Rankin named Distinguished Fellow of National Academies of Practice

Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing Audra Rankin, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, has been named a Distinguished Fellow in the National Academies of Practice (NAP), Class of 2025. This recognition honors her extensive contributions to nursing, interprofessional collaboration, and health care leadership.

Dr. Rankin serves as the program director for both the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and the Health Care Leadership and Administration program. She is also the Associate Faculty Director for Nursing at the UNC Center for the Business of Health, housed within the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Her interdisciplinary roles reflect her commitment to bridging nursing, business, and health care systems.

Dr. Rankin’s contributions extend beyond academia. She serves as the National Health Policy Chair for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, a federal liaison for the National Committee on Federal Government Affairs for the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a dissemination and implementation partner liaison for the United States Preventive Services Task Force. Her leadership in health policy emphasizes her national influence in shaping equitable and effective health care systems.

The NAP’s Distinguished Fellowship is awarded to professionals who have demonstrated significant, enduring contributions to interprofessional health care practice, research, education, and policy. Dr. Rankin’s induction reflects her role as a catalyst for collaboration and innovation in advancing patient-centered care and strategic educational partnerships.

Dr. Rankin and other Class of 2025 inductees will be honored at the NAP Annual Meeting & Forum in Washington, D.C., in March 2025.

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