Chief Executive Officer
As chief executive officer of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), Dana Woods partners with the organization’s boards of directors to provide leadership and strategic direction for AACN and AACN Certification Corporation. Woods has focused her career on translating innovative business strategies to advance the missions of nonprofit organizations. She leads a team of more than 200 staff, who are dedicated to advancing AACN’s vital contribution to creating a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families.
Before becoming CEO in 2014, Woods served as a member of AACN’s senior leadership group for over a decade, leading the teams accountable for strategic planning, marketing, communications, membership, certification, information technology and organizational effectiveness. She spearheaded strategy development and led implementation for several signature initiatives, including “AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments” and AACN Clinical Scene Investigator Academy. She also directed the reimagining of AACN’s annual National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition, including design and production of the organization’s signature SuperSessions.
In addition to leading the extensive organizational research efforts for the association, Woods served as co-investigator and co-author of three collaborative national studies examining nurses’ perceptions of the health of their work environment. She also served as co-investigator for two national studies on how health professionals’ communication skills influence patient safety.
Woods earned an undergraduate degree in economics from Tufts University and a Master of Business Administration from University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.