Speaker

Denise Robertson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CNL
Associate Chief Nurse
Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Dr. Denise Robertson is an experienced nursing professional with three decades in the field. She holds nursing degrees from the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is dual-board certified as a Nurse Executive-Advanced and Clinical Nurse Leader.

As the Associate Chief Nurse at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, she oversees nursing services for Primary and Specialty Care and serves as a certified VA mentor and coach. She is the immediate past President of the Alabama State Nurses Association’s (ASNA) District 2 and currently serves as the Mentor Community Manager for the American Nurses Association, providing guidance on effective mentoring relationships.

Dr. Robertson is a gifted writer and has authored several pieces for the GNSA Bulletin and has significantly contributed to engaging over 10,000 student members nationwide. Her article, "Mentorship Matters," published in the American Nurse Journal, aims to inspire nurses about the importance of mentoring.

Dr. Robertson's dedication to mentorship earned her the 2021 ASNA Mentorship Award, recognizing her exceptional support for nurses’ development. Her contributions have a profound impact on the nursing profession and the communities she serves.
 

Speakers

Nelda Godfrey, PhD, ACNS-BC, RN, FAAN, ANEF
Professor and Associate Dean, Innovative Partnerships and Practice
University of Kansas School of Nursing

Dr. Nelda Godfrey is Associate Dean for Innovative Partnerships and Practice at the University of Kansas School of Nursing; and Professor, University of Kansas School of Nursing. She is the founder of the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing and the 2017 recipient of the Amy Ladner O'Brien Women in Science and Medicine Award for Innovation, University of Kansas Medical Center. She previously served as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, and prior to that Chair of the Department of Nursing at William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri. Dr. Godfrey has more than twenty years of experience in academic leadership, entrepreneurialism and innovation. She also has 24 years of bedside nursing experience a s both an RN and an advanced practice nurse, working in acute care, rehab, cardiac, ICU, and cardiac step down areas. She received her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Nursing with an emphasis in Ethics at the University of Missouri. She received her Master of Nursing (MN) degree from the University of Kansas Medical Center as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult/Gerontological Care. In 2010, she was selected as a Fellow of the Harvard Macy Institute Innovations in Health Care and Education and served as invited faculty in 2011 and 2015.  Dr. Godfrey currently serves as chair of the American Nurses Association Ethics and Human Rights Advisory Board, the only national nursing ethics advisory forum. She is the immediate past chair of the International Society for Professional identity in Nursing and formerly served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Nursing and as chair of the Missouri Nurses Foundation.
 

Susan Strouse, PhD, RN
Associate Prof essor
Grand Valley State University
Kirkhof College of Nursing

Dr. Susan Strouse has been faculty with the Kirkhof College of Nursing since 2013. Her areas of scholarship and interest are the culture of nursing and enculturation process and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Her teaching includes nursing leadership and nursing care for populations, and she has been the clinical coordinator for the RN to BSN program since 2014.

Speakers

Marta Okoniewski, MPA
Director of Student Engagement
AACN

Marta Okoniewski, MPA, is the Director of Student Engagement at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She led the development, launch, and growth of the GNSA, a national network providing high value programs, services, and resources to nursing students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs. Prior to joining AACN, Ms. Okoniewski worked as the Program Coordinator at New York University College of Nursing within the Academic and Clinical Affairs Department. She received her master’s in public administration from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Scranton.

Anne Pearson, BA
Student Services Coordinator
AACN

Anne Pearson is the Student Services Coordinator at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She supports graduate nursing students across the country through the Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA) and Liaison leadership program. She has a background in education equity policy research and received her baccalaureate degree in political science from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Speakers

Marta Okoniewski, MPA
Director of Student Engagement
AACN

Marta Okoniewski, MPA, is the Director of Student Engagement at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She led the development, launch, and growth of the GNSA, a national network providing high value programs, services, and resources to nursing students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs. Prior to joining AACN, Ms. Okoniewski worked as the Program Coordinator at New York University College of Nursing within the Academic and Clinical Affairs Department. She received her master’s in public administration from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Scranton.

Anne Pearson, BA
Student Services Coordinator
AACN

Anne Pearson is the Student Services Coordinator at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She supports graduate nursing students across the country through the Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA) and Liaison leadership program. She has a background in education equity policy research and received her baccalaureate degree in political science from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Speakers

Cheryl Green, PhD, DNP, RN, LCSW, CNL, CNE, MAC, FAPA
Off-Shift Nurse Administrative Manager
Yale New Heaven Health System
Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus

Dr. Cheryl Green is an Off-Shift Nurse Administrative Manager at the Yale-New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus and Nurse Educator, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Chair and Committee Member within the Graduate School at Abilene Christian University. Dr. Green has been a registered nurse for over 34 years and a licensed clinical social worker for over 30 years. Areas of research include: Incivility, mental illness, medication error prevention, medical-surgical health issues, incivility and discrimination, succession planning, prayer and spirituality, self-care, distraction, stress and anxiety, nursing education, death and dying, the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health, COVID-19 pandemic, health disparities, addictions, simulation, and mindfulness.

Evelyn Jacovino, MSN, RN, CMSRN
Assistant Nurse Manager
Yale New Heaven Health System
Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus

Evelyn Jacovino is an Assistant Nurse Manager on the orthopedic unit at the Yale-New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus.  Mrs. Jacovino has been a registered nurse for over 11 years.  She has experience in homecare and hospital settings.  She has led her team in acquiring The Joint Commissions advanced disease specific certification for hips and knees.  Most recently, Mrs. Jacovino has successfully led the opening of the new, state of the art, orthopedic unit on the Milford Campus which includes virtual nursing.  Her tenure has been marked by a steadfast dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement within the healthcare team. Her focus has been elevating the standard of nursing practice through st rategic management and supporting staff in their professional growth and development.