President and CEO Dr. Beverly Malone has led the National League for Nursing since 2007. She received her BSN and PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Cincinnati and her M.S. in Adult Psychiatric Nursing from Rutgers University.

She contributed to the groundbreaking IOM report, "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health," and served on the Minority Health Federal Advisory Committee. With over 20 honorary degrees and numerous accolades, Dr Malone’s distinguished career has blended policy, education, administration, and clinical practice – including the position of federal deputy assistant secretary for health under President Bill Clinton. 

Dr. Malone serves as vice chair at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Board of Directors, co-leads the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Health Professional Education and Communication Working Group, and serves on NAM’s Steering Committee. She is a member of ecoAmerica’s Leadership Circle Executive Committee.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) named Dr. Malone as their 2024 Hall of Fame Award recipient. The American Academy of Nursing selected Dr. Malone as their 2024 Mary Elizabeth Carnegie Leadership in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) Awardee. The National Black Nurses Association recognized Dr. Malone as a 2024 inaugural Fellow in the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (FADLN). In a remarkable recognition of her contributions to global health care, Dr. Malone was profiled by The Lancet (2024), one of the most prestigious and influential medical journals in the world. This honor underscores the significance of her work and places her among an elite group of leaders shaping the future of health care.

The year prior, Modern Healthcare, a leading publication in the health care field, has honored Dr. Malone as one of the nation’s leading health care executives by naming her to the 2023 list of the Top 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives in Health Care and was listed in Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential People in Health Care for the fourth consecutive year. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) presented Dr. Malone with the prestigious 2023 HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein Award for her commitment to advancing the nursing profession and excellence in nursing professional practice across international borders.

Dr. Malone is internationally recognized as the first African American General Secretary of the United Kingdom (UK) Royal College of Nursing representing 400,000 nurses. She also served as a member of the UK delegation to the World Health Assembly.