Catrina Heffernan is a lecturer at the Munster Technological University in Ireland. She is a nurse educator, advocate, and volunteer on national and global boards, and her seminal individual contributions have been focused on advanced nursing practice (APN). In 2022 she was the project lead for the development of APN in Ireland. Designing and implementing curricular and educational programs to infuse leadership theories and concepts to strengthen and amplify APN leadership competencies internationally are her most significant contributions. Currently, she is chair the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nursing Network (NPAPNN) Practice committee. She is a founding member of the Irish Africa Alliance for Non-Communicable Diseases (IAAfNCD). In her national leadership role as a board member of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), Registration Committee, she contributed to the safeguarding of the professional standards of nursing for international nurses. She developed nursing policies in relation to clinical competence and access to nursing programs for international nurses. She was was subsequently named a senior Fellow (SFHEA) for Teaching and Learning (2023). In collaboration with Case Western University she initiated the creation of a blended learning program for APN preceptors as she recognised the inherent challenges for APN leaders precepting in high acuity environments. In her international leadership role as chair of the International Council of Nurses NPANP practice group, board member of the C3 Collaborating for Health Steering Board (UK) and founding member of IAAfNCD, she provides vision to nurse leaders from a global perspective. Her contribution to the profession of nursing is showcased through her commitment to nursing organisations and her membership of regional, national and international boards. She was awarded the Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive Fellow in 2023. Dr. Heffernan holds a DN from University College Cork, a Masters and a Bachelor degree from Universities in the UK and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from Case Western Reserve University.