Kapu, an acute-care nurse practitioner and nurse executive, became head of the 121,000-member association in 2021. She advocates for using data-driven evidence to push for results. Kapu also calls for reducing barriers to care under so-called full practice authority, which she says has led to more nurse practitioners working in states with rural and underserved populations. She advises frequently on the topics of advanced practice leadership and infrastructure development. She brings three decades of healthcare experience to the job, including 18 years as an acute-care nurse practitioner. Before being named AANP president, Kapu was an associate chief nursing officer for advanced practice nurses at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Since 2021, she has been associate dean for clinical and community partnerships at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.