LEXINGTON, Ky. — Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, president of Frontier Nursing University (FNU), was officially inducted as the new president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) at the organization’s annual meeting on May 24th, 2018. ACNM is the professional association that represents certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) in the United States. With roots dating to 1929, ACNM is the oldest women’s health care organization in the United States. The organization’s elected leaders play an important role in guiding the midwifery profession.
Stone was inducted at the ACNM 63rd Annual Meeting and Exhibition, May 20-24, 2018, in Savannah, Georgia. Stone has been active in ACNM for nearly 25 years. She has also served for more than 10 years with the ACNM’s collaborative partner, the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME), and as chair of ACME’s Board of Commissioners for four years. As president, she will be responsible for working together with the organization’s leadership on establishing and carrying out the goals and objectives of ACNM.
FNU President Dr. Susan Stone
“To make the necessary changes, we need to not just be present, but leading in all venues where decisions are being made,” said Stone. “We must be participating in legislative agenda and mortality/morbidity review committees, and planning and constructing the health care systems of the future. Midwives must be central in the decision making process. We are the experts at helping women become healthy and remain healthy. We are the teachers, the care providers, and the advocates who can change this picture. Together, with our present students and future graduates, we can make a difference.
“My priorities as President will be to position midwives as leaders in national discussions regarding maternity care and our health care systems, ensure positive collaboration among midwives and maternity care providers, and to increase the number and diversity of our midwifery workforce.”
Stone’s initiatives will be supported by the leadership at ACNM, which also welcomed other newly inducted officers to its Board of Directors during the annual meeting.
Stone has worked in the field of reproductive health care for women for over 30 years. She is an early graduate of Frontier Nursing University’s distance education nurse-midwifery program and practiced full scope midwifery care for several years. Believing that having more nurse-midwives would ultimately serve the goal of improved health care outcomes for women, she shifted her focus to the education of nurse-midwives. She has served as president of FNU for the last 17 years. During this time, the University has grown from 200 students to the current enrollment of more than 2,000 students. Stone continues in the role of FNU president with a goal of improving health care for families through increasing the number of well-prepared nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners.
About Frontier Nursing University:
FNU is passionate about educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to serve women and families in all communities, especially rural and underserved areas. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse-Practitioner distance education programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the student’s home community serving as the classroom. Degrees and options offered include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Post-Graduate Certificates. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.
About the American College of Nurse-Midwives:
The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) is the professional association that represents certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) in the United States. ACNM promotes excellence in midwifery education, clinical practice, and research. With roots dating to 1929, our members are primary care providers for women throughout the lifespan, with a special emphasis on pregnancy, childbirth, and gynecologic and reproductive health. ACNM provides research, administers and promotes continuing education programs, establishes clinical practice standards, and creates liaisons with state and federal agencies and members of Congress to increase the visibility and recognition of midwifery care. Learn more at acnm.org.
and the cozy warmth of the fireplace as they gathered in the Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn and Retreat Center for the Frontier Nursing University (FNU) community holiday dinner.
Dr. Tia Brown McNair is the Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, DC. She oversees both funded projects and AAC&U’s continuing programs on equity, inclusive excellence, high-impact practices, and student success. McNair directs AAC&U’s Summer Institutes on High-Impact Practices and Student Success, and TRHT Campus Centers and serves as the project director for several AAC&U initiatives, including the development of a TRHT-focused campus climate toolkit. She is the lead author of From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education (January 2020) and Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success (July 2016 and August 2022 Second edition).