The International Nursing Knowledge Association, INKA (formerly known as NANDA® International, NANDA-I) Board of Directors establishes administrative policies governing the affairs of the Association, develops and implements a strategic plan toward the accomplishment of the Association’s purposes and provides a biennial report to the membership at a regular meeting of the Association.
The Board acts as the custodian of the property, securities and records of the Association, provides for the annual audit of the books of the Association, provides for the bonding of Board officials as it may deem necessary and provides for payment of authorized expenses.
Dr. Hortensia Castañeda-Hidalgo works as a Professor Emerita and Full Time Professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. She has been involved with NANDA-I since 2012 as a translator for the Latin-American edition of the Nursing Diagnoses book and since 2018 as a member of the Diagnosis Development Committee. She is a renowned speaker on nursing process and nursing diagnoses in Latin America. At her request, the Mexico Network Group is collaborating with the Ministry of Health to update the Mexican care model, including the NANDA-I classification. Dr. Hortensia Castañeda-Hidalgo holds a number of leadership positions, building on her previous experience that provided her with a comprehensive understanding of international work and collaboration.
Dr. Miriam Rodriguez-Monforte is currently an Associate Professor of Community Nursing and the Clinical Placements’ Coordinator at the Blanquerna School of Health Sciences-Ramon Llull University, in Barcelona, Spain. Her clinical background is in community nursing. She has developed her clinical expertise in different Primary Health Centers in Barcelona, including adult and children’s health. She holds a master’s degree (2012) and a PhD (2017) from the University of Barcelona on Food, Nutrition and Metabolism. She was a pre-doctoral student at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Canada (2016).
Fabio D’Agostino is currently an Associate Professor and Dean of the BSc Nursing Program at UniCamillus University in Rome, Italy. He has a PhD in nursing science and considerable experience in research, practice, and teaching. His clinical background is in cardiology and emergency medicine. His expertise in nursing diagnosis was acquired through practice and extensive research, as highlighted in various publications. He is interested in interdisciplinary research and collaborative partnerships.
Dr. Takáo Lopes is an Adjunct Professor at Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil, where she teaches nursing fundamentals to undergraduate students and advises master’s and doctoral students. She has clinical experience in cardiology and adult intensive care. She participates in a strong research group in her university, and has published numerous articles on standardized nursing language and cardiology in international journals. She has been a co-editor of the NANDA International nursing diagnoses: Definitions and classification book since 2021.
Carme holds a Master’s degree in Nursing Science from Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona, Spain) and a Post-Graduate degree in Health Informatics from Swansea University. A dedicated member of NANDA International since 2000, she has contributed extensively through various committees, including Education and Clinical Innovation, Taxonomy, and the former International Committee.
Dr. Christine Spisla has 20+ years of clinical experience in various Women’s Health clinical areas including high-risk Labor & Delivery, Reproductive Endocrinology, infertility, colposcopy and laser. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Loyola University Chicago. Her Doctoral thesis focused on the use of healthcare information technology for continuity of care for chronic disease and the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patient populations following a disaster.
Dr. Marcos Lopes is a distinguished nurse researcher with over two decades of experience in nursing diagnosis, theory development, and research methodologies. Dr. Lopes holds a degree in Nursing from the State University of Ceará, a degree in Statistics from the Federal University of Ceará, and a degree in Psychology from the Maurício de Nassau University Center. He completed his PhD in Nursing from the Federal University of Ceará in 2001 and completed postdoctoral studies at the Department of Statistics and Operational Research at the University of Valencia in Spain, focusing on the analysis of nursing diagnoses using Bayesian inference. He is currently a Full Professor at the Federal University of Ceará and a CNPQ level 1A Research Productivity Fellow. Dr. Lopes advises master’s and doctoral students in Nursing, with an emphasis on research related to the validation of Nursing Diagnoses.
Dr. Herdman is the Chief Executive Officer of INKA. She has served as a member, Chair and Co-Director of the Diagnosis Review Committee/Diagnosis Development Committee, and is a former President of the Association. Heather is the editor/co-editor of the nursing textbook, NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses: Definitions and Classification, since 2009. She has numerous peer-reviewed publications related to clinical reasoning and nursing diagnosis, and is a well known international speaker. She is a past-president of NANDA-I, and served as Director/Co-Director of the Diagnosis Development Committee. Heather was in the founding class of NANDA-I Fellows, and is a recipient of the NANDA-I Mentor Award. She is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurses.
Dr. Dorothy A. Jones is Professor Emeritus at the Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, where she formerly served as Chair of the Adult Health Department from 1995 to 1999. She received her B.S.N. from Long Island University and Brooklyn Hospital School of Nursing in Brooklyn, New York, and earned graduate degrees from Indiana University and Boston University.