Johnnie Sue Susan Wijewardane Ph.D., FNP-BC, FAANP
Dr. Johnnie Sue Wijewardane: Championing the Future of Nurse Practitioner Practice Through Innovation and Design Thinking
Dr. Johnnie Sue Wijewardane is a nationally recognized nurse practitioner (NP) leader whose professional mission is to elevate and empower NPs to fully understand and confidently practice to the fullest extent of their scope and education. With a distinctive focus on integrating innovation and the principles of Design Thinking across all levels of NP education and practice, she is a tireless advocate—an NP evangelist—for advancing the profession in bold and creative ways.
A trailblazer in graduate nursing education, Dr. Wijewardane led the development and successful implementation of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program for nurse practitioners at Mississippi University for Women (MUW), driving curriculum innovation and academic excellence.
Her national leadership extends to the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP), where she served on the Mentoring Committee to design forward-looking, generationally responsive mentorship strategies for NPs. From 2022 to 2024, she also served as Secretary of the FAANP Executive Council, supporting the strategic direction and governance of the Fellowship.
A family nurse practitioner since 2001, Dr. Wijewardane has held diverse clinical and executive leadership roles in both healthcare and academia. Her clinical background includes practice in occupational health, primary care, long-term care, and college health. She served as Manager of Patient Quality and Safety at Children’s of Mississippi within the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and held senior academic leadership roles as the inaugural Dean of Nursing at Radford University and the Dean of Nursing Belhaven University. At MUW, she served as a tenured Professor and Chair of the Department of Graduate Nursing, overseeing both MSN-FNP and DNP programs. At UMMC, she was appointed Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and served as Professor in the School of Nursing.
Dr. Wijewardane earned her BSN, MSN, and PhD in Nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Her doctoral research led to the development and psychometric testing of the Cooper Parental Self-Efficacy Scale—Child Health Behaviors (CPSS-CHB), which has since been implemented in DNP student projects under her guidance. She also completed postgraduate coursework in Applied Statistics at Texas A&M University and holds a certificate in Design Thinking from the Artis College of Visual and Performing Arts at Radford University, where she is currently pursuing an MFA in Design Thinking.
A seasoned speaker, she presents regularly at state and national conferences on topics spanning NP leadership, long-term care, and the application of Design Thinking in health care and nursing education.
As co-founder and co-owner of The 1817 Group, LLC, she and her husband provide consulting services at the intersection of technology, healthcare, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on design-led transformation.
Dr. Wijewardane currently serves as Vice President of Professional Practice for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), where she continues to shape the future of NP practice and leadership nationwide.