Kristen Barbee, PhD, RN, CNE
Dr. Kristen Barbee has 26 years of nursing experience, with 14 of those years in nursing education. As a nurse educator, she has taught and/or directed programs at the associate, baccalaureate, and master’s levels. Currently program director of the baccalaureate program at Wingate University, Dr. Barbee values the accreditation process and the program improvement that occurs due to ACEN accreditation. She is currently working on development of an RN-BSN completion program option for the university.
Dr. Barbee received her diploma from Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, her BSN from Gardner-Webb University, her MSN in Nursing Education from East Carolina University, and her PhD in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has held the CNE certification since 2006 and was an NLN LEAD leadership program participant in 2014. She is currently involved in research examining the relationship of grit and purpose in nursing school applicants and students.
Dr. Barbee has served as a site visitor for ACEN since 2016 and has a passion and enthusiasm for conducting site visits. Networking and evaluating other programs is truly a passion. She has also been honored to serve on the Evaluation Review Panel since 2017. Her first site visit serving as a team chair will occur in spring 2018. Participating in the planning of the Inaugural ACEN Accreditation Conference has been a fun experience for Kristen, and she’s looking forward to seeing how all the planning produces an end product!
Dr. Barbee believes that one of the best ways to know more about an organization is to serve that organization in some capacity or role. She was the Public Relations Director on the N-OADN Board of Directors from 2006-2008; Secretary of the NC ADN Council from 2005-2010; Secretary for the National Association of Bariatric Nurses from 2012-2013; Director of the Qualitative Research Interest Group for the Southern Nursing Research Society from 2012-2014; and President of the Upsilon Mu chapter of Sigma Theta Tau from 2015-present.
Dr. Barbee is honored to be nominated for a seat on the ACEN Board of Commissioners and will serve it and its members to the best of her ability.