NCSBN CEO Kathy Apple to Retire

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Jan 26, 2015) - After 14 years of distinguished service as the CEO of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), www.ncsbn.org, Kathy Apple, MS, RN, FAAN, has announced her retirement effective Sept. 30, 2015. Throughout her tenure, Kathy has worked diligently to support the important work of U.S. boards of nursing (BONs), steadfastly promoting the mandate to protect the public through the regulation of nursing practice at the state, national and international levels.

"Kathy Apple has shown a deep and sustained commitment to NCSBN not only as CEO but previously as executive officer of the Nevada State Board of Nursing," said Shirley A. Brekken, MS, RN, President of the NCSBN Board of Directors (BOD). "Under her leadership, NCSBN has been recognized as an advocate for patient safety and public protection both nationally and internationally. She will leave a legacy of innovation, optimism and passion for excellence in nursing regulation."

Apple has lived the NCSBN purpose, mission, vision and values throughout her executive tenure providing BONs with programs, products, and services needed for effective and efficient public protection. Apple has ensured that the NCLEX® Examinations have met the highest levels of psychometric soundness and legal defensibility when assessing the competence of entry-level nursing practice. She oversaw the expansion of Nursys®, NCSBN's national licensure and discipline database, to a fully functional data exchange system utilized by BONs in their daily public protection activities. This system has grown from a database with 10 participating BONs in 2001 to its current level of 55 participating boards.

In support of evidence-based regulation, Apple initiated the NCSBN Center for Regulatory Excellence, a grant program for research related to nursing regulation that has awarded more than $11 million in grants since its inception in 2007. She brought forth the viability of a professional, peer-reviewed journal for the purpose of publishing nursing regulation research with the launch of the Journal of Nursing Regulation in 2010.

Under Apple's collaborative direction, NCSBN's national presence was increased through the building of effective working relationships with major national nursing and other health care organizations. Apple established the Tri-Regulator Leadership Collaborative composed of the Federation of State Medical Boards and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to address issues of mutual concern and to model interprofessional leadership.

Apple established NCSBN's leadership presence internationally with the International Council of Nurses, expanded the associate membership of NCSBN to 21 nurse regulatory bodies from other countries and launched the International Nurse Regulator Collaborative, a seven country diplomatic collaborative for respective nurse regulatory bodies to work on issues of common interest.

Apple will be honored at the NCSBN annual meeting, Aug. 19-21, 2015, in Chicago.

The NCSBN BOD, led by President Brekken, has begun the search process of identifying the next NCSBN CEO. Korn Ferry, a leading executive search company, has been retained to assist the BOD.

Founded March 15, 1978, as an independent not-for-profit organization, NCSBN was created to lessen the burdens of state governments and bring together BONs to act and counsel together on matters of common interest. NCSBN's membership is comprised of the BONs in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories -- American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. There are also 21 associate members that are either nursing regulatory bodies or empowered regulatory authorities from other countries or territories.

NCSBN Member Boards protect the public by ensuring that safe and competent nursing care is provided by licensed nurses. These BONs regulate more than 3 million licensed nurses, the second largest group of licensed professionals in the U.S.

Mission: NCSBN provides education, service and research through collaborative leadership to promote evidence-based regulatory excellence for patient safety and public protection.

The statements and opinions expressed are those of NCSBN and not the individual member state or territorial boards of nursing.

National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.
111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900
Chicago, IL 60601-4277