HJNO Mar/Apr 2019

Healthcare Journal of NEW ORLEANS I  MAR / APR 2019 27 with Sophia L. Thomas President Elect American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) O ver her 23-year nurse practitioner career, Sophia L. Thomas DNP, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, has been active within several professional organizations, includingAANP, FAANP and the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitio- ners (LANP). Dr. Thomas has been chosen by her fellow nurse practitioners as the President-Elect of theAmericanAssociation of Nurse Practitioners for the 2019-2021 term. She has served in several elected and appointed leadership positions, including as the President of LANP and as theAANPRegion 6 Direc- tor. She has been appointed to numerous committees within each of these organizations. She was inducted as a Fellow of the AANP in 2012 and of the National Academy of Practice in Nursing in 2013. Dr. Thomas advocates for NP scope of practice leg- islation and for improving patient access to quality, affordable health care. She has been a health policy voice for the NP profession on both the state and national levels. In addition to her advocacy, she impacts NP education as clinical faculty for George- town University’s FNP program as well as through publications and presentations on multiple clinical topics. Dr. Thomas is active in her practice at Daugh- ters of Charity Health Centers in New Orleans, LA providing primary care services for her patients. Her multimedia reach includes print, radio and television, and she has been anAANP spokesperson, including being featured inMoney Magazine and on NBC News with BrianWilliams. The interview aired on 110 NBC stations to an audience of 4.9-million. Nurse Practitioners Q&A on