2026-2027 NPD Leadership Academy
Apply now as a participant or mentor!
Participant Application
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
Intended Audience: Novice NPD leaders or NPD practitioners who aspire to assume a formal NPD leadership role.
Click to view qualifications
- NPD practitioners who are new to their leadership position or aspiring to an NPD leadership role
- NPD certification preferred as a measure of competence and demonstration of advocacy for the specialty
- Current ANPD member preferred
Click to view application requirements
- Complete online application
- Submit CV/resume (through online application)
- Submit a personal letter of interest through the online application (max. 1000 words)
- Provide and upload a letter of support from your employer
Click to view responsibilities of participants
- Complete pre and post assessments
- Attend the 2026 Aspire Convention, March 24-27, 2026, including pre-convention Leadership Academy kick-off on March 24, 2026
- Participate in live seminars
- Complete required professional development activities
- Actively engage with mentor
- Adhere to established timelines
- Complete best-practice initiative and disseminate findings from initiative (submit for a poster presentation or panel discussion at the 2027 Aspire Convention)
Click to view tuition rates
The Registration fee for the one-year academy is $2,500 for members and $2,800 for non-members.
The fee includes:
- A copy of Leadership in Nursing Professional Development: An Organization and Systems Focus (2nd ed.) ($125 value)
- Program assessment ($60 value)
- 2026 Aspire Convention full registration ($750 members, $1,030 value non-members)
- Synchronous seminars and asynchronous webinars as described above ($480 value)
- Mentoring for the year, including consultations for Leadership Best Practice Initiative and networking opportunities (priceless)
Justification Worksheet
Download and customize the justification worksheet and letter template to portray to your supervisor or manager how you and your facility would benefit from your participation in ANPD’s Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Leadership Academy.
Apply to Be a Particpant
"I have implemented tools and standard work based on the scope of practice, started a novice educator development program founded in the NPD practice model, led groups through developing ROI on initiatives and exchanged valuable practice ideas with other participants." Lindsey Lynd, MSN, RN, CMSRN, NPD-BC, Leadership Academy alumna
Mentor Application
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
Click to view qualifications of mentors
- Master's prepared
- Current ANPD member
- Certified in NPD, NPD-BC, or NPDA-BC®
- Minimum 3-5 years experience in NPD Leadership role
Click to view mentor application requirements
- Complete the application
- Submit resume/CV
Click to view mentor responsibilities
- Attend the 2026 Aspire Convention, March 24-27, 2026 in Louisville, KY to meet program participants and be matched with a mentee
- Attend introductory mentor orientation (virtual)
- Meet regularly with protégé by phone or video conference
- Initiative
- Advise as needed
- Assist with overcoming barriers
- Promote adherence to timeline
- Provide resources and networking
- Validate completion
Click to view mentor recognition and rewards
- Contributing to the NPD profession
- 2026 Aspire Convention registration discount of 10%
- Recognition at the 2026 Aspire Convention
- Lapel pin
Apply to Be a Mentor
"Being a Leadership Academy Mentor is one of my favorite ways to get involved in ANPD. It is definitely a two-way relationship, I swear I learn more than those I am mentoring! Assisting them to grow as leaders, and work towards a positive outcome with their project is the highlight of my year!" Mandi D. Walker DNP, RN, NPDA-BC, CCRN, NEA-BC, Leadership Academy Mentor
Continuing Education
Association for Nursing Professional Development is accredited with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Refund Policy
- Tuition for the NPD Leadership Academy may be refunded until 30 days prior to the start of the Leadership Academy Program and will be subject to withholding the Strengthscope® Assessment fee and a $150 processing fee. Refunds are processed by the method in which they were paid.
- No refunds will be granted less than 30 days before the start of the program.
- Participants who fail to complete the assignments and expectations of the Leadership Academy will be considered to have voluntarily withdrawn.