• Dr. Mimi Secor, Nurse Practitioner, National Speaker/ Educator, a #1 International Best-selling Author, and a Health and Fitness Advocate.
• She has worked for 44 years as a Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in Women's Health and more recently Health and Fitness.
• She is Senior Faculty w/ Advanced Practice Education Associates (APEA) Lafayette, LA
• In 2015, Dr. Secor earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) in Provo, Utah.
• And is now serving on Board of Trustees at Rocky Mountain University (RMUoHP).
• She is a Fellow in BOTH the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the American Academy of Nursing (AAN).
• She has rec'd several awards (for her contributions to the NP profession) including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Coalition of NPs (MCNP)
• And in 2019 she received the Outstanding Alumnae Award from Rocky Mountain University.
• After losing weight and becoming healthy during her DNP, a year later in 2016, she was in her 1st body building competition, making her "Debut at Age 62” and in 2018 she placed 2nd in her fourth competition.

Maribeth has been a member of VCNP since 1996. Her first role was as program director for the Blue Ridge Region. She became president of the Blue Ridge Region in 2008. She was state Bylaws Chair in 2011 and 2012 and then became the State President-elect from 2012 to 2014 and State President from 2014 to 2016. She is currently the State past president and remains active in her local region as well.

Graduated with Adult NP from UCLA in 1999. Currently employed with Hospital Medicine at Sentara Care Plex Hospital. Previously woth with Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery for 12 years and Internal Medicine Outpatient practice for 3 years.

Mary is an acute care nurse practitioner with 20 years experience in medicine, cardiovascular, thoracic surgery and trauma critical care. She is currently working as a hospitalist NP for a large family practice group. Mary is an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies, teaching courses in the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Mary has spoken locally and nationally on a variety of acute care topics, and is a guest lecturer in the NP program at University of Virginia. She is a past member of the Advisory Committee to the Joint Boards of Nursing and Medicine in Virginia. Nationally, as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners State Representative for Virginia Mary advocates for full practice authority for nurse practitioners. She is a fellow of the AANP.

Bio Sketch 2017

Judy A. Wessell DNP, APRN, BC, ACRN, AACRN, AAHIVS. Dr. Wessell has been a Nurse Practitioner for 19 years and a registered Nurse greater than 44 years.
She received her diploma of Nursing from the Newport Hospital School of Nursing in Newport, RI, her BSN, MSN and DNP at Old Dominion University (ODU), Norfolk, VA. She is dual certified through the ANCC as a Family and an Adult Nurse Practitioner. In 2016 she was also certified as a Faith Community Nurse.
Dr. Wessell is currently a Nurse Practitioner and Assistant Professor/ Adjunct Faculty at ODU, Old Dominion University. A clinical mentor and instructor with MSN and DNP students and a Health Educator at VCU, Virginia Commonwealth University, with the MAAETC - Mid Atlantic AIDS Education Training Center, providing educational programs and guidance for nurses, case managers, health care providers and allied health team members.
She is an active member of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) the founding and past president of the local, The First Virginia chapter, is currently a Board of Director with the National Association of Nurses in AIDS care, board liaison for the Rural and Frontier Health and Diversity Committees. She served as past director at large and bylaws chair for the HIV/AIDS Nursing Credentialing Board (HANCB), chair of the nominations committee, serves on the Nurse Practitioner Board for the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM). She is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA) the Virginia Nurses Association (VNA) and a member of the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners (VCNP), and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) organization in Virginia.
She is best known as a patient advocate and developed the HIV+ peer educator program that has provided education and certification to individuals that are HIV positive and are now providing peer, professional and community services in the Hampton Roads Virginia area. The HIV+ peer educator program has developed as a model for peer education for statewide Ryan White funded programs. Dr. Wessell completed her doctoral studies, at Old Dominion University, in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Her capstone research project addressed Procedures for Improving Patient Adherence with Health Care Appointments Through the Utilization of Formally Trained HIV + Peer Educators. Her recent interest and professional attention has been directed towards HIV prevention and education about treatment as prevention and pre - exposure prophylaxis.

Rhonda Arthur DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, CNE completed her Doctorate in Nursing Practice at Case Western Reserve University. She completed her certifications in Nurse Midwifery, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner at the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing.

Rhonda has worked in rural primary care and is currently serving in rural and underserved community members through the New River Health District Health Department. Rhonda is an active volunteer and has worked with Midwives for Haiti, JP HRO in Haiti, Apple Ridge Farm - Helping Children grow program, as well as the Virginia Medical Reserve team. Dr. Arthur has taught at Frontier Nursing University for twelve years.

Dr. Arthur has published in several textbooks. She has presented at professional conferences both on the state and national level about precepting clinical students and problem-solving. Rhonda precepts medical students and residents at the Virginia Department of Health. In addition to teaching at FNU and her clinical job, Rhonda teaches pelvic exams to Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine medical students in Blacksburg Virginia.

Tonya Nicholson is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and a Women's Healthcare Nurse Practitioner. She is the Associate Dean of Midwifery and Women's Health at Frontier Nursing University and practices part time in full scope practice in Dublin, GA. She earned her midwifery at Frontier, her MSN from Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland OH) and completed her doctoral studies at Frontier Nursing University. She speaks frequently on the topics of communication, civility in healthcare, and leadership.

Mark Coles' nursing career spans three continents and over 40 years. He is an NP Hospitalist with Sentara. For VCNP, Mr Coles served for many years initially as Tidewater GR Chair and ultimately VCNP State Government Relations Chair. Mark was the initial VCNP representative to the Virginia Center for Health Innovation and remains currently appointed to the Advisory Committee of the Joint Boards of Medicine and Nursing. Mark has been a front-line advocate for NP autonomous practice for more than twenty years.

RN since 1974, FNP since 1996. Active in Women's Health arenas. Currently WVPM at Hampton VA Medical Center in Hampton VA, but planning to retire in May 2020!

ACNP 17 years, past 5 in neurosciences at Centra, other experiences include critical care pulmonary and inpatient rehab with focus on TBI and SCI patients

Bethany Coyne is an assistant professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing. She has worked as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Pediatric Nephrology for over 20 years caring for children with chronic kidney disease. Her research focus has been on outcomes for youth with chronic illness after transitioning from pediatric to adult providers.

Dr. Johnson is Professor and Vice Chair of Pharmacy Practice and Director of Postgraduate Education at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University. He practices in internal medicine and infectious diseases at Winchester Medical Center. His teaching and research include infectious diseases, spirituality in healthcare, pharmacy postgraduate education. He gives New Drug Updates several times a year locally and within the state. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy and completed residency training at VCU Health System.

I am a full time faculty member at VCU's School of Nursing and serve as the concentration lead for the FNP track in the Master's program. I currently volunteer as a FNP at CrossOver Ministries where I treat Spanish-speaking, immigrant patients with chronic illnesses. I also practice on a PRN basis with Henrico County Health Department. ​My clinical interests and expertise are in primary care and particularly of​ underserved/ uninsured communities with a special interest in the health needs of the Hispanic population.​

Dr. Carla Nye is a Clinical Professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Dr. Nye teaches, mentors, and studies the impact of a positive work environment on learning and work productivity. Her love of intentionally creating positive environments is deeply commingled with her love of creating safe learning environments in simulation, classroom and in clinical. Dr. Nye is an alumni of the NLN Simulation Leaders program, an NLN certified nurse educator, a SSH certified healthcare simulation educator and is former Masters Program Director and Simulation Center Director. Dr. Nye is a member of the NONPF Simulation Committee.