POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS

Ep 250: Strengthening Advocacy Efforts with the AANA’s New Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer Ingrida Lusis

We had a chance to spend some time with the new AANA Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer Ingrida Lusis during our time at the mid-year assembly to learn more about her background in government affairs and how she plans to strengthen advocacy by bringing state and federal affairs all under one umbrella. Join Sharon and guest host Tracy Castleman, CRNA, as we go on the offensive with our newest advocacy leader.

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Ep 232: If You’re Not At The Table, You’re On The Menu with Wisconsin Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez

Every year it seems like more and more nurses are taking an active interest in politics, both local and regional, and today’s guest is someone who’s been on the rise as a public official. Sara Rodriguez, a nurse and community leader, won her campaign in Wisconsin to become the state’s next Lieutenant Governor and joins us today to talk about her shift from public health to policymaker.

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Ep 193: A Nurse for Sheriff? History Could Be Made

Nurses are uniquely qualified for the responsibilities that come with holding a public office, which is why we’re seeing more and more campaigning. But did you ever think about running for sheriff? Caitlin Sepeda is a registered nurse in Massachusetts that’s doing just that and today she joins the show to tell us about her path to this point and why she hopes to make history.

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Ep 192: Effective Federal Advocacy Starts at Home

The great thing about being an advocate for nurse anesthetists is that anyone can have an impact no matter where they live. Many federal legislators starts locally so there are opportunities to create relationships early and close to home. Sarah Tweedy, CRNA, got a first-hand look at working with legislators as a student and has carried that interest into her young professional career. Find out what she’s learned about advocacy and how best to build relationships with policy-makers.

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Ep 181: The CRNA Coroner – Another Avenue to Serve

It’s been incredible to watch the number of CRNAs that have thrown their scrubs into the ring for political positions around the country. As the trend continues to grow, we want to spotlight another one of these incredibly talented and devoted nurse anesthetists that have been recently elected.

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MEET YOUR HOSTS...

SHARON PEARCE, CRNA

Sharon graduated from the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Hospital Nurse Anesthesia program in 1992. She resides in North Carolina and currently works as a 1099 CRNA. Association service includes the President of the North Carolina Association of Nurse Anesthetists. She served three years on the AANA (American Association of Nurse Anesthetists) Public Relations (PR) committee and conducted Media Training for state associations in conjunction with the AANA Senior Director of Strategic Communications, Chris Bettin. Sharon was the producer of the AANA PR award-winning video, The Best Kept Secret in Healthcare.

She chaired the Government Relations Committee of the AANA in 2009-2010 and has been a registered lobbyist and legislative involvement for over 22 years. Board of Director service at the national level of the AANA has included Region 2 Director, Vice President, President-Elect, and President in 2014-2015. Sharon ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2015-16 but unfortunately lost in the primary. Not to be deterred, Sharon returned to school to obtain her Doctorate at Yale University, leading her to design the first-ever Candidate School for Nurses and Midwives. Although Covid intervened, canceling the pilot program, Sharon has created a Facebook Group called Influential Nurses, a group to facilitate, encourage, and empower nurses running for elected office. Sharon believes the time is now for nurses to take their rightful seats in positions of INFLUENCE. 

JEREMY STANLEY, EA, CFP ®, AIF ®

Jeremy Stanley is the president and founder of CRNA Financial Planning ®, an AANA Member Advantage Program Partner. For more than two decades, he has been helping CRNAs utilize their career paths to pursue their dreams. As a member of the Wake Forest Baptist Health
Nurse Anesthesia Program Advisory Committee, as well as a Public Trustee to the AANA Foundation, Jeremy stays abreast of the ever-evolving healthcare landscape as well as the political issues that affect CRNAs. An advocate for the CRNA profession, Jeremy has written two books – exclusively for CRNAs. “The Wealthy CRNA” lays out a foundational road map for CRNAs to plan their financial futures, and “A CRNA’s Life After Anesthesia” is designed to assist CRNAs in planning for retirement. Both books have been prior approved by the AANA for Class A CE credits.

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