American Association of Critical-Care Nurses

Vol. 23, No. 10, OCTOBER 2006

Meet Your Chapter Advisers

The Chapter Advisory Team provides an important link between chapters and the National Office ensuring effective communication among the AACN Board of Directors, National Office and local chapters on pressing issues chapters face. Advisers are volunteers who have expert knowledge about chapter issues and trends in their regions of the country as well as about what is happening at the national level and how that affects chapters.

Chapter Advisory Team representatives are selected from AACN's online Volunteeer Profile Database. The following are the Chapter Advisory Team representatives and their contact information for the 2006-07 year:

Board Liaisons
Beth Hammer,
RN, MS, MSN, APRN, APRN-BC
Beth.Hammer@aacn.org

Mary Stahl
RN, CNS, MSN, CCRN, CCNS, CS
Mary.Stahl@aacn.org

Chapter Adviser Co-leads

Kim Hodge
RN, ASN, CCRN-CMC
Kim.Hodge@aacn.org

Kathy Peavy
RN, MS, CCRN
Kathy.Peavy@aacn.org

Region 1

Mary A. Bylone,
RN, BS, ASN, CCRN
region1@aacn.org

Serving Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont

Region 2

Reynaldo R. Rivera,
RN, MA, CCRN, APRN, MEd.
region2@aacn.org

Serving New York and Germany

Region 3

Katherine Peck Samon,
RN, MS, APRN, APN
region3@aacn.org

Serving Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania

Region 4

Karen Kesten,
RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS, PCCN
region4@aacn.org

Serving Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia

Region 5

Jan Teal,
RN-BC, MSN, CCRN
region5@aacn.org

Serving North Carolina and South Carolina

Region 6

Cindi Noe,
RN, BSN
region6@aacn.org

Serving Alabama and Georgia

Region 7
Laura J. Bratcher,
RN, BSN, CCRN-CSC
region7@aacn.org

Serving Florida

Region 8

Maggie D. Carriker,
RN, MSN
region8@aacn.org

Serving Michigan and Wisconsin

Region 9

Pamela J. Bolton,
RN, MS, ACNP, CCNS, CCRN, PCCN
region9@aacn.org

Serving Indiana and Ohio

Region 10

Karen Wood,
RN, DNSc, CCRN
region10@aacn.org

Serving Illinois

Region 11

Leanna R. Miller,
RN, MN, CCRN, CPNP, CEN
region11@aacn.org

Serving Kentucky and Tennessee

Region 12

Denise Bonura-Henry,
RN, BSN, CCRN
region12@aacn.org

Serving Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi

Region 13

Kirsten Skillings,
RN, MA, CCRN, CCNS
region13@aacn.org

Serving Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska

Region 14
Kay L. Luft,
RN, MN, PhDNc, CCRN
region14@aacn.org

Serving Kansas and Missouri

Region 15

Tonya Skeen,
RN, MSN
region15@aacn.org

Serving Oklahoma and Texas

Region 16

Clareen Wiencek,
RN, MSN, ACNP
region16@aacn.org

Serving Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming

Region 17

Todd Grivetti,
RN, BSN, CCRN
region17@aacn.org

Serving Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah

Region 18

Julia K. Garrison,
RN, MSN, CCRN, PCCN-CMC
region18@aacn.org

Serving Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington

Region 19

Bobbie Thompson,
RN, MSN
region19@aacn.org

Serving California, China and Japan

Calling All CATs:Oct. 31 Is Deadline to Apply for Regional Positions

The Chapter Advisory Team (CAT) plays a vital role in supporting and linking local AACN chapters and the National Leadership Team. AACN is currently inviting and encouraging past and current chapter officers to apply for the advisory team positions in eight of its 19 regions. Chapter advisers do not need to reside in the region to be considered for an advisory role in that region. The chapter advisers will serve two-year terms, July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009. The deadline to apply is Oct. 31, 2006.

The CAT is vital in ensuring effective communication between the AACN Board of Directors and National Office staff and local chapters on pressing issues chapters face. Advisers are volunteers who have expert knowledge on chapter issues and trends in their regions and who are well informed about what is happening at the national level and how that affects chapters. They directly support chapters and chapter leaders in a number of important ways.

The chapter adviser responsibilities are to:

• Serve as a liaison and spokesperson to AACN chapters and leaders in his or her region.
• Establish ongoing mechanisms for communication with chapter leaders.
• Work in partnership with AACN staff to identify individual chapter strengths and needs so that chapters can be effectively supported and serviced.
• Develop and mentor local chapter leaders for future chapter and national leadership roles.
• Travel within assigned region.
• Attend two face-to-face meetings with other advisory team members each year.
• Participate in conference calls and use electronic media and online communication tools and databases.

If you are interested in serving as a chapter adviser but have questions regarding the role, contact Chapter Specialist Val Hardwick at (800) 394-5995, ext. 313; Val.Hardwick@aacn.org. You can also contact the current chapter adviser in your region. Contact information for chapter advisers is available online at www.aacn.org > chapters > chapter resource center.

To apply, register online at www.aacn.org > volunteer opportunities. Be sure to select “Chapter Advisory Team” under the “specialty or type of role.”

Chapter Advisers Sought in Regions in Color

On the Prowl ...

Currently seeking CAT representatives for the following regions:*
Region 4 Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia
Region 5 North Carolina, South Carolina
Region 6 Alabama, Georgia
Region 10 Illinois
Region 13 Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska
Region 15 Oklahoma, Texas
Region 17 Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah
Region 19 California, China, Japan

*Chapter advisers do not need to reside in the region to be considered for an advisory role in that region.

Four New Chapters Chartered

AACN welcomes the following new chapters:

Wasatch Chapter
Utah
President—Ira Gene Reynolds
President-elect—Greta Branning
Secretary—Heidi Vawdrey
Treasurer—Vikki Pierson

Baton Rouge Chapter
Louisiana
President—Julie Whitaker
President-elect—Christine Ragusa
Secretary—Toni Dantonio
Treasurer—Becky Davis

Nashville Regional Chapter
Tennessee
President—Robin Williams
President-elect—Victoria Alford
Secretary—Ann Heilig
Treasurer—Melanie Stone

Ruyuku Chapter
Japan
President—Roy Allen
President-elect—Aron Bowlin
Secretary—Dawn Mitchell
Treasurer—Lorrie Meyer

What's on Tap

Region 15
Texas and Oklahoma
The Region 15 meeting will be Oct. 27 and 28 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Addison. For more information, contact Tonya Skeen at (972) 342-5178; region15@aacn.org.

Region 17
Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah
The Region 17 meeting will be Oct. 27 and 28 in Albuquerque. For more information, contact Heidi Radke at (505) 268-1583; hskrgrl@msn.com.

Georgia
The Central Savannah River Area Chapter will present a CCRN/PCCN Review Course Oct. 16 through 18 at the Belair Conference Center, Augusta. For more information contact Margaret Rollins at (706) 840-5698; marollins@mail.mcg.edu.

The Northeast Georgia Chapter will present “Trauma Series: Thoracic/Abdominal Series” on Oct. 26 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville. For more information, contact Deborah Cochran at (770) 983-3280; deborah.cochran@nghs.com.

Illinois
The Northwest Chicago Area Chapter will present a CCRN Review Class Oct. 15 and 16 at the Sheraton Chicago Northwest Hotel. For more information, contact Leslie Collins at (630) 766-1596; NWCAC@juno.com.

The Greater Fox Valley Chapter will present a CCRN Review Oct. 20 and Dec. 1 at the Rush-Copley Heart Institute. For more information, contact Vicki Bergquist at (630) 215-3034; vvickister@aol.com.

Minnesota
The Rum River Chapter will present “2006 Critical Care Nursing Congress,” featuring a PCCN Review Course, on Oct. 26 and 27 at Mercy Hospital, Coon Rapids. For more information, contact Amy Asleson at (763) 236-8356; rumriverchapter@yahoo.com.

South Carolina
The Coastal Chapter will present its fourth annual “Down by the Boardwalk” Oct. 20 and 21 at the Crown Reef Conference Center, Myrtle Beach. For more information, contact Jill Nale at (843) 347-8195; jnale@cmc-sc.com.

Wisconsin
The Greater Milwaukee Area Chapter will present “Critical Care Updates 2006” on Oct. 19 and 20 at the Country Springs Hotel, Waukesha. For more information, contact Jeannine Davis at (262) 860-1026; sands13@sbcglobal.net.

Is your chapter planning a program or special event? Submit your information online at www.aacn.org > About AACN > Chapters > Chapter Resource Center > Chapter Forms.