Abby Smetana, EdD, MSN, BSN
Co-Founder, President,
Society of Clinical Placement Professionals (SCPP)
Abby Smetana is a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in healthcare-focused higher education, program management, and clinical workforce development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Saint Joseph College a master’s in Nursing and Healthcare Leadership from Duke University, and a doctorate in Education and Healthcare Leadership from Nebraska Methodist College. She brings extensive expertise in academic leadership, accreditation, and strategic partnership building, with a strong focus on clinical placement operations and interprofessional education. Her experiences in education and training programs include both within the military, academic, and health system sectors. Abby is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force Nurse Corps, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command. Her experiences while serving as the dedicated preceptor for the Nurse Transition Program that sparked her passion for training program management, student support, and preceptor engagement.
As a Co-Founder of the Society of Clinical Placement Professionals (SCPP), Abby has played a pivotal role in creating a national platform to elevate and professionalize the clinical placement workforce. Her work centers on advancing equitable access to clinical training, building sustainable infrastructure, and supporting the professional growth of placement professionals across healthcare disciplines. She is passionate about improving the clinical education experience for advanced practice providers (APPs) through collaborative programming and systemic change.
A forward-thinking and systems-oriented leader, Abby is dedicated to connecting academic institutions, clinical partners, and policy stakeholders to ensure a thriving and diverse future healthcare workforce within her current role, serving as Associate Clinical Professor and the Director of Graduate Clinical Education for the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, School of Nursing, at Northeastern University
