Frances Hughes, RN, BA, MA, DNurs, Col (ret), JP, ONZM

Dr. Frances Hughes is the Director of Global Strategic Initiatives at Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) International. Her partners include CHOPR Senior Fellow, Dr. Franklin A. Schaffer, President and CEO of CGFNS International, an immigration neutral nonprofit organization that helps foreign-educated health care professionals live and work in their country of choice. She previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses and held the role of Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Queensland, Australia. She also served as Chief Nurse for New Zealand.  From 2005-2011, Dr Hughes worked for the World Health Organization with 16 countries in the Pacific region, supporting them to develop policy and plans to improve mental health for consumers in the Pacific. Qualified as a general and psychiatric health nurse, Dr Hughes has a Doctor of Nursing degree from the University of Technology, Sydney. She has held senior roles for many years across a range of organisations and served as the Commandant Colonel for the Royal New Zealand Nursing Corp. Dr Hughes has an extensive publication record and has received several awards for her work.