NAPNAP Partners Board of Directors
Daniel Crawford, DNP, ARNP, CPNP-PC, CNE, FAANP - President
Dan Crawford is a pediatric nurse practitioner and nurse educator who is committed to improving children’s health and preparing future APRNs. Dr. Crawford is an associate professor (clinical) and director of the Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Iowa. He practices clinically in pediatric epilepsy at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. He is a leader in APRN curriculum design and improving access to and quality of care for children with neurologic disorders. His work has been widely presented, published, and recognized nationally and internationally. He is honored to serve NAPNAP Partners in this role.
James H. Wendorf – Vice President
Along with serving as Partners’ vice president, James H Wendorf serves as executive director of NAPNAP, leading efforts to build on the association’s strengths and develop opportunities to meet the professional needs of its members in the evolving pediatric health care landscape. He also serves as chief administrative officer of the NAPNAP Foundation. Prior to joining NAPNAP in 2020, Jim served for 17 years as executive director of the National Center for Learning Disabilities and then as senior advisor to the Poses Family Foundation, a private philanthropy. During his tenure in non-profit organizations, Jim has worked extensively with boards, funders, teams and consultants to build programs, partnerships and financial resources to meet ambitious goals. He earned degrees from Yale College (B.A.), University of Cambridge (M.A., Honours B.A.) and Cornell University (M.A.).
Mary Dirks, DNP, ARNP, CPNP-PC, FAANP, ELAN fellow – Secretary/Treasurer
Dr. Mary Dirks has been a faculty member at the University of Iowa, College of Nursing since 2000, is a clinical professor, and a primary care PNP since 1997 with practice experience in primary care, newborn nursery and school-based health. Dr. Dirks has served in leadership positions on many state, regional, and national boards, committees, and professional organizations. She is a former assistant dean, past treasurer for NAPNAP and current lead editor for the Burn’s Pediatric Primary Care textbook. Her teaching, research and clinical interests include pediatric primary care, interprofessional education, dual NP education and global health education. She is the current treasurer of NAPNAP.
Felesia Bowen, PhD, DNP, PPCNP-PC, FAAN – Director
Dr. Felesia Bowen is a professor and an associate dean at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing. She is a certified pediatric primary care nurse practitioner and nurse scientist. Her clinical interests are pediatric asthma and other conditions associated with pediatric health disparities and equity. Presently she is funded by HRSA and is conducting an upstream intervention to prevent chronic diseases by focusing on healthy lifestyles in children. Dr. Bowen is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of all children, their families, and communities.
Cassandra Newell, MSN, RN, CPNP, CPN – Director
Cassandra Newell is a pediatric nurse practitioner at Children’s Mercy Kansas City Urgent Care. She has practiced in general pediatrics, the pediatric Emergency Department and is adjunct faculty for PNP students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She has served in leadership roles for the Greater KC NAPNAP chapter and as PEC SIG secretary. Cassandra hosted four episodes on NAPNAP’s TeamPeds Talks podcast FocusED. She is an ACT Advocate for NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth. Cassandra presents locally and nationally on pediatric topics and is founder/co-host of NAPNAP’s first book club! Cassandra is grateful to serve on the NAPNAP board.
Jessica Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP - Director
Dr. Jessica Peck is an expert pediatric clinician from Houston who has practiced in the general pediatric and newborn population for 18 years. She is currently a Clinical Professor of Nursing at Louise Herrington School of Nursing at Baylor University in Dallas, Texas. A nationally recognized anti-trafficking expert, she is working with the Office of Trafficking in Persons to create a set of core competencies for healthcare professionals caring for persons who are trafficked and are at risk for trafficking. She has several publications and is a sought after national speaker to engage and equip nurses to lead advocacy efforts for vulnerable populations. She is the founding chair of the Alliance for Children in Trafficking. Dr. Peck is currently the president of NAPNAP.
Regena Spratling, PhD, RN, APRN, CPNP-PC, FAANP, FAAN – Director
Dr. Spratling is a pediatric nurse practitioner, nurse researcher and nurse educator. Her practice and research have focused on children and adolescents with chronic conditions and their families. She has numerous publications and presentations, and NIH funded research on the development and testing of an educational intervention for caregivers of children who require tracheostomies and feeding tubes. Currently, she serves as research methods department editor for the Journal of Pediatric Health Care. She is passionate about mentoring nursing doctoral students, educators and clinicians, and building practice and research teams focusing on critical child and family health issues.
Staff
Eileen Arnold-Ley, CAE, CFRE - NAPNAP Manager of Executive Office & Resource Development
Eileen Arnold-Ley has been with NAPNAP since 2013, providing guidance and support to the executive director and board. A trained fundraiser with more than 15 years’ management experience, Eileen manages fundraising and projects for NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth. She also serves as grant writer and project manager for NAPNAP’s cooperative agreements with the CDC. She is proud to have earned ASAE’s CAE (certified association executive) credential. Prior to joining NAPNAP, Eileen spent more than 10 years as a professional stage manager, and she still loves attending theater with her husband, Darren.