Dr. Joyce Knestrick, Ph.D., FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, is a professor at George Washington University and she is a past president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Knestrick practices as a primary care provider in rural Appalachia caring for low-income and underserved populations. She has been a family nurse practitioner for  over 30 years, a nurse educator for over 35 years and is active in maintaining high-quality education for NPs.  Her research is focused on health and access to care for low-income and rural populations, particularly women; nurse practitioner workforce issues; and distance education for NPs.