APEA NP education specialist honored by AANP for advocacy

Leawood, Kansas – Advanced Practice Education Associates (APEA), an ATI brand, is proud to share that Kathy Baldridge, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, Lead Nurse Practitioner Education Specialist for APEA, has been awarded the 2024 State Award for Excellence by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) for her contributions as an advocate to advance the nurse practitioner profession.

AANP, the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners of all specialties, will recognize one nurse practitioner and one advocate from each state at its national conference in Nashville this month. Dr. Baldridge will receive the State Award for Excellence in advocacy during that ceremony.

“Dr. Kathy Baldridge works tirelessly day in and day out to advocate for the betterment of our profession,” said Patty Knecht, PhD, RN, ANEF, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Ascend Learning Healthcare. “It’s inspiring to see how she has not only dedicated her career to improve patient outcomes and access to care in Louisiana, but also impacts the lives of NPs across the country through her passion for education, teaching and precepting students.”

Dr. Baldridge teaches primary care nurse practitioner review courses for APEA and is in clinical practice at Christus Community Clinic in Alexandria, LA. Through her work at APEA, Baldridge helps prepare new NPs for certification and clinical practice and shares her knowledge and passion for advocacy. Under her six-year leadership as the president of the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners, organization membership doubled and several state legislative bills to support the nurse practitioner profession successfully passed the legislature. Additionally, she has brought her health policy expertise to Louisiana’s Nursing Supply and Demand Council, Health Works Commission, and the Louisiana Action Coalition.

APEA congratulates Dr. Baldridge on this outstanding achievement and expresses its gratitude to her for advocating on behalf of nurse practitioners. Her leadership is inspiring the next generation of nurse advocates and we’re proud to be part of the charge.

Learn more about Dr. Baldridge's passion for NP advocacy in this article on the NP Insider Blog.