With gratitude and sadness the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board would like to announce the retirement of our Executive Director, Dottie Roberts. Earlier this year Dottie informed our Board that she would retire from her duties at ONCB at the end of this year. While this was a difficult announcement from an ONCB management perspective, I am in awe of Dottie’s contributions and achievements and excited for her future. Knowing Dottie, I’m sure she will be involved in many more great things and new projects!
Dottie has served ONCB in some capacity since 1998. She served as president from 1999-2004, and has worked as executive director since 2005. Additionally, she was an ABNS Member-at-Large from 2002-2005, President-Elect from 2005-2007, and ABNS President from 2007-2009. Dottie was also a member of ABSNC from 2009-2016 and served as ABSNC President from 2011-2015. She then served as the ABSNC Accreditation Manager from 2015-2016. Dottie has been a member of NAON since 1994, and a reviewer for The Orthopaedic Nursing Journal since 1996. She was also “NAON News” Editor from 1996-2003.
Her service to any one of these organizations would be a spectacular achievement for most people. This still doesn’t scratch the surface for Dottie–she holds certifications in multiple nursing specialties, she is an accomplished author, editor, and professor. Dottie has an unbelievable memory when it comes to ONCB’s history, and she can instantly recall the cities and years in which NAON Congress was held. I should also note that she is a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and lastly my mentor and friend.
Dottie has been an unwavering champion of certification. She has been invaluable in promoting orthopaedic nursing certification and helping grow ONCB. In an effort to celebrate Dottie’s contributions and achievements, the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board has committed to funding an annual scholarship in Dottie’s name. The “Dottie Roberts Excellence in Certification” scholarship will be awarded once each annual recertification cycle, based on a standardized application process, and will cover all recertification costs for any of ONCB’s certifications.
Thank you, Dottie. I know our entire Board is so very grateful for your service and passion for orthopaedic certification. We wish you all the best, Dottie! Enjoy your next adventures in your much deserved retirement.
Matthew Price, MS, RN, CNP, ONP-C, RNFA
ONCB President