Stacey (Pfenning) Olsen, DNP, APRN, FNP, FAANP

Executive Director, North Dakota Board of Nursing

• CV
• Candidate Flyer

Professional: Reflecting on my 29-year journey as a professional nurse is truly inspiring. This diverse and ever-evolving career spans a wide range of roles, and I’ve been fortunate to immerse myself in several, including clinical practice, academia, research, organizational leadership, healthcare policy, and regulatory work. In clinical practice, the experience I gained as a bedside nurse provided a strong foundation for my role as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) in which I served a wide range of settings, including emergency/trauma, critical access hospitals, rural and private clinics, employee health services, and correctional facilities. In 2008, I earned my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, which opened the opportunity to give back to the profession by incorporating academia into my career. In my roles as Associate Professor and FNP program coordinator, I gained experience in teaching, accreditation, and organizational leadership. Regulatory: NCSBN was instrumental in my growth as a regulatory leader, offering mentorship and professional development to support my transition to Executive Officer (EO) in 2015. As EO, I discovered the perfect culmination of all my experiences in clinical practice, academia, research, and organizational leadership. One of my favorite accomplishments originated from my time with Shirley Brekken, Minnesota EO. After we attended the Minnesota Tri-Regulator Collaborative, I shared the concept with the Governor’s workforce initiative aimed to address the opioid epidemic and was appointed to establish North Dakota’s own Tri-Regulator Collaborative which was successful. Community: Building on my background in trauma nursing, I delivered educational presentations and authored publications for my community and nursing organizations aimed to raise awareness about compassion fatigue. These offerings empowered individuals to recognize signs of secondary trauma and implement practical strategies to manage its daily impact on life.

I have had the privilege of presenting at multiple NCSBN events, including Mid-Year, APRN Roundtables, Discipline Case Management, and Executive Officer Summit. These opportunities allowed me to share knowledge, contribute to professional dialogue, and engage with leaders dedicated to advancing nursing regulation. My commitment to NCSBN is further demonstrated through service on several committees, most recently as practice group lead for the Model Act & Rules Committee. I consistently participate in NCSBN meetings and served as North Dakota’s delegate since 2015. I contribute to the Executive Officer Leadership Council and APRN Knowledge Network including the APRN Peer Consultant Mentorship Program, which supports the onboarding of new APRN regulatory staff across jurisdictions. Through these experiences, I remained engaged in advancing the NCSBN mission. Below are details of my contributions: Committees: • APRN Peer Consultant Mentorship Program (2025-present) • Practice Team Lead, Model Act and Rules Committee (2024–present) • Vice Chair, Executive Officer Leadership Council (2019–2021) • APRN Licensure Compact Taskforce (2018–2019) • Commitment to Ongoing Regulatory Excellence (CORE) Committee (2016–2018) • APRN Education Committee (2015–2016) • 40th Anniversary Planning Committee (2015–2017) • Chair, Credentials Committee, Annual Meeting Delegate Assembly (2015) • APRN Distance Learning Education Committee (2014–2015) Presentations & Pubs • Executive Officer Summit-Seasoned EO Panel Discussion-2025. • Mid-Year Meeting & webinar-Model Act & Rules Forum-2025. • APRN Roundtable- APRN Compact: Advancing APRN Licensure Mobility-2022 • Discipline Case Management Conference-Navigating the NLC Discipline Process-2021. • APRN Roundtable-APRN Experience with Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs-I.L.-2015. • Green, S. & Pfenning, S. (2015). Optimizing the use of state prescription drug monitoring programs for public safety. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 6(3). 1-7.

My engagement with NCSBN has been instrumental in shaping my development as a leader in nursing regulation and healthcare policy. Over the past 14 years, I have gained the knowledge, skills, and insight necessary to effectively serve as an Executive Officer, supporting the North Dakota Board of Nursing in navigating the evolving landscape of regulation, health policy, and legislative advocacy. To further strengthen the regulatory expertise gained through my NCSBN experience, I completed the Health Policy and Media post-certificate program at George Washington University in 2022. This rigorous academic experience expanded my foundation in health policy development and analysis, as well as providing experiences with necessary methods and tools for influencing and advancing policy. It also enhanced my ability to educate and engage key stakeholders. The program strengthened my competencies in economics and finance and provided valuable training in media engagement and the effective dissemination of evidence and data to drive action and meaningful change. This post-graduate certificate complimented my Doctor of Nursing Practice education which provided advanced decision-making, evidence-base practice, and leadership frameworks. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities NCSBN has provided and for the many dedicated members who have served as trusted mentors, colleagues, and friends. I feel both prepared and motivated to give back to the organization. My professional experience, combined with my additional and focused academic training, positions me to contribute meaningfully to NCSBN’s mission to advance and empower nursing regulation globally. As an Executive Officer, I have actively participated in NCSBN’s strategic planning efforts and am strongly aligned with its focus on right-touch regulation and adaptive, evidence-informed approaches that respond to the demands of a rapidly evolving healthcare environment while maintaining public protection at the forefront.

My engagement with NCSBN has been instrumental in shaping my development as a leader in nursing regulation and healthcare policy. Over the past 14 years, I have gained the knowledge, skills, and insight necessary to effectively serve as an Executive Officer, supporting the North Dakota Board of Nursing in navigating the evolving landscape of regulation, health policy, and legislative advocacy. To further strengthen the regulatory expertise gained through my NCSBN experience, I completed the Health Policy and Media post-certificate program at George Washington University in 2022. This rigorous academic experience expanded my foundation in health policy development and analysis, as well as providing experiences with necessary methods and tools for influencing and advancing policy. It also enhanced my ability to educate and engage key stakeholders. The program strengthened my competencies in economics and finance and provided valuable training in media engagement and the effective dissemination of evidence and data to drive action and meaningful change. This post-graduate certificate complimented my Doctor of Nursing Practice education which provided advanced decision-making, evidence-base practice, and leadership frameworks. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities NCSBN has provided and for the many dedicated members who have served as trusted mentors, colleagues, and friends. I feel both prepared and motivated to give back to the organization. My professional experience, combined with my additional and focused academic training, positions me to contribute meaningfully to NCSBN’s mission to advance and empower nursing regulation globally. As an Executive Officer, I have actively participated in NCSBN’s strategic planning efforts and am strongly aligned with its focus on right-touch regulation and adaptive, evidence-informed approaches that respond to the demands of a rapidly evolving healthcare environment while maintaining public protection at the forefront.