Category: Board of Directors
Director, Council on Nursing Education
Director, Council on Nursing Education
Tomekia Luckett, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC
tomekialuckett@yahoo.com
Dr. Tomekia Luckett is currently the Associate Dean for Nursing Continuing Professional Development at Walden University. Dr. Luckett is a sought-after presenter and prolific author. Her books include a number of devotionals and prayer journals for nurses.
Dr. Luckett has held a number of high-profile leadership positions within the Mississippi Nurses’ Association. She served as the Director for the Councils on Nursing Education and Organizational Affairs, District 7 Executive Board, and Council on Nursing Research Committee, member at large. Additionally, she was elected to serve as a Delegate for the American Nurses Association Membership Assembly.
Dr. Luckett earned a PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi with a focus on nursing leadership. Dr. Luckett’s MSN and BSN are from William Carey University. She holds an ADN degree from Southwest MS Community College.
Treasurer
Dr. Cynthia “Cindy” Luther serves as a Family Nurse Practitioner for Ochsner Rush Healthcare, and a Teaching Professor at Mississippi State University School of Nursing. She has been a nurse educator for twenty years, and has served as director of FNP, AGPCNP, and PMHNP programs.
Dr. Luther began her nursing education at Matty Hersee School of Nursing, and completed her BSN and MSN at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her emphasis areas were Psychiatric Mental Health and Nursing Administration. She completed post master’s certificate programs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center to prepare her for certification as a FNP and AGPCNP. She attended the University of Alabama Birmingham, earning a PhD with emphasis in Health Policy Analyst.
Dr. Luther has served on the MNA Board of Directors as Secretary and President, contributed to numerous committees including the Advanced Practice Council, Legislative Affairs Committee, Convention Planning Committee, and the Continuing Education Provider Unit. She has also served as a delegate to the MNA House of Delegates and the American Nurses Association (ANA) House of Delegates, advocating for nursing practice and healthcare policy at the state and national levels.
Director Council on Organizational Affairs
Anne Everett has served as a Senior Risk Management Consultant with Medical Assurance Company of Mississippi (MACM) since 2013, where she collaborates with physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and medical office staff to assess clinic risk management systems and improve documentation practices to healthcare professionals statewide. She also provides educational programs on ways to improve medical/nursing documentation for MACM, hospitals, nursing schools, and MNA. Anne has over 35 years of experience in case management, quality improvement, utilization review, and risk management across hospitals, clinics, and long-term care settings.
Anne has been a registered nurse since 1983, beginning her career after graduating from Hinds Community College. She earned her BSN from Mississippi College in 1987 and her MSN in Nursing Education from Delta State University in 2009.
Anne is a longtime member of the Mississippi Nurses’ Association, serving on the Provider Unit and Convention Planning Committees.
Director, Council on Health Affairs
Dr. Mary Ellen Stewart Serves as the Chair of the Department of Public Health, as well as an Assistant Professor of Nursing and Public Health at Mississippi College School of Nursing. She is an accomplished nursing professional and public health expert with over 29 years of experience in clinical practice, nursing and public health education, advocacy and public policy. Areas of specialization include cardiovascular care, hospice care, educational simulation, and disaster preparedness and relief. She possesses a strong understanding of systems thinking and is an expert in building collaborative teams to accomplish a given task. Her extensive background combines hands-on nursing expertise with strategic leadership in health affairs.
Dr. Stewart received an AA Degree from Hinds Community College, BSN from Mississippi College, MSN Education from UMMC, and PhD in Nursing Leadership from USM.
President
Dr. Alena Groves has served as a registered nurse for 20 years. Her experience in the field is vast including such areas as intensive care, emergency room, radiology, renal, cardiology, orthopedics, internal medicine, education, and administration within both the hospital and outpatient setting.
She is passionate about educating new and experienced nurse practitioners as Assistant Professor of the graduate nursing program, Mississippi University for Women, where she also earned her Doctorate of Nursing Practice.
Her focus as an educator is in improving provider knowledge and practice in regards to technology, informatics and policies that affect and govern practice. She is a strong advocate for strengthening the role of nurses in Mississippi, and for doing her part in guiding competent, confident, and active nurses for our association and our state.
She is a certified family nurse practitioner and orthopaedic nurse practitioner currently employed at Columbus Orthopaedic Clinic in Columbus, MS. She has served as a nurse practitioner for 5 years, providing care to patients across the lifespan in both specialty and family practice.
Dr. Groves has served as President of MNA District 18 and has actively recruited members and speakers to offer continuing education for MNA members.
She has presented on local, regional, and the national level regarding osteoporosis fracture prevention and musculoskeletal injuries in primary care, and well as published outcomes of role expansion and increasing patient access through the development of an employee-family clinic, which she still manages.
Secretary
Dr. Beverly Russell is a Lecturer in the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of North Alabama. She previously served in the role of nurse manager for nephrology, dialysis, and COVID ICU at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS. Dr. Russell has nursing experience in pediatrics, nephrology, medical-surgical, clinical education, and nursing leadership. Dr. Russell has served as the Nurse Executive Chair for the Shared Governance Practice Council, a member of the NMMC PICC 2015-2021, and previously served as the Chair for the Nurse Educator Council.
Dr. Russell’s career began after earning her BSN from the Mississippi University for Women. She then went on to receive her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of North Alabama, and recently obtained her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Samford University.
Vice-President
Dr. Kristen Long serves as Senior Director of Nursing and Interim Chief Nursing Executive at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS. During her nursing career of 16 years, she has previous experience in neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, general surgery, intensive care nursing, intermediate care nursing, nursing supervisor, nurse manager, and administration.
Her focus as a Senior Director of Nursing and Interim Chief Nursing Executive is to provide leadership that results in the most favorable environment for patients and staff. She is also passionate about mentoring new nursing leaders and serves as a preceptor for MSN students.
Dr. Long graduated with her ADN from Itawamba Community College, then received her BSN from the University of North Alabama, later received a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Samford University.
Dr. Long currently serves as the chair of multiple NMMC committees and has served as a delegate for the MNA House of Delegates.
Director, Council on Nursing Practice
Director, Council on Nursing Practice
Sandra “Sandi” Arnold, MSN, RN
Sandra “Sandi” Arnold serves as the Director of Clinical Education at Hattiesburg Clinic in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Sandi started her nursing career with an ADN from Meridian Community College and then received a BSN and later an MSN in education from William Carey University.
Sandi has been employed at Rush Hospital in Meridian, MS, St. David’s Community Hospital in Austin, TX and at Hattiesburg Clinic in Hattiesburg, MS. Throughout Sandi’s nursing career of over 40 years, she has nursing experience in the areas of general surgery, neurosurgery, neurology, endocrinology, hematology, oncology, dialysis, family medicine, leadership and clinical education.
Sandi’s professional affiliations include MNA, Sigma Theta Tau -Upsilon Theta Chapter, National League for Nursing, the Nursing Advisory Council for William Carey University and Pearl River Community College and the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI).
Sandi has served on the MNA Board in numerous positions, including MNA Secretary, Director of the Council on Organizational Affairs, and previously as Director of the Council on Nursing Practice.