Dr Kathy Wheeler, PhD, RN, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP, FGNLI, is an Assistant Professor (Ret.) at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing where she previously taught in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. Having practiced as a Family Nurse Practitioner since 1981, Dr. Wheeler currently volunteers at Mission Frankfort, a clinic that serves the underserved and immigrant population in Central Kentucky. Instrumental in the formation of the Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives, she later served as Executive Director, shepherding multiple policy initiatives through the legislature and organizations for the benefit of advanced practice nurses (APNs) in the state and region. In 2000 she took a position at Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing (now Frontier Nursing University), the first school to educate APNs via hybrid format. Her PhD in Education, concentrating on distance education of APNs, helped Frontier move to collaborative, interactive learning methods. The same was true when she took a position at the University of Kentucky just as they were moving to hybrid format.
After many years serving as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Kentucky State Representative, Region 4 Director, and Treasurer she founded the AANP International Committee, the AANP International Ambassador Program, and the AANP Special Interest Group. She recently served as Co-Chair of the ICN NP/APN Network Health Policy Subgroup, where she oversaw global APN research on nursing roles, regulation, education, and practice. She was also a Commissioner of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program for many years, when the organization grew tremendously, began international testing, and transitioned and developed multiple certification offerings.
She has presented and published extensively nationally and internationally. Areas of practice, interest. and research include health policy, international NP/APN issues, diabetes care, medication adherence, credentialing and competence, and the future of advanced practice.
Dr NP Michelle Acorn, DNP, NP PHC/Adult, MN/ACNP, BScN/PHCNP, FCAN, FAAN, FFNMRCSI, FQNI, CGNC is the CEO of the Nurse Practitioners Association of Ontario since 2024. She previously served as the inaugural Chief Nurse with the International Council of Nurses providing strategic and operational executive leadership expertise to advance and strengthen nursing and health policy. She also served as the Provincial Chief Nursing Officer in Ontario, Canada providing ministerial strategic nursing expertise as the technical and clinical advisor. She is a Doctor of Nurse Practitioner/Nursing Practice, dually registered as both a Primary Health Care and Adult Nurse Practitioner. Michelle is internationally certified as a Global Nurse Consultant. Michelle was inducted as an inaugural Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nursing (FCAN), a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), a Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (FFNMRCSI, Ad Eundem), and a Fellow of the Queen's Nursing Institute. Michelle was named as one of the top 25 Women of Influence in Canada and received a King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Dr Acorn's diverse clinical expertise includes practicing in the Emergency, as a Hospitalist, innovating GAIN (Geriatric Assessment and Intervention Networks), and pioneering the most responsible provider (MRP) impacts of a NP-led model of inpatient hospital care, and primary care in corrections and with youth at risk of exploitation and human trafficking. Michelle's scholarship and knowledge translation are in textbooks, peer-reviewed articles, evidence informed toolkits, and quality improvement initiates. She is recognised for her leadership, mentorship, preceptorship and teaching locally to globally.
