CONTACT:
Susan Swart, 779-529-2012
syswart@ana-illinois.org

Members of the ANA-Illinois elected Elizabeth Aquino PhD, RN as president of the professional association that represents the interests of Illinois’ 190,000+ registered nurses (RNs).

The members also elected three other members to the nine-member board of directors – secretary, Colleen Morley, DNP, RN, CMCN, ACM-RN; directors at large, Nicole Lewis DNP, APRN, FNP-BC and Susana Gonzalez MHA, MSN, RN, CNML.

Aquino serves as the Associate Director of the Master’s Entry to Nursing Practice program at DePaul University. Prior to her role in academia, she worked for 12 years as a surgical-trauma ICU nurse at a Chicago Level 1 trauma center. She is currently the Treasurer for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) and has previously served as the president of the NAHN-Illinois Chapter.

Morley has worked in case management for over 15 years. She has served in various leadership roles as a Director for ANA-Illinois, serving as Legislative Committee Chair and PAC Trustee, for Case Management Society of America, Chicago chapter; where she currently holds the office of President-Elect, she has have served as Secretary and Membership Secretary and was recently elected to the CMSA National Board.

Lewis is an APRN practicing as a family nurse practitioner at SSM Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon. She is a veteran of the United States Army where she started her career in healthcare as a combat medic. She earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York.

Gonzalez is a nurse consultant at ASI Home Care Agency. She has previously served in leadership roles as an Associate Dean of Academic Operations and Director of Perinatal Services. She is currently on the board for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) and has served in positions with the Illinois Organization of Nurse Leaders and as the President for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN)-Illinois Chapter.

Those continuing their terms on the ANA-Illinois Board are: Vice President, Karen Egenes EdD, RN; Treasurer, Pam Brown PhD, RN, ANEF; Director, Lauren Martin RN, CEN; Director, Crystal Vasquez DNP, MS, MBA, RN, NEA-BC; ; Director, Stephanie Yohannan DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC.

Elected to serve on the Nominations Committee are Kathryn Valentine BSN, RN, CVRN-BC, and Katrina Soto BSN, RN.

These individuals will be inducted into office and begin their terms on November 2nd at the ANA-Illinois Professional Issues Conference being held in Springfield, Illinois.

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The American Nurses Association-Illinois (ANA-Illinois) is the premier organization representing the interests of the state’s 180,000+ registered nurses. ANA-Illinois advances the nursing profession by working to improve the health standards and the availability of health care services for all people in Illinois and fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. For more information, visit www.ana-illinois.org