Brenda Simpson

Brenda Simpson, DNP, RN, CENP, is the Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Centura Health. Supporting our nearly 6,500 nurses, Simpson is on a mission to be an advocate for those we serve including our patients, communities and caregivers. She is responsible for managing and evaluating system-wide clinical policies and the nursing shared governance framework, nursing professional development and the Central Staffing Office. Simpson is committed to enhancing clinical excellence, patient safety and delivering whole person care – mind, body and spirit - across Centura’s connected ecosystem.

With more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience, Simpson has a passion for leading teams to nursing excellence. She served as System Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer for Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) in Gainesville, Ga. for five years and prior to joining NGHS, she spent nine years as System Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer at CHI St. Vincent Health System in Little Rock, now a part of CommonSpirit Health. Simpson also has held the role of Team Leader as an American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Appraiser for the past six years.

Simpson earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Tennessee State University in Nashville, a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of South Alabama in Mobile. She is Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP), a member of the American Organization of Nursing Leadership and the American Nurses Association and has published extensively on topics related to optimizing nurse leadership practice.