AACN Announces 2026 Election Results for its Board of Directors and Nominating Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 10, 2026 – The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is pleased to announce the results of its 2026 election to fill seats on the AACN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. With votes cast by nearly half of all member deans from the nation’s nursing schools with baccalaureate and higher degree programs, those selected to serve as AACN’s top leaders include Board members Valerie Howard (Chair-Elect) from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Christine Verni (Secretary) from Niagara University; Bimbola Akintade from East Carolina University; Eileen Fry-Bowers from the University of San Francisco; Kimberly Hunter from University of Iowa Health Care; and Versie Johnson-Mallard from Kent State University. New members of AACN’s Nominating Committee include Aziza Mahmud Perez from Ponce Health Sciences University and Cynthia Rubenstein from Randolph-Macon College. 

“As a community of leaders, AACN’s success is fueled by our network of engaged members who volunteer their time and expertise to advance our mission and strategic goals,” said AACN Board Chair Jean Giddens, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN. “AACN applauds our newly elected Board and committee members for their commitment to leading at the intersection of higher education and healthcare at this pivotal time for the nursing profession.”

Those elected to the AACN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee will begin their terms of service following the membership meeting at AACN’s Deans Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. New and re-elected Board members include:

Valerie Howard, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN, dean and professor at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing and Vice President of Nursing for Academic Affairs at UNC Health, was elected to a two-year term as Chair-Elect. Her distinguished career in nursing education includes leadership roles at Duke University and Robert Morris University. As president of the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning, Dr. Howard contributed to the development of the first standards for simulation best practices. A pioneer in simulation-based education, she led the development of one of the first Simulation Learning Systems, which has been implemented in over 400 nursing schools worldwide. Beyond academia, she has served as director of the North Carolina Future of Nursing Action Coalition and on the steering committee of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on the Future of the Nursing Workforce. She is currently an active leader within the Society of Simulation in Healthcare as well as serving on the Quality Subcommittee of UNC Hospitals and Academic Affairs, the North Carolina Council of Higher Education in Nursing, and the North Carolina Nurses Association. At AACN, Dr. Howard has served as Board Member-at-Large, Board liaison to the Government Affairs Committee, member of the Program Committee, chair of the Doctoral Conference Subcommittee, state grassroots liaison, and both chair and co-chair of the Organizational Leadership Network. She will serve as AACN Board Chair from 2028-2030.

Christine Verni, EdD, RN, FNP-BC, APRN, dean and professor at Niagara University, was elected to a two-year term as Board Secretary. Recently featured on the Buffalo Business First 2025 Power 200 Women list, she has secured millions of dollars in funding for nursing education at Niagara and spearheaded the development of new graduate programs, including family nurse practitioner and nursing education. Dr. Verni is a board-certified family nurse practitioner whose practice extends to individuals across the lifespan and in venues such as emergency medicine, pediatrics, and hospice. A graduate of the Health Foundation of Western and Central New York’s Health Leadership Fellows program, she has assisted in the development and adoption of electronic medical record and e-prescribing technology in the emergency setting, and her research interests include interprofessional education, medication safety in the frail elderly, and promoting the education of young English-language-learners. At the state level, she is a member of the New York Organization of Nurse Leaders, serves on the New York Council of Deans, and is active with the Professional Nurses Association of Western New York. A graduate of the AACN-Wharton Executive Leadership and Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing programs, Dr. Verni has previously served on the AACN Board of Directors as Secretary and Member-at-Large and as chair and past chair of the Organizational Leadership Network Steering Committee. 

Bimbola Akintade, PhD, MBA, ACNP-BC, NEA-BC, FAANP, FAAN, dean and professor at the East Carolina University College of Nursing, was elected to a two-year term as Board Member-at-Large. With more than 20 years in academia, healthcare, and leadership, he has extensive experience teaching in MSN, DNP, and PhD programs. Dr. Akintade is a nursing workforce development leader with senior executive leadership experience in a variety of settings, including universities and tertiary care hospitals. He has strong management and business skills grounded in evidence-based practice, clinical outcomes, and a service-oriented philosophy. He is a member of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on the Future of the Nursing Workforce, North Carolina Council for Higher Education in Nursing, and Board of Directors for the North Carolina Nurses Association, among other appointments. He is a former commissioner with the Maryland Healthcare Commission, a pioneer member of the Board of Directors for DNPs of Color, and currently serves as managing editor of the Journal of Doctoral Nursing Practice. Dr. Akintade previously served on the board of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and was the founding faculty mentor for the Maryland Chapter of the American Association of Men in Nursing. A recognized leader in the move to competency-based education, he has served on AACN’s Essentials Implementation Steering Committee since 2021 and chairs the Assessment Expert Working Group.

Eileen Fry-Bowers, PhD, JD, RN, CPNP-PC, FAAN, dean and professor at the University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions, has been re-elected to a two-year term as Board Member-at-Large. Prior to her current appointment, she served as associate provost and professor at the University of San Diego School of Nursing and Health Services. With extensive experience in academic leadership and health policy, she currently serves as a member of the Board of the California Association of Colleges of Nursing and chairs the Policy and Legislative Committee. Her service to the profession includes roles with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and the American Academy of Nursing, where she chaired the Child, Adolescent and Family Expert Panel and served on the planning committee for Expert Panel Dialogues. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Dr. Fry-Bowers has developed courses in pediatric nursing, health policy, leadership, research, ethics, and public health law. Her scholarship includes more than 40 publications, 10 book chapters, 70 invited presentations, and over 60 poster/podium presentations. Her research focuses on child and family health policy, pediatric healthcare delivery, and workforce education and ethics. For AACN, she has contributed her time and expertise as a member of the Essentials Revision Task Force, Finance Committee, and the Health Policy Advisory Council.

Kimberly Hunter, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, chief nurse executive with University of Iowa Health Care, was re-elected to serve a two-year term as a Practice Representative on the AACN Board. Dr. Hunter has held a variety of leadership positions in nursing and healthcare administration at two of the nation’s premier healthcare systems: Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. Through this work, she has focused on operational excellence, leading teams pursuing ANCC Magnet recognition at three hospitals, and Beacon designation. Dr. Hunter has served as full-time faculty in the BSN program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for six years and lectured in various DNP classes on healthcare systems leadership topics at the University of Iowa. Her clinical practice focused on pediatrics, and she has taught in the classroom, skills lab, and clinical settings. Dr. Hunter’s leadership on behalf of the profession includes service on the AONL Models of Care Coalition, Philips Nursing Leadership Community Advisory Board, American Hospital Association’s Academic Medical Center Strategic Leadership Group, and the Iowa Center for Nursing Classification and Clinical Effectiveness Advisory Board. Her contributions to AACN’s mission include service on the Governance Committee.

Versie Johnson-Mallard, PhD, RN, APRN-BC, FAANP, FAAN, dean, endowed leadership chair, and professor at the Kent State University College of Nursing, was elected to a two-year term as Board Member-at-Large. A nationally recognized academician, researcher, clinician, and leader, her expertise spans women’s health, nursing education, and health equity. Dr. Johnson-Mallard serves as Secretary of the Ohio Council of Deans and Directors; is an advisor to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and a board member of the University Hospital Portage Foundation. She has authored over 100 publications, edited textbooks, and contributed to the development of numerous book chapters, including Preparing for Doctoral Study in Nursing and content on women’s health in NP curricula across the U.S. Her leadership includes service on National League for Nursing advisory committees and as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar. She recently served on the board of the American Academy of Nursing (2021-2025), which included appointments to several expert panels focused on breastfeeding; child, adolescent, and family care; and maternal and infant health. Active within AACN, Dr. Johnson-Mallard has served on the Program Committee, including chair of the Executive Development Series and Leadership Programs Subcommittee.

Continuing members of the AACN Board of Directors include Chair-Elect Julie Sanford from The University of Alabama (who will serve as Chair from March 2026-March 2028); Treasurer Judith Karshmer from Arizona State University; Practice Representative Julie Swann from Emory Saint Joseph Hospital; and Members-at-Large Lorna Finnegan from Loyola University Chicago; Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow from Duquesne University; and Shannon Bright Smith from Florida A&M University. AACN President and Chief Executive Officer Deborah Trautman serves as an ex-officio member of the AACN Board.

The newly elected members of AACN’s Nominating Committee include:

Aziza Mahmud Perez, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, dean and chief nurse administrator of Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) in Puerto Rico, was elected to a two-year term on the Nominating Committee. She is recognized as a transformational leader at PHSU, responsible for multi-campus oversight in both Puerto Rico and St. Louis. Dr. Mahmud Perez previously served as nursing dean at NUC University (now Northbridge University), where she held appointments as MSN program coordinator and nurse faculty. With more than 14 years in academia and 29 years as a registered nurse, her expertise includes curriculum design and delivery across multiple modalities (face-to-face, online, hybrid) with emphasis on critical care, advanced practice, leadership, and health policy. Her scholarship has focused on curriculum innovation, simulation pedagogy, quality and safety in nursing education, and interprofessional collaboration. For AACN, Dr. Mahmud Perez has served on the Access, Connection, and Engagement Committee since 2023, including holding the role of Chair since 2024. She also serves as a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) on-site evaluator.

Cindy Rubenstein, PhD, RN, CPNP-PC, CNE, founding chair and professor from Randolph-Macon College, was elected to a two-year term on the Nominating Committee. With over 20 years of experience as a nurse educator, Dr. Rubenstein has led research efforts focused on childhood obesity prevention, nursing education, and political self-efficacy in BSN students. Her scholarly activities have been presented at local, regional, and national meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals. She also published a peer-reviewed book chapter and serves as a manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Professional Nursing and the Journal of Specialists in Pediatric Nursing. Active in her home state, Dr. Rubenstein has been a volunteer leader with the Virginia Association of Colleges of Nursing (including appointments as President and President-Elect), Virginia Legislative Nursing Alliance, Virginia Board of Nursing, and the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, among other groups. A fellow of AACN’s Advancing Academic Leadership program, she has served the association as a member of the Program Committee, chair of the Transform Conference Subcommittee, chair and member of the Executive Development Series Program Subcommittee, and as a Virginia state grassroots liaison, CCNE on-site evaluator, and awards reviewer. 

Continuing Nominating Committee members include Vivienne Friday from Goodwin University, Katherine Gregory from Boston College, and Holly Wei from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. AACN Board Chair Jean Giddens from the University of Kansas will join the Nominating Committee when her term as Chair ends on March 31, 2026.

    
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the voice for academic nursing representing more than 890 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide. AACN works to establish quality standards for nursing education; assists schools in implementing those standards; influences the nursing profession to improve health care; and promotes public support for professional nursing education, research, and practice. Learn more at aacnnursing.org. 

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