Strong organizations are built by strong leaders. ASPAN is committed to investing in our Board Members by providing opportunities for leadership development, professional growth and collaboration with the broader nursing community.

This month, ASPAN Board Members Chris Buck, Lynette Alcorn, and Chanda Hassemer attended the Nursing Organizations Alliance (NOA) Annual Meeting and Leadership Academy in Louisville, Kentucky, led by ASPAN Past President Alphonzo Baker.

The three-day event brought together elected and staff leaders from national nursing organizations for education focused on governance, leadership, workforce culture, emerging issues and organizational strategy. Participants also engaged in peer networking and facilitated discussions designed to share ideas, experiences and best practices across nursing organizations.

For ASPAN's leaders, the experience provided valuable opportunities to strengthen governance skills, explore new approaches to organizational leadership and build relationships with colleagues from across the nursing profession.

ASPAN Secretary Chris Buck says, “Fantastic conference! What a great opportunity for collaboration with exceptional nursing leadership.”

Chanda Hassemer, Regional Director, reported, “The conference was engaging, inspiring, and highly relevant—not only to board governance and leadership, but also to our everyday practice as registered nurses.”

She continued, “The session that had the greatest impact on me, both professionally and personally, was ‘Breaking the Cycle: Empowering Leaders to Address Bullying and Incivility,’ presented by Renee Thompson, DNP, RN, FAAN, CSP.

“Renee challenged us to look differently at team dynamics, diving into the five dysfunctions of a team and providing practical strategies that anyone can immediately incorporate into daily practice. She also did an incredible job distinguishing what bullying is and what it is not from incivility, which is often reflected in the behaviors and interactions we encounter in our day-to-day work.

“As nurses, we have an incredible opportunity to shape the culture around us. It starts with awareness, courage, accountability, and a willingness to have the difficult conversations that can ultimately make our teams stronger.”

ASPAN is proud to support the continued development of our volunteer leaders. By investing in our Board and connecting with other nursing organizations, we strengthen ASPAN's leadership today while helping build a stronger future for perianesthesia nursing.