Last month, BCEN CEO Janie Schumaker was named the recipient of the prestigious Janel Parker President’s Award by the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS).
Following the ABNS announcement of this well-deserved recognition and a proud moment for the entire BCEN community, we take a deeper look at what the award represents, the leadership that led to it, and what Janie’s nominator wants the BCEN community to know about her.
An Accolade Reflecting Personal Passions & Convictions
“We are so incredibly fortunate to have had Janie’s leadership at a time of great change for the organization and the industry,” said Janie’s nominator and ABNS Past President Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BScN, RN, CAE. Hinkley served as CEO for the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board before taking on her current role as CEO of the National Association of School Nurses.
“Janie is a calm, steadying leader,” said Hinkley. “She is able to critically evaluate a situation and take appropriate action. She works tirelessly for BCEN and represents its certified nurses extremely well on the national stage. She is passionate about certification, and it shines through in everything she does.”
Hinkley continued, “It has been a pleasure to work with Janie over the past five plus years. I have a deep respect for Janie and have been so fortunate to work with her. She has become a dear friend through this process, and I’m grateful for her leadership.”
BCEN Board Reflections: Janie’s Vision and Lasting Impact
Speaking on behalf of the BCEN board of directors, Board Chairperson Allen Wolfe Jr., shared his thoughts on Janie’s leadership:
“Janie is a fierce and tireless advocate for nursing certification across specialties. She pushes the certification industry forward as an advocate for research that helps validate the value of certification and its impact on outcomes.”
“Janie is definitely worthy of this award that recognizes her numerous contributions and her visionary leadership,” added Wolfe. “The BCEN board of directors is proud to support a leader who not only upholds the integrity of our mission but consistently works to elevate the nursing profession as a whole.”
ICYMI: Stepping In & Stepping Up
In 2018, Janie volunteered to step into the role of president of the ABNS board of directors—despite having not previously served on the board—to help ensure the organization’s continued operations and success. As noted in her nomination for the President’s Award, Janie “did an outstanding job bringing a new vision for ABNS to the organization and did a significant amount of work improving the internal operations and oversight of the work of the association.”
Over the course of her service to ABNS, including her time as president, Janie:
- Led a research initiative with Morning Consult to understand the public perception and understanding of nursing certification.
- Initiated a first-of-its-kind, industry wide survey of national nursing certification boards.
- Held weekly townhalls with member organizations during the COVID pandemic to foster information sharing and promote collaboration and community.
- Improved the ABNS member survey, oversaw the update of the certification bibliography and helped strengthen the organization’s financial stability.
- Implemented rigor and expectations with ABNS’s management company to ensure accountability and member value—much of this work occurred behind the scenes but had lasting impact for member organizations and the public.
- Was instrumental in working with ANCC to bring Certified Nurses Day under the ABNS umbrella.
In addition, as ABNS President, Janie served as an ex-officio board member of the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC), where she provided valuable insight during the revision of the accreditation standards.
The Collective Power of Specialty Certification
The ABNS President’s Award is a significant honor within the nursing and certification community, reflecting the respect, trust and reputation for getting things done that Janie has earned across the field.
As we celebrate Janie’s achievement, we also recognize the collective efforts that supported Janie’s leadership and advanced the mission of ABNS — including a dedicated board of directors and staff, engaged members across dozens of nursing specialties, and a shared belief in the power of nursing specialty certification to elevate care, advance specialty nursing, and improve patient outcomes.
Learn more: ABNS, ABSNC, and the value of certification.
