF, she served as chief financial officer of the San Francisco Chronicle and the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund, as financial adviser for Greenspun Media Group, and as an audit manager for Deloitte & Touche. Cain received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in management from the Stanford University School of Business, and is a California-licensed CPA.

Governor
Jane E. Dus, DNP, RN, NE-BC
Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Midwest Region, Advocate Health

Jane Dus, DNP, RN, NE-BC, is the Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer-Midwest Region for Advocate Health. Her responsibilities include the leadership and alignment of nursing practice and standards for the 28 hospital sites and over 20,000 nurses in the Midwest Region with a focus on quality, clinical outcomes, safety, patient experience and financial stewardship along with advancement and innovation in the delivery of care across the continuum. Dr. Dus held several progressive leadership positions, including the Chief Nursing Officer at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center before moving to Chicago to join Advocate Health Care in 2016. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Science degree from John Carroll University. She is also ANCC certified Nurse Executive.

Governor
Cheryl Hoying, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FACHE, FAAN
Interim CEO/CNO

Cheryl Hoying, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FACHE, FAAN, brings more than 30 years of nursing leadership experience to the Board, including many at the vice president/chief nurse executive/officer level in large academic medical centers and community hospitals. She recently served as chief nurse executive and patient services officer at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and before that as senior vice president for patient Services at Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center. Her portfolio has encompassed acute care, ambulatory, extended care, and health care operations, as well as health care practices related to quality, safety and high reliability. In academia, Dr. Hoying has been an interim dean and associate dean for the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing; assistant dean of clinical affairs for The Ohio State University College of Nursing; adjunct faculty at the Wright State University/Miami Valley School of Nursing and the Mount St. Joseph University College of Nursing; and served on multiple nursing school advisory boards. Professionally active in a number of health care organizations, Dr. Hoying is a past president of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and has been a valued member of the League; the American Academy of Nursing; Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society; and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Governor
Mark A. Vogt
CEO of Galen College of Nursing

Mark Vogt has served as CEO of Galen College of Nursing since 2004, leading one of the largest nursing colleges in the country with campuses and programs in Louisville, KY; Hazard, KY; Cincinnati, OH; San Antonio, TX; Tampa, FL; and Online, through a mission dedicated to expanding access to nursing education. He has guided significant expansion of nursing programs and remains committed to quality outcomes while providing a supportive and inspiring environment for all students as they learn and prepare to become confident, caring nurses. Mr. Vogt is a graduate of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.

NLN President and CEO

Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN
President and CEO, National League for Nursing