Time (ET)

Topic | Speaker

9:30 AM

ABNS Update and Assembly Meeting with ABNS President Bresney A. Fanning, MSN, Med-MESA, NNP-BC, C-NNIC, E-ELBW

10:00 AM

Keynote: Words Make All the Difference®: The Power of Encouragement for Ourselves and Others

Speaker: Laura Schmidt, notes to self®

As a nurse, you spend your days caring for, encouraging, and supporting others—often during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. But how often do you think about the words you say to yourself?

In this uplifting and interactive session, Laura Schmidt, Founder and Chief Positive Person of notes to self®, explores the powerful role words can play in confidence, resilience, and well-being. Through personal stories, reflection, and practical examples, you’ll discover how becoming more intentional about the words you think, say, and share can make a meaningful difference in your own life and in the lives of those around you.

You’ll leave with simple, practical ways to use positive self-talk, encourage yourself and others, and recognize opportunities to “breathe belief” into the people whose paths you cross.

11:00 AM

Panel: Discoveries Through a Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Analysis

Panelists:

Adele Foerster, MSN, RN, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC, ICE-CCP, Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)

Chad Reilly, MBA, CAE, Hospice & Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC)

Moderator: Holly Saraullo, Data Recognition Corporation

A panel discussion with two nursing boards, HPCC — Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center and PNCB – Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, to understand their journey conducting a DIF analysis. Discussion will include:

• The Decision to Conduct a DIF Analysis, 
• Preparing for and Conducting the Analysis, 
• Outcomes and Impact from the Analysis, and 
• Lessons Learned.

12:00 PM

Break

12:30 PM

Evidence to Action: Strengthening the Value and Shaping the Future of Specialty Nursing Certification

Part 1, 12:30-1:00 pm

Speakers:

Kevin Letz, DNP, MBA, RN, CNE-Ret, FNP-C, ANP-BC, PPCNP-BC, ENP-C, FAANP, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (NPCB)

Pamela Ing, PhD, ICE-CCP, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (NPCB)

Part 2, 1:00-1:30 pm

Speakers:

Heidi L. McNeely, PhD, RN, PCNS-BC, NEA-BC, American Nurses Credentialing Center

Kathryn A. Connell, PhD, RN, CCRN, FCCM, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

This moderated discussion will explore current research on the value of specialty nursing certification, focusing on the motivators and barriers influencing nurses’ decisions to pursue certification. Drawing on findings from the recent ABNS "Value of Specialty Nursing Certification" research project and the ABNS "Annotated Bibliography," the discussion will examine factors that influence nurses' decisions to pursue certification, the impact of certification on nurses, patients, organizations, and the profession, and opportunities to strengthen support for certification. The session will conclude by identifying research gaps and future directions for advancing the evidence base and demonstrating the ongoing value of specialty nursing certification.

1:30 PM

Updates from the Professional Certification Coalition (PCC)

Speakers: Julia Juddish, Esq., Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

This presentation will cover major federal and state legislative and regulatory developments that the PCC has engaged with over the past year that affect the nursing certification community.

2:30 PM

What Works? Case Examples of Certificant Engagement Strategies

Speakers:

Chad Reilly, MBA, CAE, Hospice & Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC)

Janie Schumaker, MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, CPHQ, CENP, ICE-CCP, FABC, Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing

Melissa R. Nosik, PhD, BCBA-D, ICE-CCP, SHRM-SCP, CAE, Competency & Credentialing Institute

How do certification organizations keep certificants engaged long after they earn their credential? Join leaders from three certification boards as they share real-world examples that strengthen engagement and deliver ongoing value. Attendees will gain practical ideas, lessons learned, and actionable approaches that can be adapted within their own organizations.

Conference Wrap-up with ABNS President Bresney A. Fanning, MSN, Med-MESA, NNP-BC, C-NNIC, E-ELBW

3:35 PM

Encore Session: Navigating ADA Considerations

Speakers:

Erin Convery, MPA, MBA, NBME

Beverly Antonio, PSI

Marianne Horahan, MBA, MPH, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC, CAE, American Nurses Credentialing Center

This session will bring together diverse perspectives from organizations at the forefront of certification and assessment. Attendees will gain valuable insights from experts who work directly with the policies, processes, and practices that help ensure fair and accessible testing experiences.

4:30 PM