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2025 Equity in Nursing Summit

Equity isn’t optional in nursing—it’s essential. Let’s drive change together.  

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A nursing workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves is better equipped to provide equitable, compassionate, and culturally competent care.

Join us for a powerful and action-driven forum dedicated to tackling racism and advancing equity in nursing. Over 2.5 days, we’ll engage in meaningful conversations with individual and organizational partners, spotlight real-world successes, and set clear, measurable goals for progress. This isn’t just another discussion—it’s a commitment. We’ll close with a call to action, ensuring every participant leaves ready to drive real, lasting change in the profession. Let’s move from conversation to impact—together.

Equity in Nursing: A Summit for Change Agenda

Explore the full agenda for Equity in Nursing: A Summit for Change, a new event from the American Nurses Association that deepens our commitment to create an equitable profession for all nurses.

Together, we’ll tackle systemic barriers, highlight actionable strategies, and drive the change needed to create a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Day One – Evening Welcome Reception

Location: JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004

6 PMRegistration Opens - JW Marriot, Salon 2

6 - 9 PMNetworking Reception, Fireside Chat, Book Signing

Featuring: 

  • Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, President, American Nurses Association
  • Sarah McBride, Member, US House of Representatives
  • Tina Loarte-Rodríguez, DNP, RN, CPPS, CPHRM, author of Latinas in Nursing I and II
  • Uché Blackstock, MD, author of LEGACY: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine

Day Two

CNE Disclosures: Participants may earn 4.5 hours of CNE credit by attending all Thursday, February 27, 2025, sessions that offer contact hours and completing the evaluation. No partial credit will be awarded. Evaluation must be completed by March 28, 2025. The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Location: The National Press Club, 529 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20045

8 AM – Registration Opens [Lobby]

8 – 9 AM – Breakfast Service

8:30 – 9:05 AM – Welcome and Acknowledgement [Ballroom]

Speakers:

  • Katie Boston-Leary, PhD, MBA, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, Senior Vice President, Equity & Engagement, American Nurses Enterprise
  • Sonya Frazier, RN, BSN, President, Oklahoma Indigenous Nurses Association
  • Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, President, American Nurses Association
  • Lauren Underwood, RN, Member, US House of Representatives

9:20 – 11 AM – Plenary Session: Showing of the film “Power to Heal” [Ballroom]
Contact Hours: 2.0

Discussion Facilitators:

  • Angela Beddoe, Chief Executive Officer, American Nurses Enterprise
  • Hafeeza Anchrum, PhD, RN, Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Pennsylvania

11 – 11:15 AM – Break

11:15 AM – 12 PM – Plenary Presentation: Ending US Health Inequity: Reimagining Clinical and Social Care through Nurse Driven Models of Service Provision [Ballroom]
Contact Hours: 0.75

Speaker:

  • Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, PhD, MPH, LCSW, ANP-BC, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, Executive Director, Institute for Policy Solutions, Johns Hopkins University

12:10 – 1:00 PM – Plenary/Panel Session #1: Cultural and Systemic Change in Nursing Practice [Ballroom]

Moderator: Ruth Francis, DrPH, MPH, MCHES, Senior Policy Advisor, American Nurses Enterprise

Panelists:

  • Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, PhD, MHS, RN, Associate Dean for Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
  • Lucinda Canty, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, FADLN, Director, Seedworks Health Equity in Nursing
  • Sonya Frazier, RN, BSN, President, Oklahoma Indigenous Nurses Association
  • Taloa Sharp, BSN, RN, Co-Founder, Oklahoma Indigenous Nurses Association
  • Tina Gordon, MPA, CAE, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, North Carolina Nurses Association

1 – 1:50 PM – Lunch [Ballroom]

1:50 – 2:40 PM – Breakout/Panel Sessions

Session #2A – Advancing Nursing Research [Ballroom]

Moderator: Liz Stokes, PhD, JD, RN, Director, Center for Ethics and Human Rights, American Nurses Association

Panelists:

  • Kechi Iheduru-Anderson, DNP, RN, CNE, CWCN, Professor and Nursing Program Director, Central Michigan University
  • Carl Kirton, DNP, MBA, RN, ANP, FAAN, Editor-in-Chief, American Journal of Nursing
  • Camille Lloyd, Director, Gallup Center on Black Voices
  • Larissa Morgan, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Manager, Talent Acquisition Strategies & Programs, Penn Medicine

Session #2B – Advancing Nursing Education [Holeman Lounge]

Moderator: Kara Curry, MA, RN, HEC-C, Senior Policy and Ethics Advisor, American Nurses Enterprise

Panelists:

  • Rick Garcia, RN, CCM, FAAOHN, FAADN, Chief Executive Officer, Organization for Associate Degree Nursing
  • Aron King, MSN, Assistant Manager, University of California Davis/Capitol City Black Nurses Association
  • Carter Todd, MS, MBA, RN, NE-BC, CCRN, Nurse Manager, Kaiser Permanente/Capitol City Black Nurses Association
  • Danielle McCamey, MS, MBA, RN, NE-BC, CCRN, Founder, DNPs of Color
  • Winifred Quinn, PhD, FAANP(H), FAAN, Director, Nursing Workforce & Policy, AARP
  • Wanda Thruston, DNP, APRN, RN, Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, American Association of Colleges of Nursing

2:40 – 2:55 PM – Break

2:55 – 4:05 PM – Plenary/Panel Session: Breaking Barriers – Empowering Men in Nursing [Ballroom]
Contact Hours: 1.0

Moderator: Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, NEA-BC, CENP, FACHE, ANEF, FAAN, Director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Education, Georgetown University

Panelists:

  • Karen Clark, PhD, MSN, RNC-MNN, Assistant Professor, Southern University and A&M College School of Nursing
  • Sheldon Fields, PhD, RN, CRNP, FNP-BC, AACRN, FAANP, FNAP, FADLN, FAAN, 14th President and Chief Executive Officer, National Black Nurses Association
  • Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, Vice Dean, Duke University School of Nursing and immediate past President, American Nurses Association
  • Michael Jones, PhD, MBA/HCM, RN, Associate Dean, East Carolina University
  • Roberto Roman, PhD, DNP, RN, CMSRN, Chief Innovation Officer, VitalBridge Health

4:05 PM – Closing Keynote: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once! [Ballroom]
Contact Hours: 0.75

Speaker: Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, President and Chief Executive Officer, National League of Nursing and Past President, American Nurses Association

5:00 PM – Adjourn

Day Three – A Look Forward

CNE Disclosures: Participants may earn 1.0 hours of CNE credit by attending all Friday, February 28, 2025, sessions that offer contact hours and completing the evaluation. No partial credit will be awarded. Evaluation must be completed by March 28, 2025. The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Location: The National Press Club, 529 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20045 

8:30 AM – Registration 

8:30 AM – Welcome and Introductions 
Speaker: Rumay Alexander, EdD, MSN, BSN, RN, FAAN, Senior Equity Advisor, American Nurses Enterprise 

8:40 AM – 9:30 AM – Opening Keynote & Fireside Chat: Combatting Indifference 
Speakers: 

  • Elliott Currie, PhD, Professor, University of California Irvine, interviewed by Kenya Beard, EdD, AGACNP-BC, ANEF, FAAN, FADLN, Chief Nursing Officer, Mercy University School of Nursing 
  •  9:40 – 10:55 AM – Panel Session: ANA’s Racial Reckoning 

Moderator: Rumay Alexander, Senior Equity Advisor, American Nurses Association 
Panelists: 

  • Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, President, American Nurses Association 
  • Sheldon Fields, PhD, RN, CRNP, FNP-BC, AACRN, FAANP, FNAP, FADLN, FAAN, President, National Black Nurses Association 
  • Angie Milan, DNP, RN/NP, CNS, President, National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations 
  • Veronica Vital, PhD, MSN, MLS, RN, President, National Association of Hispanic Nurses 
  • Sarah Killian, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, President, Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. 
  • Cheryl Peterson, MSN, RN, Senior Vice President, Nursing Programs, ANA 
  • Wendy Amengual Wark, Founder, Inclusion Strategy Solutions, LLC 

11:05 – 11:55 AM – Breakout/Panel Sessions 

Session #5A – Solutions for Sustainable Change 
Moderator: Marcus Henderson, MSN, RN, PhD(c), Postdoctoral Fellow, 2024-2026 Jonas Scholar, Johns Hopkins University 
Panelists: 

  • Benita Chatmon, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, President, Louisiana State Nurses Association 
  • Wallena Gould, EdD, CRNA, FADLN, FAANA, FAAN, Founder, Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentoring Program 
  • Monica McLemore, PhD, MPH, RN, Director, Manning Price Spratlan Center for Anti-Racism and Equity in Nursing, University of Washington 
  • Christopher Otto, MSN, RN, CCRN, Executive Director, Delaware Nurses Association 
  • Reneé Roberts-Turner, DHA, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CPHQ, Executive Director, Nursing Excellence, Child, and Family Services, Children’s National Hospital 

Session #5B – Substantial, Sustainable and Systemic Solutions for Transformation 
Moderator: Meedie Bardonille, MSN, RN, FCN, PCCN-K, FADLN, President, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Black Nurse Collaborative, Inc 
Panelists: 

  • Lou Bartolo, DNP, MSN, RN, President, Maryland Nurses Association 
  • Kenya Beard, EdD, AGACNP-BC, ANEF, FAAN, FADLN, Dean, Chief Nursing Officer, Mercy University School of Nursing 
  • Camille Burnett, PhD, MPA, APHN-BC, BScN, RN, DSW, FAAN, CGNC, Vice President, Health Equity, Institute for Healthcare Improvement 
  • Ray Coe, RN, PhD, MBA, MHA, RN-BC, NEA-BC, FACHE®, Board President, Tennessee Nurses Association 
  • Claire McKinley Yoder, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, Oregon Health Sciences University 

12:05 PM – Seated Lunch 

12:25 PM – Policy Update: Health Policy Change: Driving Improved Access and Outcomes 
Speaker: Tim Nanof, MSW, Senior Vice President, Policy & Government Affairs, ANA 

1:25 PM – 2:15 PM – Panel Session: Healthcare & Humanity 
Moderator: Oriana Beaudet, DNP, RN, FAAN, Vice President of Innovation, American Nurses Enterprise 
Panelists: 

  • Kellie Bryant, DNP, WHNP, CHSE, FSSH,  FADLN, FAAN, Director, Center for Innovation in Education Excellence, NLN 
  • Michael Cary, PhD, RN, FAAN, Elizabeth C. Clipp Term Chair, Duke University 
  • Kenrick D. Cato, PhD, RN, CPHIMS, FAAN, FACMI, Professor, University of Pennsylvania 
  • Amy McCarthy, DNP, RNC-MNN, NE-BC, CENP, Chief Nursing Officer, Hippocratic AI 

2:15 – 3:15 PM – Closing Charge and Call to Action: Measuring Movement and Transformation with Metrics 
Moderator: Katie Boston-Leary, Senior VP, Equity & Engagement, American Nurses Enterprise 
Panelists: 

  • Rumay Alexander, Senior Equity Advisor, American Nurses Enterprise
  • Bart Bailey, MBA, Owner, Courage in Care, LLC 
  • Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, Vice Dean, Duke University and ANA immediate past President 
  • Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, PhD, MPH, LCSW, ANP-BC, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, Johns Hopkins University 
  • Tina Loarte-Rodríguez, DNP, RN, CPPS, CPHRM, Author of Latinas in Nursing I & II 

3:15 PM – 3:25 PM – Closing Remarks and Adjournment
Speaker: Jackie Hilton, Chief People & Culture Officer, ANA 

Equity in Nursing Speaker Bios

Thank You to Our Top Sponsors!  


*Not all sponsors may be listed due to guidelines around promoting certain sponsor categories in conjunction with continuing education sessions.

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