Committee Members

Mission Statement: The Accredited Approver Unit mission statement is to enhance the development, delivery, and evaluation of nursing continuing professional development educational activities utilizing ANCC standards.

Nan Morgan, RN, BSN, MS Nursing Leadership – Education
Accredited Approver Program Director
Colorado Nurses Association

Debra K. Bailey, RN, FNP, CDE
Region 6 Director

Margaret Bishop MSN, RN
Deputy Director 
Colorado Nurses Association

Kirsten Christensen, MSN, RN, NPD-BC
Professional Development Specialist
Children’s Hospital Colorado

Kathy Casey PhD, RN, NPD-BC, FAAN
Professional Development Specialist

Debra Edwards, BSN, RN, MS, NPD-BC
Primary Nurse Planner/Nurse Planner
Texas Health and Human Services
Austin, Texas

Jody DeStigter, PhD, RN, NPD-BC
Professional Development UCHealth

Laura Rivas DNP, MSN-Ed., BSN, RN
Methodist Healthcare Ministries Inc.

Mark Longshore PhD, JD, RN, CNE
Executive Director
Colorado Nurses Association

Leigh Schmidt, MSN, RN, CNE, CHCP
Associate Director, Compliance
Medscape Education, LLC

Mandy Seader, MS, BSN, RN
Patient Safety Specialist
Children’s Hospital Colorado

Colorado Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Interested In Becoming a Comittee Member?

 Contact us [email protected]

Membership Responsibilities:

  • Attend 75% monthly scheduled meetings in person or virtually or notify chair if unable to attend
  • Support CNA’s philosophy, purpose, and goals of the Approver Unit
  • Participate in Peer Review of applications based on CNA/ANCC criteria
  • Declare any conflict of interest prior to deliberation on any application and recuse self from the review
  • Collaborate with Program Director in determining appropriate action for applications and other requested material
  • Maintain confidentiality of applications
  • Collaborate with Program Director in developing, collecting, monitoring and evaluating Approver Unit Quality Outcome Measures. 
  • Collaborate with Program Director for continuous improvement of Approver Unit based on Provider feedback.
  • Council members must have a BSN or higher, active unrestricted license.
  • The time commitments are meeting time and reviews = generally 2 to 10 hours per month commitment.