Dr. Helen T. McAlpine has been appointed to serve on the Alabama Board of Nursing. (CONTRIBUTED)

MONTGOMERY – Gov. Robert Bentley has appointed Dr. Helen T. McAlpine of Madison to serve on the Alabama Board of Nursing.

McAlpine has worked as president of J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College since 2000. In 2014, she was appointed as interim president of Gadsden State Technical College.

“I am honored to have been recommended to Gov. Robert Bentley by Dr. Mark Heinrich, Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System, to serve on the board as the representative of the ‘Alabama Consumer,'” McAlpine said. “The nursing profession is vital for our existence and must be at a superior level for consumers.”

“I am profoundly proud to participate in ensuring the health and welfare of the people of Alabama,” McAlpine said.

Alabama Board of Nursing is a state agency in the executive branch that regulates nursing practice and education. The 13-member board meets monthly in Montgomery.

“My lifelong commitment to the world of education to include serving as president of Drake State has shaped my life. The ability to observe others as they learn and grow is phenomenal, especially in areas of service,” McAlpine said.

Drake State’s nursing program prepares students to serve in “the ‘helping profession,'” she said.

By serving on the nursing board, McAlpine has an “even better appreciation for the faculty, staff and students of our nursing program. Members of the Alabama Board of Nursing and … staff are exceptional in their knowledge base and willingness to share with me.”

“I’m now even more sensitive to the significance of nursing training and service to the people (the consumers) of Alabama and the world,” McAlpine said.

McAlpine earned a bachelor’s degree at Talladega College, a master’s degree from Jacksonville State University and a doctorate’s degree at the University of Alabama. She has compiled more than 38 years of experience in the field of education.

She has worked in administration for Huntsville and Gadsden city schools. McAlpine has taught at the secondary and post-secondary levels, including Jacksonville State.

For more information, visit abn.alabama.gov.