Board of Directors

Dr. Jackie Iseler is President of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS). She is an Associate Professor and Program Director at the Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, and continues to practice as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at Trinity Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Dr. Iseler earned her DNP from Michigan State University, her MSN as an Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist from Winona State University, and her BSN from Bradley University. She previously directed the CNS Program at Michigan State University’s College of Nursing and served as President of the Michigan Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. She was named NACNS’s Academic Faculty of the Year in 2023 and inducted as a Fellow of the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute in 2024.

A prolific scholar and speaker, her work focuses on advancing the CNS role and evidence-based practice.

Rick Bassett is an Adult Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist for St. Luke’s Health System (SLHS). He obtained his MSN from Idaho State University in 2009 and is certified as a Critical Care Nurse (CCRN) through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), board certified as an Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist through the American Nurses Credentialing Center, licensed as an Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in Idaho and was recently inducted into the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) CNSI Fellowship.

Rick has led cohorts of Critical Care teams across the nation in practice and quality improvement programs with respect to ICU Delirium Recognition and Management, ICU Palliative Care/End of Life and Early ICU Mobility. He trained in clinical ethics at the University of Washington, is a Clinical Ethics Consultant for SLHS and member of the SLHS Ethics Committee for 30 years.

Rick currently serves as the NACNS President. He is Chair of the SLHS Institutional Review Board, an Idaho Health Continuum of Care Alliance (IHCCA) Board member, Chair the IHCCA Legislative and Policy Committee, Idaho representative on the National POLST Plenary Council and National POLST Technology Committee member working with industry, State and National leaders to improve POLST processes. Mr. Bassett lectures nationally and has published on topics related to ethics, palliative care and critical care.

Dr. Cornell is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse – Clinical Nurse Specialist specializing in Critical Care, Emergency and Trauma Services.

Dr. Cornell is board certified as an Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, board certified in Nursing Professional Development, is a Certified Emergency Nurse, and Trauma Certified Registered Nurse. In 2023 she had the honor of being inducted as a Fellow into the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute.

She received her BSN and MSN from Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
And her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in Population Health Leadership from Lourdes University in Sylviana, Ohio.

Dr. Cornell has 15 plus years’ experience as a CNS in three states (New Hampshire, Ohio and Oklahoma). As an advocate for developing professional community, she is actively involved in her local NACNS Affiliates having served as a steering committee member, and president-elect.
She has been actively involved with the NACNS Affiliate Advisory Committee for more than five years, co-authoring the NACNS Affiliate Toolkit, and leading the committee as co-chair and chair.

Kristen Hill is a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) specializing in solid abdominal transplant and dialysis, with over 17 years of nursing experience. She is passionate about advancing patient care in complex medical fields and has dedicated much of her career to improving outcomes for transplant and dialysis patients. Kristen holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Capital University, a Master of Science in Nursing from Ohio State University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Capella University. With seven years of experience as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and five years as a Nurse Manager, Kristen has cultivated a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in critical care environments. Her expertise spans clinical care, patient education, and multidisciplinary team collaboration, particularly in the areas of transplantation and dialysis therapies. Kristen has contributed significantly to advancing nursing practice in her specialty, focusing on evidence-based practices that enhance patient outcomes. She believes that clinical nurse specialists are the bridge builders, dot connectors, improvement agents and advocates for the population that they serve.

Mary O. Lawanson Nichols, MSN, RN, CNS, NP, CCRN, FCNS is an accomplished Clinical Nurse Specialist with extensive experience in adult critical and intermediate care. She has served at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center since 2009, providing clinical leadership and advancing evidence based practice across high acuity settings. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of California, Los Angeles, and holds multiple advanced certifications reflecting deep expertise in critical care and clinical nursing practice. Her career includes progressive bedside and leadership roles across major academic and community medical centers in Southern California.

A nationally recognized nursing leader, Mary has held executive and governance roles with CACNS, NACNS, AACN, and Sigma Theta Tau and is a frequent national and international presenter. Her work focuses on mentoring, quality improvement, sepsis care, patient safety, and professional governance, with sustained impact on patient outcomes and nursing practice.

Amy Shay is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Clinical Nurse Specialist Track Coordinator at Indiana University. She received her PhD in nursing, with a minor in Rehabilitation Science, from Indiana University in 2017. Amy is a Pulmonary Clinical Nurse Specialist with over 20 years’ experience in critical care who has lectured internationally on clinical topics. Amy’s work in ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention received the Blue-Ribbon Research Abstract Award from the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Her work in early mobility was recognized by the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Amy consults with the Warfighter Medical Optimization research team of the U.S. Air Force for en-route care of wounded and is the civilian CNS subject matter expert for a military critical care moral distress study. She is lead editor of the NACNS sponsored Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Certification Review book. Amy is an American Association of Critical Care Nurses CCRN Alumnus and National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists Fellow.