Speakers

Susan Bakewell-Sachs, PhD, RN, FAAN
Vice President for Nursing Affairs and Dean & Professor of Nursing
Oregon Health & Science University

Since 2013, Susan Bakewell-Sachs has served as Vice President for Nursing Affairs, professor and dean at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing. She has a clinical background as a pediatric nurse practitioner, specializing in caring for infants and children born prematurely. She is also a recognized expert in nursing education, interprofessional education, and academic-practice partnerships, seeking ways to develop and evaluate innovative models of education and practice to prepare healthcare professionals and improve patient care.

Dr. Bakewell-Sachs is active in national organizations, recently completing service as an appointed member of the Veterans’ Administration National Academic Affiliations Council and Co-chair, Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce Subcommittee. She is past Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2020-2022. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Western Academy of Nursing. Dr. Bakewell-Sachs was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Executive Nurse Fellow and served as Program Director for the New Jersey Nursing Initiative, an RWJF program aimed at addressing the nurse faculty shortage through new curriculum models, faculty development, and academic-practice partnerships.
 

Brooke Baldwin, DNP, MSN, RN, CENP
Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Executive
Oregon Health & Science University Healthcare

Brooke Baldwin, DNP, RN, CENP serves as the vice VP and chief nursing executive (CNE) for OHSU Healthcare and the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at OHSU School of Nursing. University of California, Irvine Health system (UCI Health) and has been in the role since January 2021. As the CNE, Brooke contributes to the development of strategic goals and provides a vision for all aspects of patient and quality of care, ensuring professional nursing standards are uniform and maintained across the system. She is responsible for nursing and patient care initiatives across the health system and oversight in all inpatient and outpatient care settings.

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 as 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 Professor
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.