Cathy St. Pierre is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) with extensive experience in research, practice, and academia. She is currently the Associate Chief Nurse of Research and a Nurse Practitioner at the VA Bedford Healthcare System. Dr. St. Pierre’s career path has primarily focused on serving the needs of various underserved populations, including pediatric and elderly populations living in poverty, high-risk adolescents, aging veterans, including those experiencing homelessness. As a Research Scientist, she has led several programs of research focused on improving veterans’ health. Currently, her research study is a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) utilizing Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) to treat veterans with chronic pain and a history of substance use. Her professional activities include creating and sustaining an International Ambassador scholarship program within the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Dr. St. Pierre’s commitment and passion for advancing the nursing profession has included serving several leadership positions within the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Sigma, and the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association. She earned her BSN from Northeastern University, her MSN degree in Family Health as a Nurse Practitioner at the University of Pennsylvania and her PhD in Nursing at Boston College.