Your Vote Counts — Get Involved in Your Nurse Practitioner Organization
Help choose the direction of your association by casting your vote in the 2023 AANP Election.
Every day, you and your colleagues across the nation work tirelessly to serve your communities and provide patients with lifesaving care. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is committed to supporting you and your colleagues so you can continue to deliver exceptional patient-centered care. In order to best support the nurse practitioner (NP) community, AANP depends on its members to help steer the organization towards this goal. Have you considered how you could impact the future of your NP organization and chart the course for the future of NP-delivered care?
When Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) Legacy Award recipient, Ruth Kleinpell, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAANP, FCCM, was asked what key takeaway she had from her storied career as an NP, she stated, “I would say to get involved. I joined AANP when I was a new NP. I’m a firm believer that when you join an organization, you need to do more than have a membership. You need to be involved and be engaged.” Read on to learn how you can make your voice heard and influence the NP legacy by casting your vote in the 2023 AANP Election.
Understanding AANP Leadership
How does AANP ensure the organization is representative of members? AANP encourages all eligible members to self-nominate for elected leadership roles and vote in the annual election. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, your association is led by NPs who volunteer their time and expertise so you and your patients are represented wherever important health care conversations are occurring.
As an organization dedicated to advancing the NP role, AANP is governed by a board of directors comprised of volunteers — four officers and 11 regional directors — who are elected by AANP members. In addition to the board of directors, members also elect members of the nomination council and state liaisons for each of the 50 states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Elected positions on the ballot in 2023 include the AANP Treasurer, regional directors in odd-numbered regions, state liaisons in even-numbered regions and two AANP Nomination Council positions.
Meet the Candidates in This Year’s Election
What does it take for an NP to step up and take the lead within their organization? For AANP Nomination Council Chair Barbara Todd, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, it’s all part of her holistic view on leading in practice, organization and policy. “I feel it’s my obligation to lead — to lead in the work I did on a day-to-day basis delivering care to patients, to belong to the professional organization that represented the work I did, to be a part of the decision-making body that decides in what direction our profession would go. That’s how I really got involved with AANP — because AANP represents me as an NP.” Todd works alongside other AANP Nomination Council members to vet all nominees and develop a slate of candidates that reflects expertise and diversity.
Candidates nominated for the AANP Election are health care leaders, celebrated NPs and active members of AANP who wish to represent you and your fellow members in shaping a bright, new future for the organization. Review the slate of candidates for the 2023 AANP Election to meet the candidates running in your state and region, discover their positions on important NP issues and make an informed decision when casting your vote in this year’s election.
Help Lead Your Professional Organization
Are you ready to take the first steps toward becoming an NP leader? If you’d like to run for AANP elected office in 2024, now is the perfect time to invest in your professional development. Consider the following programs and opportunities to learn valuable leadership skills, make your mark on the NP role and be prepared for the 2024 AANP Election nominations to open in October.
- Attend the 2023 AANP National Conference in-person in New Orleans or on-demand to earn continuing education credit, network with colleagues and gain insights on how to be a more effective leader.
- Complete the AANP Introductory Certificate on Leadership course in the AANP CE Center — a leadership fundamentals program directed toward new and emerging leaders that is a pre-requisite for the AANP Executive Leadership Program.
- Enroll in the AANP Educational Leadership Certificate course in the AANP CE Center to gain a new philosophy of teaching, learning principles and course strategies for various student populations.
Just Days Remain to Vote in the AANP Election!
Have you cast your ballot in the 2023 AANP Election? Eligible AANP members received an email with voting instructions. You can help determine the direction of the organization by electing NP leaders from your state, territory or region. Don’t wait — all votes must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. PT on March 31.