Executive Profiles

Barbara L. Nichols, DHL, MS, RN, FAAN
Chief Executive Officer

Barbara L. Nichols is the Chief Executive Officer of CGFNS International. Prior to holding this position, Ms. Nichols served as professor of nursing at the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing and director of nursing for Wisconsin Area Health Education Center System. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is on their Personnel Certification and Accreditation Committee. She held a cabinet position in Wisconsin State Government, is a former International Council of Nurses (ICN) Board Member and a past President of the American Nurses Association. As Secretary of the Department of Regulation and Licensing for the state of Wisconsin, she was responsible for 17 Boards that regulated 59 occupations and professions.

During her tenure as the CEO of CGFNS International, Ms. Nichols has received many accolades from the community.  Two of these include being a 2006 Inaugural Inductee to the National Black Nurses Association Institute of Excellence and the 2007 Distinguished Scholar, Howard University College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Division of Nursing.

Ms. Nichols is the author of over 70 publications on nursing and health care delivery including her most recent contribution as a Guest Editor, “ Policy, Politics and Nursing Practice”, in the August 2006 edition of Building Global Alliances III The Impact of Global Nurse Migration on Health Service Delivery. She holds a diploma in nursing from Massachusetts Memorial Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, a baccalaureate degree from Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio, and a master's degree in Behavior Disabilities from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  Ms. Nichols also served her country as a nurse ranking as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Nurse Corps.

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Catherine R. Davis, PhD, RN
Director of Global Research and Test Administration

Dr. Catherine Davis is the Director of Global Research and Test Administration for CGFNS International. Prior to joining CGFNS International, Dr. Davis was Associate Professor of Nursing at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia. She holds a PhD in Nursing from Adelphi University and a Master's degree in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the National Editorial Advisory Board of Advance for Nurses and serves as a manuscript reviewer for Sigma Theta Tau, International's Journal of Nursing Scholarship. Dr. Davis has authored and edited publications on international nursing and has presented at regional, national and international healthcare conferences.

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Julia Yuen-Heung To Dutka, EdD
Director of Global Assessment and Professional Services

Dr. Julia Yuen-Heung To Dutka is the Director of Global Assessment and Professional Services for CGFNS International. Dr. To Dutka, born and raised in Hong Kong, has been serving higher education for close to three decades in her role as professor, academic dean, and associate provost. While serving as Associate Provost and Professor of Education at Capital University, Dr. To Dutka had oversight responsibilities for an academic portfolio which included Accreditation, Assessment, Program Review, General Education, Research and Grants Administration, and Academic Support Services.

In addition to her academic experience, she has also served in the non-profit sector. As Executive Director for International Language Programs at Educational Testing Service (ETS), she oversaw the transition of the TOEFL program to computer-based testing with an operational network serving 1 million test-takers worldwide annually. Reporting to the TOEFL Policy Council, Dr. To Dutka managed a budget of $80 million and was responsible for coordinating services from ETS service divisions (research, assessment, operations, system and technology, and marketing) to meet program needs.

Dr. To Dutka received her BA in English from Hong Kong University, an MA and an Ed.M in Applied Linguistics, and an Ed.D in Language and Reading from Columbia University. She is a Senior Fellow at The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

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Donna Rae Richardson, JD, RN
Director of Governmental Affairs and Professional Standards

Donna Rae Richardson is the Director of Governmental Affairs and Professional Standards for CGFNS International. Previously, she was the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Women's Health Initiative of the Nation’s Capital and Director of Clinical Trials Programs at Howard University Cancer Center which increased minority physician and patient participation in clinical trials. She also served as an Assistant Professor of Nursing and Medicine at Howard University. A registered nurse and attorney, Ms. Richardson is counsel to the law firm of Joan Wilbon and Associates.  As Director of Governmental Affairs of the American Nurses Association she directed the legislative and regulatory policies that led to the Nursing Immigration Relief Act and occupational health protections for nurses. Prior to that she was an attorney at the Department of Labor.  She is a recognized speaker and resource on health care reform, HIV policy, women's health research, occupational health for nurses, and clinical trial recruitment. Ms. Richardson was honored in the 2007 Class of Distinguished Citizens for her career in health and law by Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio.

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Petula L. Wilson, PHR
Director of Human Resources

Petula Wilson joined CGFNS International in January 1999. In Ms. Wilson's role as Director of Human Resources, she has responsibility for compensation and benefits, staffing, recruitment and employee relations. Ms. Wilson reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining CGFNS, Ms. Wilson was the Director of Human Resources for the Center City District, a business improvement district created to revitalize Philadelphia's downtown area. Ms. Wilson has over 10 years of experience in the area of human resources, holds a Bachelor of Science from Temple University, and has been certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).

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