Greenville, N.C. – Dr. Sharona Johnson, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, NE-C, FAANP the Executive Director of Advanced Clinical Practice for ECU Health, Family Nurse Practitioner at ECU Nephrology and Hypertension and adjunct faculty at ECU College of Nursing has been inducted as a 2025 Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP). This distinguished honor recognizes Dr. Johnson’s significant contributions to the Nurse Practitioner (NP) profession and her dedication to advancing high-quality health care and nursing education.
“I am honored to be selected as a 2025 Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners,” said Dr. Johnson. “This recognition affirms the significance of our work as nurse practitioners and the impact we can make in advancing health care. I look forward to contributing alongside an inspiring group of professionals as we strive to elevate the NP role and enhance patient care globally.”
Dr. Johnson’s selection coincides with the 25th anniversary of the FAANP program, which was established in 2000 to honor nurse practitioners’ commitment to leadership, advocacy, and mentorship. As a FAANP fellow, Dr. Johnson will actively contribute her expertise through roles such as mentoring, committee involvement, journal contribution and global advancement of the NP. Dr. Johnson joins a distinguished cohort of accomplished NPs who have made a lasting impact on the profession and their communities.
“We are incredibly proud of Dr. Sharona Johnson for her well-deserved recognition as a 2025 Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners,” said Brian Floyd, chief operating officer, ECU Health. “Her dedication to research and patient care exemplifies the level of excellence we strive for at ECU Health. This honor not only reflects her individual achievements but also underscores the caliber of health care professionals within our organization. Dr. Johnson’s work is a shining example of our mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.”
Dr. Johnson brings nearly 35 years of nursing experience to her roles, having served nationally as a bedside nurse, flight nurse, and intensive care nurse. She holds a BSN from South Dakota State University and earned both her MSN and PhD in Nursing from East Carolina University. She is a passionate advocate for nurses, mentoring those pursuing advanced degrees and fostering professional growth across the field. She has a scholarship for nurses in her mother’s honor for graduate nursing students attending ECU College of Nursing. Her professional affiliations include the American Nurses Association, North Carolina Nurses Association, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Nephrology Nurses Association, and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the North Carolina Medical Board, chairs the Joint Subcommittee of the North Carolina Board of Nursing and is a member of the ECU Board of Visitors. She is past chair of the Center for Family Violence Prevention in Greenville.
Dr. Johnson teaches part time at ECU’s College of Nursing and was sponsored in the FAANP process by Dr. Michelle Skipper, the director of the CON’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Program and Adult Gerontology Primary Care NP and Family NP specialties, and Dr. Bim Akintade, dean of the College of Nursing.
“Michelle and I both suggested that Sharona undertake the process for this honor because she is an important part of the faculty and her dedication to Pirate Nursing, and our shared profession, is unwavering,” Akintade said. “We helped shepherd her through the nomination process and were there in San Diego to welcome her at the induction ceremony as a FAANP.”
The FAANP program honors outstanding leaders in the NP profession who have made a global impact. Through volunteering, mentoring, and advancing the NP role, FAANP members support the AANP’s mission of developing future NP leaders and advancing high-quality health care. For more information about the FAANP program, visit here.