Sheila D. Melander, PhD, APRN, ACNP-BC, FCCM, FAANP, FAAN

A nationally recognized leader in advanced practice nursing education, Dr. Melander has more than three decades of experience as an educator, clinician, and scholar. She earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and completed a postdoctoral fellowship as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at Vanderbilt University. Her clinical expertise includes cardiovascular and critical care practice, with extensive experience as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in academic and healthcare settings.

Dr. Melander is nationally recognized for her contributions to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) education, competency-based assessment, academic-practice partnerships, and advanced practice nursing workforce development. She has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications, numerous book chapters, and national educational resources, and has delivered invited and keynote presentations across the country.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and Society of Critical Care Medicine, Dr. Melander has received numerous honors, including the 2026 National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Lifetime Achievement Award, the UKHC–UKCON Academic-Clinical Engagement Award, and the Visionary Leader Award from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing.

She has served in significant national leadership roles, including President of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and as a member of multiple national APRN competency, education, and workforce initiatives.