ACEN Announces Promotions of Drs. Ard and Nunn-Ellison to New ACEN Leadership Positions
Atlanta, Georgia, October 24, 2023 — The ACEN is happy to announce the promotions of Dr. Nell Ard, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, to the new position of Chief Accreditation Officer and Dr. Keri Nunn-Ellison, EdD, MSN/Ed, RN, CNE, to the new position of Senior Director.
As the Chief Accreditation Officer, Dr. Ard will be responsible for the strategic oversight of all accreditation processes, ensuring compliance with all internal and external accreditation requirements, as well as identifying customers’ needs, implementing strategies to address those needs, and regularly communicating with customers to ensure the highest quality customer service.
In the role of Senior Director, Dr. Nunn-Ellison will lead the ACEN professional nursing staff and oversee the day-to-day accreditation operational processes that interface with faculty and program leaders of nursing education programs and transition-to-practice programs currently accredited or seeking accreditation with the ACEN.
Drs. Ard and Nunn-Ellison were each active peer evaluators for the ACEN in the roles of team member, team chair, and Evaluation Review Panel member prior to joining the ACEN as Directors. In their previous roles, they provided support and mentorship to program faculty and leaders of nursing education programs and transition-to-practice programs through Candidacy, initial and continuing site visits, and interim reporting. Drs. Ard and Nunn-Ellison’s expertise were also instrumental in the continued recognition of the ACEN from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) in 2018 and 2023, and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in 2021. Other notable achievements include their participation in the revisions of the 2017 and 2023 ACEN Standards and Criteria and an overall increase in the number of accredited programs nationally and internationally.
Dr. Kathy Chappell, Chief Executive Officer, ACEN, expressed, “Drs. Ard and Nunn-Ellison are highly accomplished leaders who have contributed significantly to the growth and success of ACEN. Their collective energy, experience, and wisdom will continue to drive ACEN successfully forward into the future.”
Please join us in congratulating Drs. Ard and Nunn-Ellison on their promotions!