PITMAN, NJ – The Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB) has named several leaders to officer positions on its Board of Directors (BOD): Joining President Charles “Wes” Foster, MS, BA, RN, CMSRN, OCN Emeritus in officer positions are Treasurer Cynthia Frazer, MSN, RN, CMSRN, CNE (reappointed); Secretary Cathryn Kelly, MSN, RN, CMSRN, RD (reappointed); and President-Elect, Jessica Tully, DNP, RN, CMSRN, CNML, CENP.
Joining the BOD as new directors are Mindy Lawson, M.Ed., BSN, RN, CMSRN; Courtney Lykins, MSN, RN, CMSRN; and Kaitlin Scruggs, BSN, RN, CMSRN, Emerging Professional.
All positions were effective as of January 1, 2023. The BOD is led by Charles “Wes” Foster, MS, BA, RN, CMSRN, OCN Emeritus who will be serving the second year of his two-year term as president in 2023. These leaders will join board members: Public Member Kim Lipsey, MLS; Marisa Streelman, AMSN President Ex-Officio, DNP, RN, CMSRN, NE-BC; and MSNCB, CEO Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BScN, RN, CAE Ex-Officio.
About the New Directors
Mindy Lawson: Mindy has a BA in psychology and a Master of Education from the University of South Alabama and began her career as a primary educator. Mindy earned her BSN in 2009 and has since obtained experience in a variety of inpatient and outpatient specialties. Her most recent clinical experience in direct patient care, and subsequently a leadership position was on a medical-surgical unit. During her time on the medical-surgical unit, Mindy was involved in establishing Shared Governance in her facility. This foundation in medical-surgical nursing has significantly influenced her current position in quality, where she leads initiatives to support high quality and safe care for all patients. Mindy earned her CMSRN in 2019.
Courtney Lykins: Courtney is a Manager of Staff Education for UPMC where she has practiced for over fifteen years in a variety of roles. She has a diverse professional background with experience in medical-surgical, cardiac telemetry, and post-surgical clinical specialties prior to her transition into nursing education. Courtney received her Master’s degree with a focus in Nursing Education from Robert Morris University and has been certified as a medical-surgical registered nurse since 2014. She is an active member of several professional nursing organizations including the Academy of Medical Surgical Nursing, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, and the Association for Nursing Professional Development Specialists.
Kaitlin Scruggs: Kaitlin received her BSN from The University of Arizona in 2019. Since then, she has been working at the Southern Arizona VA hospital where she is dedicated to serving veterans. She has been specializing and working on a medical-surgical floor for 3 years. She is also a member of the DEMPS program where she deploys to VA’s around the country during national disasters and emergencies. At her hospital, she has created a project focused on increasing staff education regarding spinal cord injury patients in acute care settings. Kaitlin eventually plans on becoming an Acute Care NP.
“MSNCB is fortunate to have a board of directors consisting of such esteemed medical-surgical nursing leaders,” Dr. Hinkley reports. “MSNCB is extremely well positioned to continue to credential deserving medical-surgical nurses in the specialty of medical-surgical nursing while also evaluating the future needs of this important specialty.”
The Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB) is a professional nonprofit organization that administers the Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) and the Certified in Care Coordination and Transition Management (CCCTM) certification programs. The CMSRN credential is the recognized path for medical-surgical nurses to demonstrate their commitment, confidence, and credibility.