Only 5 days left to cast your vote in the PAPN Texas 2025 Elections

Please cast your vote to ACCEPT or REJECT the following nominees for PAPN Texas 2025 elections. Voting will close September 12, 2025.

PAPN Texas Board of Directors and Committee Chairs 2025-2026 (Proposed)

Lisa Anderson         President              Term ending 2026
Michelle Hext         President Elect         Term ending 2028
Kayli Dozier Joachim   Secretary             Term ending 2026
Linzi Leighton         Treasurer             Term ending 2027

Representatives At-Large
Toni Brent            Term ending 2026
Stella Logan           Term ending 2027
Meshel Stewart        Term ending 2026
Becky Spenser         Term ending 2027
1.Positions Appointed by the Board
Committee Chairs


Communications         Amy Owens Horelica
Education               Open
Legislative              Becky Spenser
Membership             Martina Gallagher
Nominations            Open
Student Rep             Katie Hanel
Conference              Open
2.President-elect
Michelle Hext
Term ending 2028 (President elect 2025-2026, President 2026-2027, Past President 2027-2028)


Michelle Hext, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, FNP-C, ENP-C, PMHNP-BC
Michelle Hext is a psychiatric nurse practitioner with additional nurse practitioner specialties including pediatrics, emergency and family nurse practitioner certifications and experience. She attended graduate school at UTMB, McNeese University and UT Health Science Center Houston. She is a clinical assistant professor for UT Tyler SON and she owns a private mental health practice serving children and individuals with autism. She has a passion for teaching and professional APRN advocacy. She serves as a legislative ambassador for Texas Nurse Practitioners and as an active contributor to the AANPCB PMHNP exam task force.
3.Treasurer
Linzi Leighton
Term ending 2027


Linzi Leighton MSN, PMHNP-BC graduated with a degree in psychology from Arizona State University and earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt in 2012. Lindsey has served several terms as Treasurer for PAPN Texas and previously held this position for PAPN Houston.
4.At-large Representative
Toni Brent
Term ending 2026
My name is Toni Brent DNP APRN PMHNP-BC born and raised in San Antonio, Texas where I currently reside. I am the oldest of two children and was raised by a single mother who was an educator for over thirty years. She stressed the value of education and knowledge. I knew I wanted to be a nurse at an early age and have been a practicing registered nurse for thirty-eight years in mental health in a variety of clinical settings. I have been a psychiatric nurse practitioner for twelve years since graduating in 2011. My goal has been to decrease the stigma of mental illness in our society. My passion for psychiatry allows me to provide compassionate, nonjudgmental, honest, and ethical quality care. I believe in a holistic approach that encompasses mind, body, and soul functioning together for optimal mental health and emotional well-being. My belief is to treat others as you would like to be treated. My love of God inspires me to be the best provider and person I can be.
As a nurse practitioner I believe in providing education, mentorship and preceptorship to future nursing and nurse practitioner students to ensure establishment of a firm foundation. I am an active and founding member of The Alamo Area Psychiatric Nurses Association (AAPNA) where we meet and network. Our mission is to form a cohesive unit to promote the advancement of nurse practitioners in Texas to independent practice. I am also a member of PAPN Texas. I desire to meet with legislators and stress the importance of independent practice which will provide needed care to persons in underserved areas. Educating communities on mental health issues and the importance of health equity and allocation of resources. Finally, the love of my profession will always propel me to go above and beyond the call of duty.
5.At-large Representative
Michelle Stewart
Term ending 2026


Meshel Stewart, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, is a Board-Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner based in Texas with over 20 years of diverse healthcare experience across inpatient and outpatient settings, including critical care and psychiatry. She earned her post-master’s PMHNP certification from Maryville University in 2023 and holds a Master of Science in Nursing with a focus in Leadership and Administration from the Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston. Meshel currently provides virtual and in-person outpatient mental health services to patients ages 5 and older across Texas. She is an active member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), Houston Area Nurse Practitioners (HANP), and the PAPN Texas business owners discussion group. A strong advocate for mental health awareness and equitable access to care, Meshel is dedicated to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care to individuals and families throughout Texas.
6.At-large Representative
Stella Logan
Term ending 2027


Stella Logan graduated with her BSN from the University of Cincinnati. After working as an ICU nurse, she went on to obtain her MSN with clinical specialty in psychiatric-mental health nursing from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio. She worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in a variety of inpatient, outpatient, private and public facilities in Ohio, Indiana and Oregon, and served on the faculty at Oregon Health Sciences University School of Nursing. She moved to Texas in 1991, and after working in school health joined the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. She obtained a post-masters certificate as a FPMHNP from the University of Texas at Arlington after which she was instrumental in the development of the UT Austin PMHNP program. She continues to serve as an affiliate faculty at UT Austin School of Nursing, has a clinical practice focusing on people with serious mental illness and intellectual disabilities, and maintains involvement in various professional organizations at the local, state, and national levels. She has been a member of Psychiatric Advnaced Practice Nurses of Austin (PAPNA) for over 20 years, and is one of the founding members of Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of Texas.
7.At-large Representative
Becky Spencer
Term ending 2027
(And Legislative Committee Chair)


Becky Spencer is an Adjunct Professor in the College of Nursing at Texas Woman’s University, and private practice owner/clinician of Blooming Beginnings Mental Health, PLLC. Dr. Spencer has over 30 years of experience in nursing practice with pediatric, neonatal, and maternity populations. She is currently working in private practice as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with a specialty focus in reproductive psychiatry and perinatal mental health. She teaches Health Policy in the graduate programs in nursing at Texas Woman’s University. She is an editor and author of 2 interdisciplinary textbooks and has authored over 20 publications in peer reviewed journals. She has received grants to support her research and work from the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, Sigma Theta Tau International, and Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Spencer received her BSN and postmaster’s PMHNP certificate from the University of Cincinnati, her MSN from Research College of Nursing, and her Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Kansas.