Ms. Mershon has more than 25 years of experience as a senior health care executive. Her background blends early clinical nursing, with corporate senior management experience. For 13 years, Ms. Mershon served as a senior officer of Humana. She was responsible for developing the corporate strategy relating to the quality, consistency, and cost effectiveness of nursing practice. She founded and served as president of Humana Health Institutes, a wholly owned subsidiary that operated pre-licensure practical nursing schools in three states.

She has national health policy experience, having served for six years as a member of the Medicare Prospective Payment Assessment Commission. The Commission advised the Congress on the Medicare payment system for hospitals. As a member of the Health Professions Review Group, she had the opportunity to review and critique the work-in-progress of President Clinton’s Task Force on Health Care Reform.

Ms. Mershon has been actively engaged in health and community activities locally and nationally. She has been a board member of the NLN on three occasions, chair of the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education (NY), a member of the founding Board of Stewardship Trustees of Catholic Health Initiatives (Denver, CO), and a board member of Alegent Health (Omaha, NE), The Louisville Chamber of Commerce, Trinity High School (Louisville), and Hosparus (Louisville). In addition to chairing the Galen College of Nursing board of directors, she currently serves on the board of The Friedell Committee (Lexington, KY), and is a member of the Quality and Safety Committee of Kentucky One Health (Louisville).