Message From the President
May 2026
Ronda Dyer, MSN, BSPA, RN, CPAN, CAPA, FASPAN
ASPAN President 2026-2027
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
Every day we have the opportunity to learn, grow and change to be better prepared for the future. As an organization, ASPAN is continually evaluating what is working well, what can be improved with new or innovative processes, and what new needs are developing in our specialty. We are not a stagnant organization but instead are working to adapt, grow, and modernize while honoring and respecting the history that has made us the premier organization for perianesthesia nursing excellence.
The 2026 National Conference in San Francisco was a tremendous time for all of us to meet, learn, and network. It was also a time for many decisions regarding the future of the organization. Prior to conference, the Board of Directors met and made several key decisions to better meet the needs of our members.
- We have committed to creating a new, more user-friendly website and have decided on a firm to complete the work along with a re-branding which will help us better connect with perianesthesia nurses.
- We have committed to hire an additional staff member at the national office to support components/regions with many of the technical, legal, and complex issues of non-profit management that make organizational leadership intimidating.
- We have committed to make more scholarships available, including scholarships for recertification and for dual certification and recertification. We also will be implementing two scholarship application periods to align with certification cycles.
The Representative Assembly (RA), a formal meeting of ASPAN representatives from across the country, met to vote on our new board members and significant organizational changes and initiatives.
The RA voted to approve the resolution to reorganize our 40 components into 10 regions. This proposal is the result of several years of research and work, including an intense year with the Enhancing Organizational Capacity Strategic Work Team (SWT) working along with a consulting firm. Now comes the work of rolling out the plan. ASPAN will continue to work with our consultants and legal counsel to assist and advise component leaders through the reorganization process. Currently, component boards are meeting to decide on signing letters of intent and to begin the process of collecting relevant documents needed to proceed. While this is happening, ASPAN CEO Pete Pomilio has advised component leaders to “continue business as usual” with regards to seminars, elections, and component activities.
In other business, the updates to the next edition of the 2027-2028 ASPAN Perianesthesia Nursing Standards and Practice Recommendations were approved. The Assembly also approved a change to the by-laws to allow virtual votes for needed bylaw changes. This will allow us to conduct business in a more timely manner instead of waiting for the annual in-person RA meeting.
Finally, the RA cast votes on behalf of their component members to elect ASPAN’s new members for the 2026-2027 Board of Directors’ open positions.
- Board of Directors’ election results:
- Sarah Cartwright DNP RN NI-BC CAPA FASPAN, Vice President/President-Elect
- Christine (Chris) Buck BSN RN CAPA, Secretary
- Antoinette (Toni) Zito MSN RN CPAN CAPA FASPAN, Director for Education
- Lori Erni BSN RN CCRN CPAN, Director for Clinical Practice
- Lynette Alcorn BSN RN CCRN CPAN CAPA, Regional Director, Region 2
- Stephanie Johnson MSN RN CPAN CAPA, Regional Director, Region 4
- Nominating Committee election results:
- Lisa Benson-DeVries EdD MSN MBA RN CPAN
- Melissa Schmidt MSN RN CNL CPAN CAPA EBP-CH
- Tara Wright MSN RN CPN
National Conference is an exciting and energizing time for ASPAN. We look forward to a year of learning and leading to improve the experience of our members and all of our ability to provide the very best care to perianesthesia patients.
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