2025-2027 Board of Directors

Liz Westcott, DCM, MSc, DipMan, RGN, is a nurse of 45 years and a senior academic and leader with over 33 years of experience working within higher education, of which 14 years were at faculty executive level. Liz is currently working at Oxford Brookes University, UK, in the NMC Test of Competence Centre and also as an Executive Coach and a Company Director. Liz has extensive experience of academic and research staff management, leadership, financial management, management of NHS contracts, strategic planning, working collaboratively with a wide range of extremal stakeholders, project management, and strategic planning. She has been a coach for over 12 years. Liz is a previous Europe Regional Coordinator for Sigma and is a Past President of Phi Mu Chapter in England.

In clinical practice, Liz had a career in neuroscience nursing working at The National Hospital for Nervous Diseases and Great Ormond Street London and the Radcliffe Infirmary Oxford, rising to the role of Senior Nurse in neurosurgery. Liz became the first Lecturer Practitioner for neurology and neurosurgery in the United Kingdom and introduced a teaching programme for Neurosurgery which is still the basis for teaching staff and students in the unit 30 years later. The research Liz undertook investigating safe competency and staffing levels in Neurosurgery was used by a number of neuroscience units in the UK to inform their future safe staffing levels. Having moved to Oxford Brookes University as a Senior Lecturer, Liz gained her Doctorate in 2015. As Head of Nursing for 13 years until 2018, Liz additionally line managed the staff teams in Midwifery, Occupational Therapy, Paramedic Science, Physiotherapy, Social Work, Advanced Practice, Critical Care. Liz has also become one of the first individual members of the Florence Nightingale Foundation in 2021.

Karen Gorton, PhD, RN, FNP, has been engaged with Sigma for over 25 years. Her membership began with a petitioning honor society, and she was inducted into Eta Nu in 2002. Dr. Gorton has held leadership positions at the chapter level (committee member, vice president, and president) and at the international level, where her roles have been varied and provided her with insight into Sigma across the globe. She has served as a member of the Governance Committee, Vice President, Regional Chapters Coordinating Committee Chair, and as a Regional Coordinator.

Dr. Gorton earned her PhD in Nursing, with a focus on nursing education from the University of Northern Colorado; her MSN with a focus on Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; and her BSN from Carroll College/Columbia College of Nursing Intercollegiate Nursing Program. Before becoming a nurse, Dr. Gorton had a successful career in Sports Medicine. When not working, Dr. Gorton enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, and being creative.

Elizabeth Rosser, DPhil, MN, Dip N Ed, Dip RM, RN, RNT, RM, PFHEA, has fiercely promoted the development of leadership at all levels of the nursing workforce. As Professor Emeritus at Bournemouth University, she held the positions of Professor of Nursing, Deputy Dean Education and Professional Practice, as well as Acting Dean of Faculty before retiring in 2018. She was a member of the University Board of Directors for seven years.

Professionally, she set up the first all-England chapter of the global nursing organisation, Sigma Theta Tau International, and was its first president. She also held a number of positions on Sigma’s international committees, including an elected four-year Board of Directors role centred in the USA, and a four-year term in both the Governance and Leadership Succession Committees.

Elizabeth also held the position of Adjunct Professor at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences for four years, bringing developments to the role of Advanced Nursing Practice and in doctoral nursing study. Elizabeth has served in a nurse education role for over 40 years, having previously held various senior clinical roles, including running a small hospital in a remote community in Colombia, South America, for six years.

In her retirement, she continues to facilitate the Chapter’s Leadership Action Learning Set to support both emerging and established nurse leaders in education and practice. She is a coordinator and mentor in Sigma’s Global Leadership Mentoring Community, mentoring emerging and established leaders globally. She is co-editor of the textbook Leading and Managing in Contemporary Health and Social Care, published in 2023. She has an extensive publication record and continues to publish and present widely.

Janice Hawkins, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN, is an Associate Professor and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at Old Dominion University. Inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Dr. Hawkins is widely recognized for her contributions to nursing education and global health advocacy. She is an International Council of Nurses Certified Global Nurse Consultant and a Climate for Health Ambassador, committed to addressing health equity and environmental health challenges. Her scholarly work has contributed to shaping nursing education, supporting student success, and preparing the nursing practice workforce to reduce health disparities worldwide.

A dedicated Sigma member since 1995, Dr. Hawkins has served in multiple leadership roles, including Chapter President and Liaison to the United Nations (2020–2022). She is a recipient of the Sigma Region 13 Nursing STAR Award for research and service, as well as chapter awards for Excellence in Teaching and Outstanding New Investigator. Currently, she is honored to serve as Secretary of Sigma’s Board of Directors Executive Committee (2025–2027). Her vision is to strengthen Sigma’s global impact and empower nurses as transformative leaders in healthcare initiatives. A retired U.S. Army Nurse and Desert Storm veteran, she brings decades of leadership experience in clinical practice, higher education, and health policy.

Kathleen Bradley, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Sigma Treasurer, has more than 30 years’ experience in nursing leadership roles from frontline leader to associate chief nursing officer encompassing community healthcare settings, to large pediatric and adult academic healthcare systems. Dr. Bradley has served in executive leadership roles on the Stanford Campus since 2016 and currently serves in the role of Senior Nursing Consultant at Stanford Health Care in California. In this role, Dr. Bradley works with various clinical staff and departments to promote professionalism, professional practice, and outcomes.

In November 2019, Dr. Bradley partnered to help establish and pilot Sigma’s first stand-alone practice chapter, Alpha Alpha Lambda at-Large Chapter at Stanford. She has served as Founding President, Past President, and Finance Committee Chair within this chapter. Dr. Bradley has also served on Sigma international task forces, as site contact for Sigma research, and as President and Governance Committee chair at the Alpha Kappa at-Large Sigma chapter in Colorado.

Dr. Bradley is a nursing innovator in the use of technology in healthcare, partnering with Apple to earn the Apple Distinguished School designation, a first for a Healthcare setting, at Stanford Children’s Health. She has several publications and presentations on this topic and others related to nursing professionalism. Dr. Bradley is active in other nursing organizations, serving on boards, committees and volunteers as a peer reviewer for different nursing journals. Since 2012, Dr. Bradley has been the owner of Kathleen Bradley Nursing Consultation. She has more than ten years’ experience of being a Magnet Appraiser and is honored to experience global nursing excellence. Dr. Bradley earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of Rhode Island, and her MSN and DNP in Advanced Leadership in Healthcare at Regis University, Denver, Colorado. She is board certified as Nursing Executive Advanced.

Benita Chatmon, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, FAAN, FADNL, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing and the Assistant Dean for Clinical Nursing Education at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–New Orleans School of Nursing (LSUHSC-NO SON). She also holds dual appointments as a Nurse Researcher at Manning Family Children’s Hospital in New Orleans and within the LSUHSC-NO School of Graduate Studies. Dr. Chatmon is a committed nurse leader with extensive service to Sigma at the regional and international levels and previously served as the North America Region 6 Coordinator. She is the Immediate Past President of the Louisiana State Nurses Association and holds additional leadership roles, including Secretary of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty and a member of the Board of Directors for the National Black Nurses Association. She also serves on the American Nurses Association Professional Policy Committee and as a member of the ANA NextGen Advisory Committee.

Her scholarly work focuses on mentorship, leadership development, and strengthening the nursing workforce. She has presented nationally on mentoring best practices, established two impactful mentoring programs, and published multiple articles advancing the science of mentorship. Her contributions have been recognized through her induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Academy of Diverse Nurse Leaders. Dr. Chatmon is a Certified Nurse Educator and a Certified Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor, with teaching experience across undergraduate and graduate levels. She is a proud veteran of the United States Army and is most fulfilled in her roles as wife to Michael and mother to MJ and Mia. Dr. Chatmon earned her PhD in Education with a concentration in Nursing Education from Capella University and her MSN and BSN from Southern University and A&M College.

Professor Elizabeth Halcomb, PhD, BN(Hons), RN, GradCertICNurs, GradCertHE, FACN, is the inaugural Professor of Primary Health Care Nursing at the University of Wollongong, Australia. An international award-winning nurse academic, Liz leads a strong research program in Primary Health Care (PHC) nursing related to the primary care nursing workforce, team-based models of care, chronic conditions, lifestyle risk factor reduction, and behaviour change. She has been inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame and was the first nurse ever to receive the Bridges-Webb Medal from the Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care for her leadership in primary care.

Lucas M. Davis is a visionary leader with a passion for developing talent and transforming organizations to create meaningful social impact on a global scale. With over 15 years of executive experience, Luke has consistently leveraged his expertise in people leadership, program management, and operational excellence to spearhead award-winning initiatives and build resilient, high-performing teams.

As the Chief Executive Officer of Sigma Nursing, Luke is at the forefront of advancing the nursing profession worldwide. He is dedicated to helping associations and organizations redefine their strategies, optimize human resource practices, and enhance organizational efficiency, all while staying true to their mission and vision. His leadership is characterized by a commitment to fostering innovation, diversity, and inclusivity in every facet of the organization.

In recognition of his exceptional contributions to the field, Luke was named a 2024 Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) Scholar by ASAE, The Center for Association Leadership—an honor that reflects his dedication to cultivating the next generation of leaders in association management.

Before joining Sigma Nursing, Luke served as Vice President and Chief Staff Executive of ICF Coaching Education at the International Coaching Federation, where he played a pivotal role in elevating professional standards for a global network of coaches. His dedication to leadership development extends to academia, where he has imparted his knowledge as an adjunct faculty member at several esteemed colleges and universities.

Luke's academic credentials include a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University and a master’s degree in Education with a focus on Adult and Higher Education from the University of Missouri. He also holds the credentials of Certified Association Executive (CAE) by ASAE and The Center for Association Leadership, Associate Certified Coach (ACC) by the International Coaching Federation, Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the Human Resources Certification Institute, Society of Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) as well as a being a Certified Credentialing Professional (ICE-CCP) by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.

Luke’s leadership journey is a testament to his unwavering dedication to empowering others and driving transformative change across the organizations he leads.