| Board of Nursing Appoints New Executive Director |
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| NEWS RELEASE |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 20, 2007
CONTACT: Barbara Holtry, OSBN Public Information Officer, 971-673-0658
Holly Mercer, JD, RN, was appointed Executive Director of the Oregon State Board of Nursing during a public Board meeting Dec. 19, 2007.
Mercer replaces interim director Suzanne Nelson, who has served since the agency’s previous director, Joan Bouchard, RN, resigned Aug. 29, 2007. Mercer will begin the transition to her new position immediately, and will assume her duties full-time January 2, 2008.
Mercer is currently the Assistant Manager of the Medical Section of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ Workers’ Compensation Division. Her experience includes public sector medical dispute resolution, public health program management and private sector safety and risk management. She has demonstrated leadership in collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and has the experience to lead the agency in continued change and improvement efforts.
“We are confident that Holly is the right person to lead the Board of Nursing,” says Board President-Elect James McDonald, RN, FNP. “Her leaderships skills, previous regulatory experience and health care knowledge will serve the Board and its staff well as we move forward.”
Mercer’s selection follows a national search, with full participation by the Board and broad participation by agency staff and stakeholders. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.; a Juris Doctor degree from Lewis and Clark Law School, Portland, Ore.; and, an Associate Degree in Nursing from Boise State University, Boise, Idaho. She is a member of the Oregon and Idaho State Bar Associations, and is a licensed RN in Oregon, Idaho and Washington.
“I’m excited to become part of the Board of Nursing,” says Mercer. “The agency is working to implement a number of systemic changes to enhance its compliance and licensing departments, and I look forward to being part of that effort.”
The Oregon State Board of Nursing, established in 1911, regulates nursing practice and education in protection of the public’s health, safety and wellbeing. It oversees the licensure, certification, education and compliance of Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, nursing assistants, medication aides and advanced nursing practitioners in the State of Oregon. The nine-member board is appointed by the Governor and comprised of a nurse practitioner, four Registered Nurses, two Licensed Practical Nurses and two public members. The Board employs a staff of approximately 45, comprised of investigators, licensing technicians, practice and education consultants and support staff.
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