Each year, the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) puts out a call for nominations and holds an autumn election for available positions on the Board of Directors. The Board is made up of a president, five directors, and a treasurer. In alternate years, the Board also includes a president-elect position. Each Board position serves for a term of two years except for president-elect, which is a one-year position leading to a two-year term as president. The immediate past president then serves a two-year term as chair of the nominating committee. You can read more about elections in the ANPD Bylaws.
Serving on the ANPD Board is a volunteer leadership role. Board members work closely with ANPD staff and ANPD Executive Director Kaye Englebrecht, who are headquartered at ANPD’s association management company office (Smithbucklin) in downtown Chicago, IL. Serving on a Board is a wonderful opportunity to learn and contribute to an organization. Board membership also comes with numerous responsibilities including representing the organization, advocating for members’ needs, fostering goodwill with partners, demonstrating sound financial stewardship, and making decisions that align with ANPD’s mission, values, and strategic plan. I am privileged to have served on various committees and then as director, president-elect, and president of ANPD. These experiences have been transformational for me and my own professional development and identity. Serving in a leadership role requires time and commitment, but the benefits of connecting and contributing to a vibrant organization are immensely worthwhile.
In this piece, we share thoughts from two current ANPD Board members, one experienced and one newer to the role, about their experiences on the Board. To hear more from Dale Callicutt, PhD, RN, CV-BC, NPD-BC, CCRN-K, President-Elect, and Ashlee O’Meara, MSN-NL, BS-Ed, RN, NPD-BC, Director, in response to members’ frequently asked questions, please read on.
Why did you decide to become a Board member?
Dale Callicutt (DC): I chose to become a Board member due to my interactions with ANPD. I thoroughly support ANPD, and I was impressed with the services and resources that it provides. I participated in the Leadership Academy and also served as a member of the Recognition Committee prior to my involvement with ANPD’s Board. Those two activities excited me to become more engaged with this professional organization. Knowing that I love to serve, this was an excellent opportunity to provide more commitment to ANPD.
Ashlee O’Meara (AO): I increased my exposure and participation with ANPD by first participating on a committee and then serving as a committee chair. That experience inspired me to want to give back to the specialty and serve on the Board to help shape the post-pandemic nursing professional development practitioner practice.
Can you describe your role on the Board?
DC: I currently serve as a president-elect on the ANPD Board. I served two terms as an ANPD Board member prior to my recent selection as president-elect.
AO: My role on the Board is to ensure all NPD members’ voices and perspectives are considered in Board work. At the time I submitted my interest, there was no representation on the Board from the West Coast. We all have different perspectives and challenges in our geographic areas as well as in our practice settings. Having worked in a critical access hospital as well as for a large managed care organization in both ambulatory care and inpatient settings, I hoped to bring all those perspectives to the Board as well.
What has been a highlight of serving on the Board so far?
DC: The highlight of my time on the ANPD Board has been meeting such wonderful people across the nation. It is amazing that we all experience similar situations and challenges in the workforce. ANPD has provided me opportunities to meet and learn from others. Of all the items that I have been involved with the Board, this has truly been the most satisfying highlight of my tenure. I love chatting with others or taking a selfie or two with new people.
AO: My term on the Board started at the completion of the 2023 ANPD Aspire Convention. My highlight so far was attending convention through a different lens with the new responsibility before me. Speaking to members, hearing their experiences, challenges, and needs, and then reflecting how I could take that into consideration during my time of service was really a highlight.
What advice do you have for future ANPD Board members?
DC: I encourage the future ANPD Board to hear what the constituency desires. Make sure to include them in your decisions as you represent them. Always be open to feedback and objective in all your work/decisions.
AO: My advice to future Board members is to remember all the stages of your NPD career and consider those as you are serving and influencing.
What are you most looking forward to as a Board member in the coming year?
DC: I look forward to implementing and starting the new strategic plan for ANPD. I am excited about the many things we have set forth as a Board. Plus, our new DEI Committee will provide guidance to some of our future products and services.
AO: In the upcoming year, I am really excited to have the opportunity to participate in developing the next strategic plan. It is a privilege to set the future direction of the organization for the next three years, and I don’t take it lightly.
How has your BOD experience been different than you expected when going into it, and what have you learned from this difference?
DC: My initial experience was “wow.” I met so many new people and was introduced to a welcoming crowd. I immediately was grounded with others and started writing some articles and being involved with committee and Board tasks. I wasn’t sure what to expect as it was something new for me even though I served in other organizations on a national level. As for being different, I learned that I would have more interactions with our professional body and work with a bunch of experts in our field. I knew I would work with some new leaders and experts, but I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to be involved in knowing so many more people. It was eye-opening but extremely worth it. Lastly, I have met some people that are wonderful friends today, not just colleagues. That is what I never expected to develop or gain when joining the Board as in the outside world, I am totally introverted. And believe it or not, I would not change this opportunity of meeting new people for anything as it has allowed me to grow in ways that I never expected.
AO: I’m not sure it is different than I expected, but my heart is still warmed at how overwhelmingly supportive and welcoming the entire Board of Directors and staff have been during my first few months.
How has your NPD practice changed as a result of your serving on the Board of Directors?
DC: My practice has changed as I advocate even more for the NPD profession. We utilize more resources that ANPD offers to members. My organization supports the work of ANPD, and ANPD has made my organization realize the importance of NPD practitioners from not only a work perspective but also a financial and justification perspective. The resources are a tremendous part of our daily operations.
AO: My practice has changed since becoming a Board member with a shift in the scale of accountability to advocate and progress NPD, even in my own organization and circles. I’ve come to own and accept that it’s always my responsibility to educate or inform others of our specialty and the value it brings.
There are many ways to engage, contribute, and serve in ANPD. We hope you consider exploring the many avenues to become involved and look forward to hearing about how the experience helps you grow in ways you may not yet imagine. One opportunity to get involved right now is to apply to join ANPD’s new Editorial Committee to be part of making NPD in Motion possible.
If you are a current ANPD leader, please share your experiences with others. If you would like to learn more about serving on the Board or other opportunities to make a difference with ANPD, please be in touch.
Susan L. Bindon, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, FAAN
Associate Professor and Director, Institute for Educators; Associate Dean for Faculty Development, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Susan Bindon is an associate professor and director of the Institute for Educators, and associate dean for faculty development at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She earned her BSN at the University of Pittsburgh, and her MS, graduate teaching certificate, and DNP at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.
She has extensive experience teaching in classroom, clinical, and online settings and has mentored many nurses and nurse educators to develop their teaching expertise. She supports clinical educators at the University of Maryland Medical Center and manages a statewide faculty development grant that has prepared over 500 clinical nursing faculty. She is an NLN-certified nurse educator and board-certified in nursing professional development. She has authored peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and presented widely on effective teaching/learning strategies and professional development.
She is the immediate past president of the Association for Nursing Professional Development President and served as co-editor of the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and in 2023 was recognized by the University System of Maryland’s Board of Regents Excellence in Teaching award and the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Nursing’s Distinguished Excellence in Teaching alumni award.
Dale Callicutt, PhD, RN, CV-BC, NPD-BC, CCRN-K
Nurse Manager - Center for Professional Practice & Development, Novant Health
Dale Callicutt has worked at Novant Health for 31+ years, and has been involved with nursing professional development for 20 years. He participates in ANPD's NC affiliate, Cardinal affiliate.
Callicutt has a PhD (2015), MSN (1999), and BSN (1995). He is passionate about the growth and development of his team members. Callicutt's specialty background includes cardiac, critical care, and diabetes.
Ashlee O’Meara, MSN-NL, BS-Ed, RN, NPD-BC
Multisite Hospital Director
Ashlee O’Meara has worked in nursing professional development for 13 years and currently serves as a multisite hospital director for a large health system in Oregon. She holds a master's in nursing from Loyola University New Orleans, a bachelor's in nursing from Hawaii Pacific University, and a bachelor's in education from Western Oregon University. O'Meara holds a Board Certification in nursing professional development.
Prior to her specialty practice of nursing professional development, O'Meara's clinical experience included critical access, informatics, and emergency department nursing.