Meet Your Leaders
Meet the leadership of your association, and find out what led them to these positions within AANN. The pathway to leadership starts at the chapter, SFG, and committee level. Please also take the opportunity to think about whether a leadership position within the organizations would be right for you.
Kathleen Baker MBA, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNRN, CNA-BC
AANN President
bakerkh@comcast.net
Employer: Penn State Hershey Medical Center
Title: Nurse manager Neuroscience Intensive & Intermediate Care Units
Education:
BSN: West Virginia Wesleyan College
MBA: Indiana University of Pennsylvania
I feel that the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses possesses the values and vision to move the care of the Neuroscience patient forward to be one of the leading organizations for patient care and staff education. I feel that our membership has the nurturing and enthusiastic personalities to mentor and encourage other staff members not only to pursue excellence in the care of their patients, but also to foster the collaboration and recruitment of fellow professionals in the Neuroscience field in the healthcare arena. We together must continue to raise the present standards of patient care and skill levels in the Neuroscience field and to strive for excellence, mentor the young while fostering independent and critical thinking skills through empowerment and nurturing of the nursing staff to help guide the ever evolving and changing nursing and healthcare arena. AANN as an organization needs to promote awareness in the public of what the Neurosciences are and how they impact society and patients today.
Employer: University of Missouri Health Care
Title: Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
Education:
BSN: University of Missouri–Columbia
MSN: University of Missouri–Kansas City
Years in neuroscience nursing or related field: 31 years in pediatric nursing; 9 years in neuroscience nursing
A colleague took me to an AANN annual meeting when I became the pediatric
clinical nurse specialist for neurosurgery. I was energized by the
enthusiasm and opportunities for learning and networking. When the
position for pediatric focus group chair came open, I applied and
learned more about AANN in that role. Later, Teresa Romano, who was a
board member at the time, talked with me about being on the Board of
Directors for AANN. Being on the Board has been a wonderful
experience, not only in learning more about neuroscience nursing, but
also meeting dynamic and creative nurses that promote neuroscience
nursing to the membership.
Susan B. Fowler, PhD RN CNRN FAHA
AANN Immediate Past President
njfowlers761@msn.com
Employer: Atlantic Health Systems
Title: Clinical Outcomes Mgr/APN/Scientist
Education:
BSN: Marquette University
MS: CA State Univ. Long Beach
PhD: Rutgers, The State Univ. of NJ
Years in neuroscience nursing or related field: 25
It
was always the challenge of caring for neurotrauma patients that lead
me to seek involvement in the professional specialty organization for
neuroscience nursing. The challenge was in neurological assessment,
detecting minute changes in a patient's clinical status, preventing
IICP and complications of immobility, maintaining hope, supporting
family members, and dealing with uncertain functional recovery.
Employer: Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Title: Manager, Office of Clinical Standards
Education:
BS: Virginia Tech
BSN: Medical College of Virginia/ Virginia Commonwealth University
MSN, Adult Nurse Practitioner program: Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University
Years in neuroscience nursing or related field: 16 years
I
submitted my first poster for an AANN conference in 1991 and attended
that same year. This started a long term relationship with the
organization. I became the facilitator for the Neurotrauma Special
Focus Group in 2000 upon the request of then AANN President, Sherry
Fox.. My most recent leadership appointment by previous AANN President,
Andrea Strayer, was as the senior editor for the Foundations of
Neuroscience Nursing project. Through these various projects, I felt
the support and encouragement of many within AANN as well as by the
staff at the National Office. Recently, I successfully passed the
CNRN exam after much prodding and encouragement from Lynn Goodloe who
continued to remind me of the importance and pride that comes from the
CNRN recognition. The staff at the National Office, most notably Eden
Essex, was a source of support throughout this wonderful journey with
AANN. I feel I am in a place I my professional career in which I want
to give back to AANN in a positive and meaningful way in the very same
manner that AANN helped to encourage and lead me to be the neuroscience
nurse that I am today. Of course, all this only enhances ones
capability and passion to care for our patients, which is the ultimate
goal.
I became a CNRN in the mid 1990s while I was serving as
the Nurse Manager the Neuroscience unit. Shortly thereafter, I became
involved with the American Board of Neuroscience Nurses, ultimately
serving as the president of the board. When my three years of service
to the Board was coming to a close, I wanted to continue to be involved
in Neuroscience nursing at a national level. I have served on the Board
for just over two years. I'm mid-way through my year as President-Elect
term and excited about next year.
So if you ask me who has
made a difference in my career as a Neuroscience I would have to say
Harry Young, Chairman of Neurosurgery at my hospital and all of the
nurses that I have met at each annual conference. Thanks for making a
difference!
Sandra Brettler, MSN RN CCRN CNRN
AANN Director-at-Large
sbrettler@psu.edu
Employer: Penn State Hershey Medical Center
Title: Gamma Knife Nurse Coordinator
Education:
BSN: Bloomsburg
University (1985)
MSN: Thomas Jefferson University
(1991)
Years in neuroscience nursing or related field: 23 years of nursing; 18 in neuroscience
To be able to say that neuroscience nursing is growing by leaps and bounds is immensely exciting to me, and to be a part of that growth is a thrill. I see our unique area of nursing as one that is beginning to expand not only in numbers, but in interest and passion as well. As a profession, we need to ensure that the passion we have for caring for patients at the bedside, in clinics, or other areas of the healthcare arena, is infectious and that others recognize us as the authority on all aspects of neuroscience nursing. We can show our passion through education, advocacy, leadership and development of programs that support what we do. We need to strive to continually go above and beyond for our patients—as advocates, as caregivers, as educators, and as facilitators of healthcare. The opportunity to interact with so many other nurses and professionals who are active in the neurosciences is energizing and I look forward to promoting our profession and our passion.
Employer: University of California, San Francisco
Title: Professor & Chair
Education:
BA–Psychology and Physiology: University of California, Berkeley
BSN: University of California, San Francisco
MSN: University of Washington, Seattle
PhD–Nursing Science: University of Washington, Seattle
My vision is to see the specialty of neuroscience nursing prosper by inspiring passion and nurturing a commitment to neuroscience in nurses through mentoring, sharing, education, and research, and that AANN will continue to work to advance the science and practice of neuroscience nursing. This will be accomplished through education (both professional and lay), integration of technology and timely incorporation of research into evidence-based standards of practice, and by expanding organizational alliances and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Lynn Goodloe, MSN CNRN
AANN Director-at-Large
lgoodloe2@mcvh-vcu.edu
Employer: VCU Health Care Systems
Title: Registered Nurse Manager
Education: Virginia Commonwealth University
Years in neuroscience nursing or related field: 19
In 1986 as a new graduate, I happened into Neuroscience nursing because it was the only intensive care unit at my hospital that had an opening for a new graduate. I think I fell in love my first day on the job. In the early 1990s the Chairman of Neurosurgery at my hospital offered to send me to my first AANN annual meeting in New Orleans. I was currently working as the educator for the 28-bed acute Neurosurgery unit. I thought it would be a great opportunity to bring information back to the staff. Little did I know that it would be a life-changing experience. I met so many incredible professionals at my first AANN meeting I don't think I can name them all. Certainly, a few come to mind, including Linda Littlejohns, Sherry Fox, Mary Kay Bader. This was true of every conference I attended. Each time I came back with a list of colleagues that were making a difference for the Neuroscience patients, families and nurses.
Bonita Gordon, MSN RN ANP BC CNRN
AANN Director-at-Large
bonita_gordon@trihealth.com
Employer: Bethesda North
Title: Advanced Practice Nurse–Educator
Education:
ADN: Community College of Allegheny County
BSN: Penn State
MSN: University of Missouri
Post-Masters Certificate–Adult Nurse Practitioner: Saint Louis University
Years in neuroscience nursing or related field: 24
The American Association of Neuroscience Nurses is the leader of a powerful group of dedicated professionals. The association must continue to support these professionals as they provide care of their patients. How we supply that support is an ongoing process. We need to continue to develop educational programs using mediums that will benefit our membership the most. By doing this we will continue to develop our nurses through these and other offerings.
With forethought, the organization must develop our young nurses into our leaders of tomorrow. We need to develop the novice presenter at our national meetings; it will be their research that continues to guide our profession. As we foster novice researchers, they will grow to discover improved ways of caring for the neuroscience patient. Nurses with AANN as the vehicle assisting them with their inaugural publications, will gleam knowledge and disseminate it to others.
The future of neuroscience nursing will be an exciting time. Our organization will be the leader that will meet the changing face of health care and nursing. We have the ability to change, develop, adapt and improve the care of all neuroscience patients through the efforts of AANN. We will meet these challenges. I see AANN supporting our neuroscience nurses with these challenges.
Linda Littlejohns, MSN RN CCRN CNRN
AANN Director-at-Large
llittlejohns@integra-ls.com
Employer: Integra Orthobiologics
Title: Vice President of Clinical Development
Education:
BSN and MSN: California State
University
RN: BG Alexander College, South Africa
ADN: Saddleback College
Years in neuroscience nursing or related field: 25+
A life without neuroscience nursing—impossible! I wish I had another 25 years as a neuroscience nurse so that I could watch the future unfold and my visions take shape. I have learnt many valuable lessons while traveling in far-flung places and many of them are directed at our compassion and the basic nursing needed by so many of our patients. We need to base our practice in evidence and make sure our decisions are research based to support the best practice we can offer our patients, wherever our practice takes us. We must constantly question our actions and never take for granted that we are doing the best for our patients. As neuroscience nurses, we must actively participate in the introduction of new technologies to diagnose and treat our patients. We have so much experience to offer the industry and our continued contribution to the development of technology is invaluable.
I see robust leadership continuing inside AANN and recognized by others so that we are seen as the experts and others will want to become neuroscience nurses. I have personally learnt something new from every leader we have had in our organization and grown stronger from the experience. If every member brings passion and determination to AANN—we will be unstoppable in improving our patients' lives. I plan to be there—taking action, with a vision. Join me.
Stephen Roberts, PhD RN CNRN CCRN
AANN Director-at-Large
srobe10224@aol.com
Employer: Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois.
Title: Nurse Practitioner for Neurosurgery
Education:
ADN: Joliet Junior College
BSN: Northwestern University
MSN: Rush University Chicago
PhD: Loyola University Chicago
Years in neuroscience nursing or related field: 17
It was during my interview for graduate school that I met my mentor who was active with ABNN. She had worked with the Test Development Committee for the CNRN examination for a long time and during our interview session she encouraged my participation in the organization. So, I became active, first serving on the Test Development Committee and then was elected as a trustee for ABNN. I have been associated with them since that time.
It was through active participation in the ABNN that my professional development was fine tuned. The time I have spent with ABNN has allowed me to meet other neuroscience nurses from across the country and I now count many of them as friends and colleagues. I can go to them with questions and/or concerns, not just about neuroscience nursing, but about many other topics, including the future role of nursing across the country.
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