Nostradamus Award

Connie Jo (C.J.) Hemeyer, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, CNN-NP


Lead Nurse Practitioner, Mayo Clinic


Connie Jo (C.J.) Hemeyer is the Lead Nurse Practitioner and an Instructor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology & Hypertension at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Central Florida and her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida. Currently, she is on track to complete her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with a focus on leadership at Jacksonville University in the spring.

C.J. began her work in nephrology by establishing an advanced practice provider-led chronic kidney disease clinic, which has seen remarkable growth over the past 14 years. Her leadership has driven numerous quality improvement initiatives for dialysis patients, resulting in top-tier patient satisfaction and quality ratings.

Throughout her career, C.J. has been deeply committed to strengthening the roles of advanced practice providers. She actively serves on the Mayo Clinic enterprise Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Professional Development Subcommittee. Additionally, her doctoral work focuses on optimizing the nurse practitioner and physician assistant roles within healthcare institutions.

As a dedicated educator and mentor, she has guided numerous nurse practitioner students. Recognizing the growing demand for skilled nephrology nurse practitioners and physician assistants, she became the visionary, designer, and founding Program Director of the first-ever Nephrology and Hypertension Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Fellowship in the United States.

C.J. believes that the increasing complexity of healthcare calls for empowering all team members to fully leverage their skills and expertise to address patient needs effectively.