Linda M. Shepherd
Background
Dr. Linda Shepherd is an accomplished nurse and executive healthcare leader with over 37 years of experience in various settings across the healthcare spectrum. She has over 12 years of experience as a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). During her role as CNO, Dr. Shepherd was responsible for nursing education, compliance, quality and patient safety, accreditation, and regulatory affairs while championing the quadruple aim and the infusion of evidence-based practices systemwide. She serves as a change agent within healthcare.
Before joining Joint Commission Resources in 2023, Dr. Shepherd was a Healthcare Executive Consultant and Interim Chief Nursing Officer in the Cayman Islands, serving to prepare the organization for its initial Joint Commission International Accreditation. During this time, she had dual clinical and preparatory responsibility for all inpatient and outpatient areas, including specialty services, clinics, dentistry, and public health on the main island and the two sister islands.
In addition to these roles, Dr. Shepherd served as the President of the Virginia Nurses Association (VNA) for four years. During this time, she continuously advocated for population health/health equity, quality care delivery, and the advancement of nursing at the state and national levels. She collaborated with legislators, senators, and the Virginia governor’s office during and post-pandemic, advocating for legislation to protect healthcare workers and expand health equity.
Dr. Shepherd also has served as an International Medical Missions Coordinator for short-term missions since 2004, serving in over 15 countries, most recently in South Sudan.
Dr. Shepherd is mentor and adjunct faculty at James Madison University since 2022.
Professional Experience
Bedside Registered Nurse
- RN III - Level 1 Neurotrauma Intensive Care - Centra Health
- RN III - Level 1 Neurotrauma Intensive Care - Carilion Clinic
- RN III - Emergency Department - Novant Presbyterian Hospital
Educator
- Surgical Services Educator - Carilion Clinic New River Valley Hospital
Manager
- Assistant Manager Quality - Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Hospital
Director
- Director Surgical Services – Carilion Clinic New River Valley Hospital
- Director Clinical Decision Unit – Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Hospital
- Director Critical Care Services/Dialysis – Hospital Corporation of America (HCA)
Researcher
- Corporate Research Leader - Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) - Nashville, TN
Executive Leader
- Chief Nursing Officer – Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Hospital
- Chief Nursing Officer – Ballad Health, Johnston Memorial & Smythe County
- Executive Healthcare Consultant – Cayman Islands Health Service Authority (CIHSA) - Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Chief Nursing Officer (Interim) – Cayman Islands Health Service Authority (CIHSA) - Georgetown, Grand Cayman – Cayman Islands
Faculty
- Adjunct Professor, James Madison University, Graduate Nursing Studies
Publications
- Contributing author: The DNP Project Workbook: A Step-By-Step Process for Success – Springer Publications
Professional Affiliations and Certifications
- Nurse Executive Advanced - Board Certified
- Past President - Virginia Nurses Association
- Election Board Chair - Virginia Nurses Foundation
- Current Board Member of the Virginia Nurses Foundation
- Past Treasurer - Virginia Nurses Association
- Past Secretary - Virginia Nurses Association
- Treasurer, Dress for Success Board Member
- American Organization of Nurse Leaders
- STTI Omega Zeta
- American Nurses Association
- American College of Healthcare Executives
- Association for Leadership Science in Nursing
- “Caring for Virginia Caregivers Task Force” active member
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Lynchburg - Lynchburg, VA, USA
- Master of Business Administration with focus on Leadership from Liberty University - Lynchburg, VA, USA
- Doctor of Nursing Practice - Executive Healthcare Systems Leadership from James Madison University - Harrisonburg, VA, USA