Grade 1 View: The Podcast FOR Future CRNAS, By Future CRNAs
As a dedicated series within the Beyond the Mask Podcast, Grade 1 View gives resident registered nurse anesthetists (RRNAs) a platform to speak directly to their peers about the realities of anesthesia training.
Hosted by residents, the series explores the challenges, milestones and learning curves that shape the journey to becoming a CRNA, with conversations covering topics such as study strategies, clinical rotations, professional development and the emotional side of anesthesia education.
By sharing honest experiences and insights, the hosts offer encouragement and perspective for students navigating the same demanding path.
The Real RRNA Life Podcast
Picture a group chat with residents who aren’t afraid to tell the truth. In the AANA’s student-powered podcast, each episode gives RRNAs a judgment-free space to say, “This is what’s going on, and here’s what I wish I’d known,” while sharing what it’s really like to tackle clinicals, the demands of didactic coursework, and the emotional roller coaster of chasing those four letters: C-R-N-A.
The Grade 1 View podcast is in collaboration with the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). Grade 1 View podcast is published every two weeks with an occasional bonus episode, and is available wherever you get your podcasts, as a new series under Beyond the Mask Podcast, hosted by Sharon Pearce and Jeremy Stanley.
These are your guides through your journey of becoming a CRNA:
Nicolas Alexander,
BSN, RN, SCRN, CCRN
Midwestern University, AZ
Levi Davis,
BSN, RN, CCRN
Ursuline College w/SNAP, OH
Mackenzie Lane,
BSN, RN, CCRN
Florida State University, FL
Kelsey Muir,
BSN, RN, CCRN
Villanova University, PA
Other Credits
Beyond the Mask Podcast Co-Hosts: Sharon Pearce & Jeremy Stanley
Director: Erin Ransford (AANA)
Postproduction: Grace Retek & Walter Storholt
Theme Composer: Benjamin Caracello
Grade 1 View / Episodes
Grade 1 View – S2, E20 – How NARA is Building Community for Future CRNAs
The Nurse Anesthesiology Resident Association (NARA) is an organization run by residents for residents, and we had the opportunity to sit down with President Dazjia Green and Vice President Omar Duran…
Grade 1 View – S2, E19 – CRNA Leadership, Advocacy & Entrepreneurship with AANA President Tracy Young
A career in nurse anesthesia does not have to follow one path. For Tracy Young, MSNA, MBA, CRNA, it certainly did not.
Grade 1 View – S2, E18 – AANA Annual Congress from the Resident Perspective
The Grade 1 View team takes listeners inside the 2026 meeting in Boston to discuss the sessions, speakers, networking, student events, and unexpected moments that stood out most.
Grade 1 View – S2, E17 – Lessons From a Lifetime in Nurse Anesthesia with Sharon Pearce
Sharon Pearce, DNP, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN has spent decades practicing, advocating, leading, mentoring, and telling the stories of nurse anesthesia. But behind the titles is a career shaped by formative m…
Grade 1 View – S2, E16 – Opportunities for Future CRNAs at AANA Annual Congress
One of the biggest events in our profession is coming up in a few weeks, and the AANA Annual Congress in Boston will provide countless opportunities for RNs and future CRNAs.
Grade 1 View – S2, E15 – Surviving Clinicals: Lessons from Future CRNAs
Every nurse anesthesia student loses sleep over clinicals, wondering whether they’re prepared enough to keep up. The truth? Everyone struggles in the beginning, even the students who seem to have it…
Honoring the Voices Who Led the Way
While these individuals are now former Grade 1 View hosts, their contributions remain an important part of the podcast’s story, helping bring the RRNA perspective to the microphone and build a community that reminds future CRNAs they are not alone in the journey.
We are proud to recognize the former Grade 1 View hosts who helped bring the resident perspective to the microphone.
Kevin Chem,
DNP, CRNA
Season 1 Co-Host
Olivia Conn,
DNP, CRNA
Season 1 Co-Host
Charity Garno,
BSN, RN
Season 1 Co-Host
Larry Sears,
DNP, CRNA
Season 1 Co-Host
The Mic Is Yours: Give Advice, Get Heard
Future CRNAs, ready to spill the real RRNA tea? Share your wins, fails, and everything in between on the Grade 1 View podcast and help your peers survive, thrive, and laugh through the chaos.
Be part of the conversation and help others prepare for what’s ahead.
Nicolas Alexander
Nicolas is originally from Colorado, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Colorado Anschutz after working as an exercise physiologist. He began his nursing career in the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Colorado Hospital, where he worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It was during this time that his interest in anesthesia grew. Now calling Arizona home, Nicolas is currently a second-year student in Midwestern University’s Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program and plans to graduate in 2027. His professional interests include anesthesia education, mentorship, and student advocacy. In his free time, Nicolas enjoys working out, creative projects, spending time with his dog, Rio, and, when possible, nothing compares to a good nap.
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Levi Davis
Levi is a third-year Nurse Anesthesia Resident in the Somnia Nurse Anesthesia Program through Ursuline College, with an anticipated graduation in December 2026. He began his healthcare career as a paramedic before transitioning into emergency nursing and later spending over a decade in high-acuity critical care and rapid response. Levi is passionate about advocacy, resident wellness, and having honest conversations about the realities of anesthesia training, from clinical growth to OR culture and professional identity. As a host of Grade 1 View, Levi hopes to create thoughtful, relatable discussions that inform, encourage, and remind nurse anesthesia residents they’re not alone on the journey. Levi is a proud dad who runs on caffeine, curiosity, and controlled chaos while serving in the Army Nurse Corps as a Captain.
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Mackenzie Lane
Mackenzie is excited to dive into all things nurse anesthesia. She is a first-year student at Florida State University, with anticipated graduation in May 2028. Mackenzie completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Georgia and earned her BSN from Augusta University. She began her nursing career in Labor and Delivery, which turned out to be a pivotal experience. Working in the obstetric OR was where Mackenzie first discovered nurse anesthesia and realized it was the path she wanted to pursue. After transitioning to the ICU, gaining critical care experience, and earning additional credentials, that goal became a reality. Mackenzie is getting married this May, and her fiancé is officially along for the wild ride that is anesthesia school. She’s also a big college football fan - Go Dawgs!
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Kelsey Muir
Kelsey is a Resident Registered Nurse Anesthetist (RRNA) in the Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nurse Anesthesia program at Villanova University and is anticipated to graduate in December 2026. She received her undergraduate nursing degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after spending five years in Colorado as a ski-patroller. Nursing is a second degree, and her non-traditional path into healthcare has made her grateful for the opportunity to pursue a career in anesthesia. Outside of the operating room, she enjoys staying active, spending time with her dog, and rooting for all the Philadelphia sports teams!
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Olivia Conn
Olivia Conn, DNP, CRNA, is a recent graduate of Baylor College of Medicine, where she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in December 2025. Following graduation, she relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, to begin her career in pediatric anesthesia. Olivia currently practices as a full-time Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), where she provides anesthesia care for a diverse pediatric population.
Her clinical interests include pediatric anesthesia, patient-centered care, and advancing education within the field of nurse anesthesia. Olivia’s doctoral work focused on promoting environmentally conscious anesthesia practices through educational initiatives aimed at Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists. She remains passionate about combining clinical excellence with innovation and sustainability in anesthesia practice.
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Charity Garno
Charity started out with Grade 1 View as a brand new SRNA. She now is finishing up her junior year and has almost a year of anesthesia clinical experience under her belt! Specialty rotations start soon for her, and she is eager to get hands on experience in OB anesthesia. She serves as the Secretary for the student branch of the Michigan Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and has actively advocated for the CRNA profession in Michigan throughout the last year. She looks forward to graduating next August and relocating somewhere warm while she gains experience as a newly minted CRNA
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Larry Sears
After graduating & taking boards, I took a position with an anesthesia group that covers several hospitals & surgery centers in central Illinois. In my practice, I’ll be able to heavily focus on regional anesthesia, which is something that I truly enjoy.
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