Fellows Program Announces 2024 Election Results
Media Contact: Bryan Black
New leaders will begin their term of office on July 1.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is pleased to share the results of the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) election.
Effective July 1, the newly elected FAANP officers and committee members will be:
Member-at-Large
Tracy Hicks, DNP, MBA, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, FIAAN, FAANP, is a clinic owner serving mental health, addiction and primary care needs. She is also affiliated with Federally Qualified Health Centers. She is the inaugural program coordinator for Texas Christian University's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. She holds a certification in addictions through the International Nursing Society on Addictions and is a Fellow of the International Academy of Addictions Nursing. She received a Certification in Diversity and Inclusion (DI) through Cornell University and is a licensed DI Trainer. She is a known leader in the nurse practitioner (NP) profession.
Secretary
April Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN, with 30 years in health care, serves as immediate past president of AANP and is now associate dean at the Vanderbilt School of Nursing. Committed to advancing NP care, she oversees nurse-led practices and teaches in the DNP program. As an accomplished author and presenter, Dr. Kapu shares expertise in advanced practice leadership across the world. Recognized with awards, including Modern Healthcare's "2022 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives," she is a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine, American Academy of Nursing and AANP. Dr. Kapu, with master's and doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt, shapes advanced practice and health system infrastructure, leaving a transformative mark in nursing leadership.
New Fellow Selection Committee Members
Angela Nelson, DNP, RN, CCRN, ACNP-BC, FCCM, FAANP, is an ACNP with over 25 years of experience, employed at the NYU Langone Medical Center. She has made significant contributions in program development as one of the first NPs enterprise-wide. She has a faculty appointment in New York University and precepts NP students regularly. She is active in her professional organizations in volunteering and presenting on a variety of topics. She has authored chapters and published manuscripts. She is a Fellow of both AANP and the American College of Critical Care Medicine. She is president-elect of the Forum of Nurses in Advanced Practice of New Jersey.
Michaelene Jansen, PhD, RN, FNP-C, FAANP, is a retired rural family NP and professor from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She has been an active member of National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, AANP and the American Nurses Association. She has presented nationally as well as internationally and published many articles and texts on advanced practice nursing, pain management and interstitial lung disease. She currently serves on the AANP History Committee and is committed to preserving the history of AANP and FAANP members. She also volunteers for many community activities.
Heather Meissen, DNP, ACNP, FCCM, FAANP, currently practices in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Emory University Hospital. Heather was founding program director of the Critical Care NP Fellowship at Emory Healthcare, which received the nation’s first accreditation as a practice transition program from ANCC and is a commission of accreditation. She was also instrumental in the development of the Association of Post Graduate advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) programs, serving on their founding executive board and becoming the first president. She is now an associate professor at the Nell Woodruff Hodgson School of Nursing at Emory University, serving as the interim program director for the MN Pathway Program.
Nomination Committee Member
Amber Vermeesch, PhD, FNP-C, CNE, FACSM, FNAP, ANEF, FAANP is the current family nurse practitioner concentration coordinator and associate professor at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She has been a practicing family NP since 2006. Dr. Vermeesch is nationally recognized as a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine, a Distinguished Practitioner, a Fellow of the National Academies of Practice in Nursing and a Fellow of AANP. Her overall area of expertise is wellness, both physical and emotional. She explores risk factors related to stress reduction and health promotion among vulnerable populations.
FAANP thanks all who participated in the 2024 election and extends its gratitude to the following outgoing FAANP Officers and Committee Members:
Kevin Ballard, DNP, FNP, FAANP — Nomination Committee.
Kahlil Demonbreun, DNP, RNC-OB, WHNP-BC, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN — New Fellow Selection Committee.
Vanessa Pomarico-Denino, EdD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP — New Fellow Selection Committee.
Terri Lynn Allison, DNP, ACNP-BC, FAANP — New Fellow Selection Committee.
###
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 385,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.
The Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) program was established in 2000 and is dedicated to the advancement of NPs and the high-quality health care they provide. Recognized as NP leaders who have made outstanding contributions to NP education, policy, clinical practice and research, AANP Fellows volunteer their expertise as reviewers, topical experts, committee members, journal contributors, mentors and more. FAANP strives to support AANP’s mission, develop NP leaders of the future and advance the NP role. Learn more at aanp.org/fellows.