Jennifer Smith is a family nurse practitioner with clinical experience in multiple settings, including primary care and emergency medicine. She teaches the APEA Review Course & Clinical Update for FNPs and AGPCNPs and has earned dual certification as a family nurse practitioner and an emergency nurse practitioner. Dr. Smith has been a nurse practitioner since 2013. During her years in clinical practice, she remained closely tied to education by serving as an adjunct faculty member and guest lecturer at Spalding University School of Nursing. In addition, she took leadership and teaching roles in her clinical settings to precept NP students and to train and onboard newly hired NPs. Smith is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives, and Sigma Theta Tau.

Tara Bearden, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a family nurse practitioner who is a Nurse Practitioner Education Specialist for APEA. She teaches the APEA Live Review Course for family nurse practitioners and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners. In addition to her education role, Bearden practices clinically with American Well Medical Group, a multistate telemedicine practice providing virtual primary care, acute and urgent care services. Bearden's professional background spans primary care, family and community health within academic environments, and the field of telemedicine. She is a contributing author for the 5th edition of Clinical Guidelines in Primary Care (APEA, 2025) and the 4th edition of Certification Practice Questions (APEA, 2025). Bearden joined APEA as a full-time faculty member because she is passionate about helping new graduates transition into the nurse practitioner role. She has been an invited guest speaker at multiple conferences for NPs and other healthcare providers, and she is a guest lecturer for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center family nurse practitioner program.