Sigma Nursing Board Announces Leadership Change, Begins Interim CEO Search

Sigma Nursing’s Board of Directors announced a “leadership change, effective immediately” in a statement posted Friday, September 18, and said it has begun the process of identifying an interim CEO. The board’s statement did not name Davis, did not say whether he was terminated or resigned, and announced no findings from the external investigation; Sigma has not said the communications at the center of the allegations have been authenticated.

This article will be updated as additional information becomes available.

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Original Article 9/16/26: Sigma Nursing CEO on Paid Leave While External Attorney Investigates

Sigma Nursing has placed its chief executive officer, Lucas M. “Luke” Davis, MEd, CAE, on paid administrative leave while an external attorney investigates private communications allegedly involving the organization’s top executive.

In a statement provided to Nurse.org, Sigma Nursing said it has not been able to authenticate the communications but said the concerns raise “serious questions about race, dignity, and the treatment of others.”

“The language and behavior attributed in the communications being shared publicly are inconsistent with Sigma Nursing’s values of love, courage, and honor,” Sigma told Nurse.org. “There is no place for racism, dehumanizing language, or behavior that undermines the dignity of others within our organization.”

The statement, sent in response to questions from Nurse.org, follows the organization’s initial announcement Monday, September 14, that Davis had been placed on leave.

“Sigma Nursing is aware of the concerns raised publicly regarding private communications involving its CEO,” the organization said Monday. “We recognize the seriousness of the issues being raised and have spent today working to understand the facts and determine the appropriate next steps.”

The initial public statement did not identify the specific communications, describe the allegations against Davis, or say how long the review would take.

In its subsequent response to Nurse.org, Sigma provided additional detail about the status of its review.

Sigma has engaged an external attorney to conduct the investigation and has not set a deadline for completing it. “Sigma Nursing shares the sense of urgency, but we do not want to set an artificial deadline that could compromise the review,” the organization said. “We will move as quickly as we responsibly can.”

Board leadership is actively involved, according to Sigma, and an emergency meeting of the organization’s Board of Directors is being scheduled. Sigma said its staff became aware of the specific allegations on Monday morning, September 14.

Davis Is on Paid Leave and Not Performing CEO Duties

“Mr. Davis is on paid administrative leave while the situation is reviewed,” Sigma told Nurse.org. “This allows Sigma Nursing to take immediate action while also providing the appropriate time and process to understand the facts before making any final employment decisions.”

Sigma added: “He is not carrying out CEO duties at this time.”

Jason Allen, whom Sigma identified as its CEO-designate, is providing day-to-day staff leadership. According to Sigma, Allen is helping ensure the organization remains focused on “its members, mission, and ongoing work” while the investigation continues.

Founded in 1922, the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, known today as Sigma Nursing, is one of the world’s largest nursing honor societies, reporting more than 100,000 members and 600 chapters worldwide. Its stated mission is “developing nurse leaders anywhere to improve healthcare everywhere,” and its board consists of elected nurse leaders.

Davis, who became CEO on August 19, 2024, is not a nurse. He joined Sigma from the International Coaching Federation, and the organization said at the time that selecting a non-nurse chief executive reflected an emphasis on operational expertise. Sigma established a separate chief nursing officer position in 2022.

What We Know and What Remains Unverified

Social media posts concerning private communications attributed to Davis have circulated publicly, with some users characterizing the content using terms related to slavery or slave ownership. Nurse.org has not independently verified the authenticity, context, or completeness of the underlying communications and is not linking to them.

Sigma told Nurse.org it has “not been able to authenticate the communications.” Asked whether Davis has acknowledged that the communications are authentic, Sigma said it “cannot speak on Mr. Davis’s behalf regarding his position on the communications.”

The controversy comes at a consequential moment for Sigma.

The organization recently launched a new strategic initiative, Sigma Forward, which describes itself as a “promise to nurses everywhere” and emphasizes belonging, leadership, visibility, and connection within the global nursing community. Just last month, Sigma appointed Kristi L. Reguin-Hartman, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, as chief nursing officer, describing the reimagined executive position as bringing a unified nursing voice to the organization’s global strategy.

Members join organizations like Sigma expecting a community where every nurse is treated with dignity and respect. Sigma itself has said there is no place for racism or dehumanizing language within the organization, and the review now places its stated commitments to belonging, dignity, and accountability under public scrutiny.

The immediate questions for members are concrete: whether the communications can be authenticated, what the investigation determines, what action Sigma’s board takes, and how the organization responds to its membership once those findings are available.

Sigma told Nurse.org that it intends to address the matter “carefully, responsibly, and as transparently as we can while protecting the integrity of the investigative process.”

Nurse.org has also sought comment directly from Davis and had not received a response by publication. Sigma said it could not speak on his behalf regarding whether he intends to issue a personal statement.

This is a developing story and this article will be updated as additional information becomes available.

🤔 What should Sigma’s board communicate to members while the investigation is underway? Share your thoughts in the comments below.