Title: Chief Nurse Executive
Company: Emory Healthcare
Location: Woodstock, Georgia, United States
Sharon H. Pappas, PhD, Chief Nurse Executive at Emory Healthcare, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Nurses for dedication, achievements and leadership in Nursing Leadership.
Dr. Pappas has established herself as a leader in the health care sector, with a career marked by five decades of dedicated service and significant contributions to the advancement of health care systems. For nearly a decade, she has served as the chief nurse executive at Emory Healthcare, where her responsibilities include collaborating with executive teams across the health care system, working closely with chief nursing officers on operational matters, and standardizing processes to reduce variation throughout hospitals and clinics. Dr. Pappas also focuses on ensuring adherence to system policies and compensation guidelines while developing strategies for effective human resource management. She skillfully balances daily operational responsibilities with long-term strategic planning, engaging with national organizations to enhance visibility and share best practices.
Under Dr. Pappas’s leadership, Emory Healthcare has been recognized as one of the safest hospitals and has earned its Magnet credential, reflecting her commitment to excellence in patient care and organizational success. She takes pride in witnessing her colleagues grow into greater responsibilities, viewing their achievements as a testament to her relational leadership style and dedication to building strong, patient-focused teams.
Beyond her administrative responsibilities, Dr. Pappas has served as a representative for the American Organization for Nursing Leadership on the Magnet Recognition Program at the American Nurses Credentialing Center, further demonstrating her influence on national standards for nursing excellence. Moreover, Dr. Pappas has been excelling as a member of the senior leadership team at the Woodruff Health Science Center at Emory University.
Before joining Emory Healthcare in 2016, Dr. Pappas spent over 15 years as the chief nursing officer at Centura Health System, now part of CommonSpirit Mountain Region. In this capacity, she played a pivotal role in shaping nursing practice standards, implementing quality improvement initiatives and fostering a culture of safety and collaboration across multiple facilities.
Dr. Pappas’s academic background has been instrumental in shaping her approach to nursing leadership. Her foundational training began with a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the Medical College of Georgia. She then acquired a Master of Science in nursing administration from Georgia College, now Georgia College & State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Colorado.
Active in her professional community, Dr. Pappas is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and serves as a board member for both the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and the American Hospital Association. She also holds memberships in several other prominent organizations, including Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, the American Nurses Association, and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s National Academy of Science.
Dr. Pappas has contributed articles to professional journals, sharing insights on best practices and innovations in nursing leadership. She remains committed to making a positive impact on the nursing profession by strengthening education and support systems for nurses across the nation. Recognizing that not all nurses possess identical skills or training, Dr. Pappas continues to advocate for greater consistency in care delivery across hospitals, aiming to ensure that education and leadership development align with the evolving needs of society.
For more information, please visit:
Contact Dr. Pappas: