Message From the President

February 2026

Ursula Mellinger BSN RN CPAN CAPA
2025-2026 ASPAN President

Dear ASPAN Members,

I know we are all busy getting ready for National Conference, planning our trip and looking for exciting things to do and see in San Francisco. Attendees will observe subtle updates to the conference format. Late night sessions are reduced to free up time for small group meetings and networking with colleagues.

The Enhancing Organizational Capacity (EOC) SWT has been diligently working behind the scenes in preparation for the Representative Assembly and intended reorganization process. EOC SWT Coordinator Katrina Bickerstaff, Vice-Coordinator Chris Buck, and I have been attending regional as well as component leadership meetings. We encourage all components to maintain their business as usual until the process officially starts.

Remember, this is an ongoing process, and we continue to learn and adapt as we progress. We greatly value your input, as it provides helpful feedback and suggestions. Your questions are equally important to us. I want to let you know reorganization is not an “ASPAN” problem but a nationwide issue. We recently examined a Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Report from 2025, which offered important insights. ASPAN’s current approach aligns with the recommendations outlined in the report.

Component leaders can rest assured there will be legal support. ASPAN will provide templates and guidelines for bylaws, policies, and other documents. The new regions will have some autonomy in their chosen governance process with each state having a role or position for representation. The timelines are set, but they too can fluctuate. There will be informational meetings for members as well as EOC reorganization postings and a page on the ASPAN website. The plan is to begin the process and work in stages, with not all components reorganizing at the same time. We are a work in progress as we “Move to the Future and Accept the Challenges.”

I look forward to seeing many of you in San Francisco.
 

Archive of ASPAN Presidents' Messages