Kathy Chappell

Kathy Chappell, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN is the Chief Executive Officer of the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).   She directs the strategic vision, mission, objectives, and action plans of the ACEN, building further growth initiatives to ensure continued sustainability of the organization and advancing the quality of nursing education and nursing practice in the United States and worldwide.

Dr. Chappell is an accomplished researcher with a clinical background and extensive experience steering the strategic direction of credentialing programs at notable professional organizations and health systems in the U.S. and globally.  Prior to assuming the CEO position, Dr. Chappell previously served as Senior Vice President at the American Nurses Credentialing Center and American Nurses Association Enterprise, where she held various leadership positions since 2010. In this role, she was responsible for the certification of individual registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs); and development of board certification examinations.  She was responsible for the accreditation of organizations that provide continuing nursing education and interprofessional continuing education; and for accreditation of residency and fellowship programs for RNs and APRNs.  She directed the Institute for Nursing Research, analyzing outcomes related to credentialing, and the quality management department.  She also led the Advanced Practice Initiatives department.

Prior to ANCC, Dr. Chappell served as the Director of Nursing Clinical Education and Nursing Research at Inova Health System, where she developed nursing clinical education programs supporting student rotations, quality initiatives, and research. Today, she serves on the board of the World Health Organization Academy Standing Advisory Quality Committee, the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative to Address the US Opioid Crisis, and boards responsible for the quality of education for medical students and students engaged in strength and conditioning programs, among various other memberships and titles.

Dr. Chappell holds a baccalaureate in nursing with distinction from the University of Virginia, a MS in advanced clinical nursing, and a doctorate in nursing from George Mason University.