NPACE at 45: Honoring the Past & Shaping the Future of APP CE

NPACE at 45: Honoring the Past & Shaping the Future of APP Continuing Education

By: Terri Schmitt PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP
Executive Director, NPACE

This month I honor this great organization and invite you to join our celebration of past, present, and future horizons. We look good for middle age and it's all thanks to you!

In 1980, a small group of forward-thinking nurse practitioners came together with a bold idea: to create continuing education that was relevant, rigorous, and specific to NP practice needs. Something nonexistent at the time. The grassroots vision became Nurse Practitioner Associates for Continuing Education (NPACE)—and 45 years later, we celebrate how far we have come!

A Legacy Rooted in Innovation
NPACE was founded during a pivotal time in healthcare history. Advanced practice roles were expanding in response to demands for accessible, high-quality care. However, the continuing education landscape had not caught up. Through visionary leaders NPACE began offering engaging, evidence-based education designed by and for nurse practitioners.

In a moment of grateful thanks, join me in honoring the seven innovative and dedicated founding members that put their name to the articles of incorporation:

Ania Apse
Elaine Cronin Aresty
Kathleen Higgins Cahill
Anne A. Ripley
Nancy Walsh Robart
Judith Sartucci Lynch
Joan Smidutz

What started small quickly grew into something more: a nationally trusted organization which helped shape the future of CE for NPs. Over the years, NPACE has served tens of thousands of clinicians, supporting lifelong learning and clinical excellence across the country.

Serving the APP Community
From the beginning, NPACE has evolved alongside the professions it serves. Whether it’s primary care, women’s health, mental health, pediatrics, or acute care NPACE continues to deliver relevant, evidence-based education for professional impact, going beyond clinical. At NPACE we believe professional happiness and clinician well-being are essential to patient outcomes. NPACE conferences include wellness programming, built-in time for networking, unique exhibit halls, and a sense of community to remind APPs they’re not alone and to better support their work.

Looking Ahead: Education That Supports the Workforce
As we celebrate this 45-year milestone, NPACE is not just looking back… we are looking forward! APPs are being asked to do more, serve more, and adapt faster. Burnout is an ever-present factor, making retention a challenge across every care setting.

Due to ever increasing healthcare demands NPACE is expanding. We are taking the same high-quality, evidence-based CE that individual NPs have trusted for years and now expanding to our Physician Associate friends by offering CME at our live events. Further, we are expanding partnerships with organizations, health systems, and community health centers at a reduced cost and with scalable, flexible delivery models. In supporting institutional partners, NPACE is helping healthcare organizations invest in their teams, reduce burnout, and ensure their APPs continue to grow in knowledge and professional satisfaction.

Celebrate with us in Cape Cod for Our 45th Anniversary!
To celebrate, we’re inviting all past NPACE participants and new friends to join us in Cape Cod, June 9–12, 2025, for our annual conference and 45th anniversary celebration as we bring back the 80’s in a retro style party on Monday June 9^th!

NPACE has been here for 45 years because of you and we’re just getting started! Join us as we continue to support clinical excellence, lifelong learning, and practice joy we hope define advanced practice providers everywhere. Thank you for all of your support and work with us!