The Advanced Practice Initiatives & Certification Outreach Team
Celebrating Arab American Heritage Month Featuring the Story of Ahmad Jamil Soboh, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, ANP-BC, NP-C
Dr. Ahmad Jamil Soboh's motivation to pursue a career in nursing was a combination of deeply personal experiences with a desire to make meaningful differences in people’s lives. Growing up as a Palestinian refugee in a small town in Lebanon, he witnessed both the best and the worst aspects of healthcare. Economic hardship in Lebanon has driven many healthcare professionals, especially nurses, to seek opportunities abroad. His journey led him to the United States to work and pursue advanced nursing education.
Throughout Ahmad's childhood, he spent considerable time in and out of hospitals, both for his own health and while supporting a close family member who faced ongoing medical issues. The care provided by nurses during those times left a profound impact on him—not just their clinical expertise, but their emotional resilience and unwavering presence. In the midst of chaos, nurses remained calm, kind, and steadfast, and that strength deeply inspired him.
His family's belief in him served as a driving force through the most difficult moments—whether during exams, clinical rotations, or times of burnout. Over the years, Ahmad came to understand that nursing is far more than just a profession—it is a calling. To him, nursing means advocating for others, offering support during their most vulnerable moments, and being a source of stability in times of uncertainty. This sense of purpose and the opportunity to build genuine human connections continue to motivate him every day.
In 2000, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Makassed University of Beirut, earning the top spot in his class. Upon graduation, Ahmad was honored with the prestigious “Ideal Nurse Award,” an accolade given to only five graduating nursing students across the entire country.
Ahmad's Middle Eastern culture has profoundly shaped his path in healthcare. Raised with a strong emphasis on community, compassion, and service, he was taught that caring for others wasn’t just an obligation—it was a core value of life. He often saw his elders stepping up to support family, neighbors, and even strangers, a way of life he naturally embraced. In his community, access to healthcare was often limited with lack of trust in the system. This motivated him to become someone his community could rely on—someone who understood both their cultural backgrounds and their medical needs. For him, nursing is not just a career—it is a means to give back, to advocate for the underserved, and to bridge gaps between medical systems and the people they are meant to serve.
Being bilingual in Arabic and English has further enriched Ahmad's nursing practice. It has allowed him to connect with a wider range of patients and offer more effective, compassionate care. His ability to communicate clearly with Arabic-speaking patients who might otherwise face language barriers has improved both clinical accuracy and patient trust. Ultimately, it has made him a stronger communicator and a more empathetic clinician.
Ahmad's 25-year nursing journey deepened his desire to make a greater impact on patient care, ultimately leading him to pursue a career as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). He began his career with a strong passion for holistic, long-term care and chronic disease management—an approach that naturally guided him into becoming an ANCC certified Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP-BC). He found fulfillment in building lasting relationships with patients and being a consistent presence throughout their care.
However, as his experience grew, particularly through his work in critical care and rapid response, he became increasingly drawn to the fast-paced, high-stakes environment of acute care. Witnessing how advanced training and quick decision-making could mean the difference between life and death inspired Ahmad to pursue his second ANCC certification as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP-BC).
Becoming a dual-certified APRN allowed him to bridge both aspects of care—combining the preventative, relationship-centered approach of chronic care with the readiness and expertise needed for acute medical crises. This versatility has been incredibly rewarding, enabling Ahmad to meet patients wherever they are in their stage of health. At the heart of it all is his unwavering commitment to being as prepared and capable as possible in serving adult patients across the full continuum of care.
To Ahmad, ANCC certification marks a key milestone, reflecting both his personal and professional growth, advanced expertise, and commitment to high-quality, evidence-based care, along with his recognition as a trusted, competent professional. ANCC certification signifies a commitment to excellence and continuous growth in an evolving field.
Whether in clinical practice, leadership, or policy, earning a DNP has helped Ahmad position himself—and will continue to empower him—to influence the future of healthcare in meaningful and lasting ways. The degree amplified his impact by equipping him with advanced knowledge and skills to lead at a higher level. Working at the world’s largest medical center, the Texas Medical Center, has offered him unique opportunities to engage in clinical research, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice as an APRN.
One of the most powerful realizations he had during his DNP journey was its potential to create tangible, positive change. He felt confident that he had gained the tools to improve patient outcomes, influence healthcare policy, and mentor the next generation of nurses and NPs. For him, the DNP degree was far more than an academic achievement—it became a pathway to leaving a meaningful legacy in the profession and for the communities he serves.
Beyond his role as a Lead NP at his current institution, Ahmad sought to further contribute to the profession. Four years ago, he founded and led the first multidisciplinary, multi-specialty annual Advanced Practice Conference at his institution—a resounding success. Serving as the Course Director, he found the experience to be a tremendous leadership and career-building opportunity. He was inspired by how NPs, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals came together with a shared passion for education and collaboration, exchanging knowledge and learning from one another’s expertise.
Though pursuing a DNP demanded time, effort, and sacrifice, Ahmad views it as a powerful investment in both his future and the future of healthcare. The leadership skills, clinical insights, and opportunities it has opened up continue to shape his professional path in profound and practical ways. To nurses considering enrolling into a DNP program, Ahmad offers words of encouragement: while the journey may sometimes feel solitary, it is far from it. Ahmad states, "You’re part of a vibrant and supportive community of nurses walking the same path. Lean on your peers, mentors, faculty, and family. Ask for help, share your struggles, and celebrate every small win. You’ve already shown your dedication to nursing—this is simply the next chapter in a lifelong journey of impact and growth."
Celebrating National Volunteer Month Featuring the Story of Juliana Rendon Lopez, RN, GERO-BC, CCRN
Juliana Rendon Lopez's connection to nursing runs deep, tied to a notable emotional family story. Though it took her many years to fully understand why nursing felt like a calling, she came to believe that she was simply born to be a nurse. Her father died in a car accident when her mother was just three months pregnant with her leading Juliana to be born into a family mourning the loss of a loving husband and father, struggling without their primary source of economic support.
From the very beginning, her arrival brought hope, comfort, and a measure of healing to her grieving family. As early as she can remember, Juliana was drawn to moments that required care, compassion, and presence. In elementary school, she was entrusted with the small first aid kit at her rural school and learned how to care for her classmates’ scrapes and scratches. That early sense of responsibility and desire to care for others only grew stronger over time.
After completing her LPN and BSN studies in Colombia, Juliana moved to the United States and never gave up on her dream of continuing her nursing career. Today, she genuinely enjoys her current role, finding both joy and purpose in patient care and bedside nursing—an experience that continues to fuel her passion each day.
Mentorship has become a powerful tool in Juliana's life—one that helps others step outside their comfort zones and pursue their dreams. When she relocated to Wisconsin, she found herself navigating an unfamiliar language and culture, all while feeling lost and unsure of how to continue her nursing career. Despite months of searching for guidance on how to obtain her RN license in the United States, the process of credential verification proved to be confusing and overwhelming.
Many of the organizations she contacted told her that her nursing education from Colombia was not recognized and that she would need to start over by attending college again—something she simply could not afford and was unwilling to accept. She made mistakes along the way, and the journey cost her significant time and money. But after two long years, Juliana succeeded in getting her education approved and was able to take the NCLEX-RN.
During that time, Juliana met many internationally educated nurses who, like her, had been told their education wasn’t valid and had abandoned their dreams, turning instead to other fields. Once she proved it was possible, she began guiding others through the process. As more nurses saw what she had achieved, they started reaching out for help. While many were Hispanic, she also supported nurses from Europe and Africa—mentoring them through the complex steps and showing them that their goals were still within reach. Her mission to become a mentor grew out of her many years of volunteer experience. In Colombia, she volunteered with the Army Reserve, traveling to underserved rural areas and communities to help deliver specialized medical care.
After relocating to Wisconsin, Juliana continued her commitment to service by volunteering with Planned Parenthood, where she worked with the Hispanic community to provide education on cervical cancer screening and birth control. She also volunteered at a hospice just before the onset of COVID-19, an experience that not only deepened her understanding of end-of-life care but also greatly supported her efforts to advance in the English language and observe the role of RNs in the U.S. healthcare system.
After earning her RN license in 2020, she began volunteering with the Community Connections Free Clinic in Dodgeville, Wisconsin where Juliana helps care for uninsured and underserved populations across southwest Wisconsin, many of whom are immigrant farmworkers. Her volunteer work continues to reflect her dedication to health equity and her passion for serving vulnerable communities.
Being bilingual has been a true blessing for Juliana, and she consistently sees the positive impact her native language has on both her patient care and volunteer work. Many of the patients she supports through her volunteer efforts are Spanish speakers, and they often feel more comfortable sharing their concerns with her than with providers who do not speak their language. This trust boosts their engagement and makes health education more accessible and meaningful.
In her business, most of the nurses who reach out to her are in the same position she was in seven years ago—learning English while trying to navigate how they can contribute meaningfully as nurses in a healthcare system that is in critical need of skilled RNs. Juliana's ability to connect with them, both linguistically and culturally, allows her to guide and support them in ways that are both practical and empowering.
Juliana primary motivation for obtaining ANCC certification in Gerontological Nursing (GERO-BC) stemmed from a deeply personal experience—her mother’s diagnosis with vascular dementia. She wanted to be well-informed and equipped to support her mother while also helping her siblings navigate and cope with their new reality.
Through her work as an RN, Juliana also recognized a broader need within the Hispanic community. As this population ages, there is a noticeable lack of accessible information in Spanish compared to what is available in English. Many older Hispanic patients face language barriers, and she witnessed firsthand how much they value having someone who not only speaks their language but also understands and respects their cultural values and beliefs.
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Meet Katelyn Bern who manages customer engagement through social media and at ANCC tradeshows. She is committed to delivering engaging and meaningful content to keep you informed about important updates, including celebrations of certified nurses, stories of inspiration, newsletters, upcoming webinars, and more!
Monthly Stories of Inspiration from ANCC Certified Nurses began in May of 2024. You can view all of the 2024 stories by visiting our Meet the Team's page, under the Resources for You tab. We also encourage you to read our 2025 stories:
