Mary Holtschneider, MED, MPA, BSN, RN, NPDA-BC®, NPD-BC, NREMT-P, CPTD

Though Mary is no longer with us, her influence on nursing professional development, simulation, and interprofessional education continues to resonate across our profession.

Mary E. Holtschneider had a wide variety of experience in healthcare education. She served as a Nursing Professional Development Specialist and Simulation Education Coordinator at the Durham, North Carolina Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System. She co-directed for ten years the Durham VA Interprofessional Advanced Fellowship in Clinical Simulation, a yearlong educational program designed to prepare individuals to become simulation leaders. She was the recipient of the 2014 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health’s Excellence in Clinical Simulation, Training, Education and Research Practice Award. Ms. Holtschneider also served as Nursing Program Manager for Duke Area Health Education Center (AHEC), part of the NC statewide AHEC system. Over the course of twenty-five years, she also served as the Heart Center Clinical Nurse Educator for Duke University Health System, the Director of the Duke University School of Nursing Simulation Center, and the Director of Practice and Education for her state nurses association. She had been certified in NPD since 2005 and was an avid supporter of nursing certification.

Ms. Holtschneider served on the Editorial Board for the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development (JNPD) and co-edited the bimonthly column on Interprofessional Learning Environments (previously titled Simulation), where she explored various topics related to interprofessional education and collaboration. She served on the ANPD Scope and Standards workgroup in 2015, co-authored the Simulation chapter for the 5th edition of Core Curriculum for Nurses in Professional Development, and served on the Advanced NPD Certification Steering Task Force. In 2019, Ms. Holtschneider was the recipient of the ANPD Leader Award and was recognized as one of the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina. She spoke regularly on leadership, mindfulness, wellness, interprofessional education, simulation modalities, simulation faculty development, simulation debriefing techniques, and other related topics.

Ruhaina S. Ladja, MN, RN, NPD-BC

Ruhaina S. Ladja is a trailblazing Nurse Educator with 17 years of experience at King Khalid University Hospital, a premier tertiary facility and newly designated Magnet® organization in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She has elevated institutional standards through innovative initiatives, including hospital-wide nursing huddles, patient assessment improvements, and the localized adaptation of the Johns Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment. Her leadership emphasizes the strategic application of the Kirkpatrick Training Model and the development of comprehensive Nursing Career Pathways, ensuring professional development directly supports superior clinical outcomes.

As a visionary coordinator, Ruhaina pioneered frameworks in Nursing Leadership, Evidence-Based Practice, and Mentorship/Preceptorship that now serve as regional benchmarks for nursing excellence. Her commitment to Nursing Professional Development is recognized through multiple prestigious awards, including Most Distinguished Efforts in Nursing Education, Most Outstanding Nursing Innovator, Best Nurse Educator, the Florence Nightingale Award in Arabia, and acknowledgment as the Top Filipino Healthcare Professional in the Middle East. An international speaker, researcher, and Magnet conference reviewer, she continues to advance the Nursing Professional Development specialty by bridging clinical innovation with global educational standards.

Lindsay D’Angelo, MSN, RN, RNC-NIC, NPD-BC

Lindsay D’Angelo is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Tufts Medical Center, where she supports nursing practice in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She has spent 15 years in the NICU and the past 6 years specializing in nursing professional development. Lindsay earned her BSN from the University of Connecticut and her MSN in Nursing Education from Drexel University. She has a strong interest in adult learning theory, with particular expertise in gamification and the use of technology to enhance education. Lindsay is passionate about designing creative, engaging, and innovative learning experiences that support competency, critical thinking, and professional growth among nurses.

Cathleen S. Opperman, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, EBP-CH, CPN

Dr. Cathleen Opperman has been in professional development for more than 35 years. She has been active in ANPD for about 25 years. Cathleen currently serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Nurses in Professional Development and has served on the ANPD Board of Directors, Education Committee, the ROI Task Force, and Mentor and Coordinator for the ANPD EBP Academy. She has coauthored a series of articles on measuring the impact of professional development, has authored chapters in the Core Curriculum, and speaks nationally on variety of topics including EBP, outcome measurement, the Change Role for NPDPs, and Relationship Building in Clinical Environments. Cathleen has 7 grandkids and is part of Nationwide Children's Hospital Professional Development team making her joy of children prevalent in both her career and personal life. Cathleen values mentoring of nurses both internal and external to her organization. She says it "fills my cup."

Tatiana Henderson, MSN, RN, NPD-BC

Tatiana Henderson serves as the Associate Director of Nursing Professional Development at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), where she leads strategic initiatives that advance nursing professional development across the organization. She has over 20 years of nursing experience, including 10 years in professional development. As a board-certified NPD leader, Tatiana is passionate about empowering nursing staff and cultivating growth and excellence among the NPD specialists she leads. She champions lifelong learning, innovative learning strategies, and developing collaborative partnerships to strengthen interprofessional practice. Her work focuses on elevating competency management, onboarding, and continuing professional development to support nursing excellence. Through her leadership, Tatiana advances the NPD specialty and reinforces the vital impact of professional development on patient care and healthcare outcomes.

Al-Zada Aguilar, DNP, ACNP-BC, NPD-BC, CNEcl, CCRN

Al Aguilar serves as a Critical Care APP at RWJUH, a team member of NJ’s first ANCC-accredited APP Fellowship Program, and an adjunct faculty in the Advanced Practice Division at Rutgers School of Nursing. A nurse of over 15 years, the majority of which has been in advanced practice, Al has been privileged to support and help lead numerous APP-focused initiatives within his institution and across the RWJBH system, with the hope of extending these efforts wherever they may bring meaningful contributions to the collective.
He is passionate about lifelong learning, maintaining a growth mindset, and fostering the professional growth of others alongside his own. Guided by values of representation, empowerment, and collaboration, Al seeks to honor those who came before him by building connections and programs that elevate APP practice and create spaces where others can thrive and achieve lasting collective impact.

Deborah Italiano, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, OCN

Deborah Italiano is a certified Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She has dedicated 31 years to oncology nursing, with the past 7 years focused on nursing professional development. In her current role, she partners with unit leadership to onboard nursing staff and ensure annual educational requirements are met. Deborah actively contributes to shared governance, demonstrating a deep commitment to evidence-based practice (EBP) through her role as the NPDS representative for the hospital's EBP Steering Committee, where she leads programs to cultivate essential skills like practice change implementation, manuscript publication, and EBP mentoring. Deborah is also the Program Chair for her local Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) chapter, where she coordinates educational programs for oncology nurses in the community. A faculty member at Pace University, Deborah continues to share her expertise and mentor the next generation of oncology nurses. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Chamberlain University, further demonstrating her commitment to lifelong learning and advancing nursing practice.

Deborah Shelton, PhD, RN, NE-BC, NPD-BC, CCHP, FAAN

Dr. Deborah Shelton, an internationally known correctional nurse scholar, has published work read in 137 countries and is linked with education, government and health care institutions. Dr. Shelton has a PhD in Nursing from the University of Virginia and completed post-doctoral studies in mental health services research at Johns Hopkins University. Certified in Correctional Health, Nursing Administration and Nurse Professional Development, her current focus is on recruitment and retention of specialty nurses for correctional healthcare settings. She has recently established a Center for Correctional Nursing which improves access to workforce data, publications, and educational programming. Dr. Shelton’s course on correctional nurse professional identity and interprofessional identity of correctional teams seeks to support workforce stabilization. She is the new NCCHC Nurse Advisory Council Chair and Nurse Accredited Provider Program Director, and she participates on numerous national correctional workforce committees.

Latrina T. Geyer, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC

Dr. Trina Geyer is an innate and developed leader and nurturer with over 30 years of diverse expertise in nursing practice, public health, academia, and scholarship. Her progressive leadership abilities and experiences over the past decade have interwoven organizational and personal mission, vision, and values to advance nursing excellence in healthcare organizations. Trina applies her strengths in education, role development, collaborative partnerships, and inquiry to advocate for and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and well-being. Trina is a native of Philadelphia, PA and enjoys cultivating her own self-care through faith, family, and travel.

Lisa McEathron, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CCRN

Lisa McEathron, MSN, RN, CCRN, NPD-BC has more than 20 years of nursing experience and has led an International Transition to Practice Program since its inception three years ago. This innovative and forward-thinking program bridges internationally educated nurses’ prior education and clinical backgrounds to support a successful transition into U.S. nursing practice. Through this work, Lisa has positively impacted nurses, their families, and the future of the nursing workforce. She also supports transition-to-practice initiatives for new nurse graduates and nurses entering new specialty practice areas, supporting competency development across the continuum of nursing experience. Lisa is a nationally recognized NPD leader in international nurse transition and workforce integration. She has presented at the ANPD Aspire Convention for the second consecutive year in 2026 and has published and presented at multiple national and international conferences. Outside of work, Lisa values time with her family and enjoys camping and gardening—activities that reflect the same patience, adaptability, and intention she brings to developing strong clinical teams.