The Academy of Forensic Nursing recently saw changes to its leadership in the Executive Committee. On June 1, Dr. Paul Thomas Clements stepped down as president of AFN to focus on home and family. In his place, 2025 President-Elect Cathy (CJ) Carter-Snell has assumed the role of president through the end of the year. She will continue as president in 2026 as originally planned.

The shift in leadership left a vacancy in the president-elect position for the remainder of 2025.

“We were saddened to learn of Dr. Clement's resignation as president but would like to thank him for all he has done for AFN,” said Carter-Snell. “Typically, the president can appoint someone into empty executive positions. But we wanted an inclusive process.”

To facilitate that inclusive process, the AFN Executive Committee opened the president-elect position to the AFN Board of Directors. Two board members volunteered to serve as interim president-elect. An election was then held among the Board of Directors to determine who would fill the role.

“We were fortunate to have two excellent candidates willing to serve,” said Carter-Snell. “Ultimately, Dr. Kimberly Kasper was selected as our interim president-elect.”

Kasper (DHSc, ACNP-BC) was elected in December 2023 to a two-year term on the AFN Board of Directors (2024-2026) and is co-chair of AFN’s International Special Interest Group. She has worked for more than 23 years as an acute care nurse practitioner; has 31 years’ experience in emergency/trauma/internal medicine services; and served in the United States Air Force as a flight nurse for nine years. She is full-time faculty at Duquesne University teaching in the Advanced Practice Forensic Graduate, Acute Care Adult Gerontology, and Family Practice NP programs. She also practices at a community clinic for uninsured patients, where she primarily works with migrant women and their families.

“Thank you to the Board of Directors for their vote of confidence in my leadership abilities,” said Kasper. “I look forward to working in this new position serving the members, and fulfilling the mission and vision set forth by our founding members.”

The annual election, open to all AFN members in good standing, will be held online December 1–15, 2025 to choose new members for the Board of Directors 2026–2028 term, as well as open positions on the 2026 Executive Committee.

In the meantime, the 2025 Executive Committee consists of President Carter-Snell, Interim President-Elect Kasper, Treasurer Christine Foote-Lucero, Secretary Natalie Evenson, and Immediate Past-President Debra Holbrook.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Kasper to the Executive Committee,” said Carter-Snell. “Please join us in welcoming her to this new role.”