Fellows Program Announces 2025 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.

Selected by Fellows during the April 7-21 voting period, these exemplary nurse practitioner (NP) leaders will start their terms of service on July 1, 2025.

Executive Committee Chair-Elect

Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos, EdD, MSN, WHNP-BC, FAANP

Dr. Nagtalon-Ramos is a distinguished NP leader, clinician, researcher, educator and author. She is an assistant professor at Rutgers University and a WHNP at Penn Medicine. She was instrumental in developing the first obstetric NP hospitalist position in the department of OGBYN at Penn Medicine in 2003. A prolific scholar, Dr. Nagtalon-Ramos has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, textbook chapters, books and NP clinical, practice and education guidelines. Her dual role as a clinician and academic allows her to bridge the gap between research, practice and education, ensuring her work is grounded in evidence-based, real-world clinical application.

Executive Committee Treasurer

Susanne Quallich, PhD, ANP-BC, NP-C, CUNP, CMHE, FAUNA, FAANP

Dr. Quallich has been an NP since 1996 and was promoted to assistant professor of urology in 2018, the first NP to achieve this academic position at University of Michigan Health. She is an active clinician, researcher, editor and health care educator. Dr. Quallich is editor-in-chief for Urologic Nursing, and has held many leadership positions related to the NP role and urology. She was instrumental in defining the urology NP role and its clinical competencies, salary and work environments. She has worked nationally to develop white papers reviewing regulatory environments and guiding integration of NPs into urology practices.

Executive Committee Member-at-Large

Alison Mitchell, MSN, APRN, ACNP, FAANP

Ms. Mitchell graduated as an acute care nurse practitioner in 2001 and has been involved in policy and lobbying for the profession since a student. Alison became president of Houston Area Nurse Practitioners in 2003 and was appointed to the Texas Nurse Practitioner (TNP) Board in 2005. Alison served on the TNP Board, including as president, for over 10 years and remains involved in TNP Committee work. In 2015, Alison was an AANP Texas State Representative and inducted as a Fellow of AANP. Alison served on the Fellow Selection Committee and serves as a Member-at-Large on the Executive Fellow Committee.

Nomination Committee Member

Elizabeth Sharpe, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC, VA-BC, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN

Dr. Sharpe is an associate clinical professor at The Ohio State University, whose primary responsibility is graduate nursing education. She is a neonatal nurse practitioner and vascular access specialist. Her unique contributions and service in neonatal care and pediatric vascular access have impacted care for patients worldwide. Her publications include national guidelines and standards for infusion therapy, interprofessional simulation, nursing education and transition to practice for advanced practice nurses. She was named the first Dr. Janet Pettit Scholar by the Association for Vascular Access and currently serves on the Association for Vascular Access Foundation Board of Directors.

New Fellow Selection Committee Members

Kristene Diggins, DNP, MBA, JD Exec, FAANP

Dr. Digginshas over 15 years of FNP experience in primary and specialty care. She recently completed a JD in executive health care specialty and has an MBA in health care administration. She currently serves as a subject matter expert in curriculum development for the Liberty University DNP program and as an adjunct faculty for Purdue Global and Chamberlain University. She has worked in corporate leadership of NP training, and currently provides NP leadership for in-home care for hospice patients in South Carolina. She has published many articles in nursing, and provided a regular column for APRNs in two nursing journals.

Asefeh Faraz Covelli, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP

Dr. Faraz Covelli is an associate professor at the George Washington University School of Nursing. Her research focuses on NP workforce issues, with emphasis on the novice NP workforce transition. Dr. Faraz Covelli has co-developed the Novice Nurse Practitioner Role Transition Scale and the Doctor of Nursing Practice Minimum Data Set. She has worked with major national organizations, and received government and foundation funding. Dr. Faraz Covelli is a nationally-known expert in the area of NP workforce, having presented several popular national webinars and is also co-editor of a forthcoming transition to practice book for NPs.

Honey Jones, DNP, MBA, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM

Dr. Jones is an ACNP in the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at UNC Health where she serves as MICU APP supervisor. Her primary role is providing care for critically ill adults. She received her master’s and doctoral degrees from Duke University and is appointed as clinical assistant professor in the UNC School of Medicine and clinical associate faculty in the Duke University School of Nursing. She serves as faculty for AANP and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and is recognized as a Fellow in AANP and SCCM’s American College of Critical Care.

George Peraza-Smith, DNP, AGNP-C, GNP-BC, GS-C, CNE, FAANP

Dr. George Peraza-Smith, a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, has over 25 years of experience as a gerontological nurse practitioner, specializing in primary care, geropsychiatry and long-term care. He is the 2024-2025 president of the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association and a past president of the Florida Nurses Association and the Gerontology Nursing Certification Commission. Dr. Peraza-Smith has served on the New Fellows Selection Committee for three years and previously on the AANP Nomination Council. He has taught NP and DNP online and hybrid programs for over 10 years and has held various academic leadership roles.

FAANP thanks all who participated in the 2025 election and extends its gratitude to the following outgoing FAANP Committee Members:

Penny Kaye Jensen, DNP, FNP-C, FAAN, FAANP, FNAP
FAANP Executive Committee Past Chair

Veronica Wilbur, PhD APRN-FNP, CNE, FAANP
FAANP Nomination Committee Member

Catherine Ling, PhD, FNP-BC, CNE, FAAN, FAANP
FAANP New Fellow Selection Committee Member

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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 431,000 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.