This was a cool moment…

Alberto Abrieu, BSN, RN, CCRN states, “Ramniwas Yadav, SRNA at the University of Miami and recipient of AANA Foundation Award for academic achievement taught me to intubate at Diversity CRNA Event. Talk about being taught by the best.”

Now, Alberto will learn more at the Florida Gulf Coast University Nurse Anesthesia Program as an accepted student. 

Honor and Glory Dr. Lieutenant Commander Hope Ferguson, DNP, CRNA, on her journey that lead her to administer anesthesia as a CRNA at one of our Veteran’s Administration Hospital. Thanks to her mom, her career trajectory changed.

Dr. Hope, thank you for your service!

As per Dr. Hope: 
Day 3: My journey in nurse anesthesia started after I graduated with my ADN.  I always thought I would be a Pediatrician but my goals changed as I entered high school. Then, once I discovered nursing as my passion, I thought I would be a nurse practitioner. That slowly changed over time, as well. Then, one day my mom saw an article in Minority Nurse magazine that Dr. Lena Gould had written which sparked her interest and then sparked my interest. Once my mom introduced the profession to me and I was able to experience a shadow day, I was sold on the profession of anesthesia. 

After that moment, my steps were directed in an effort to complete the rigorous but rewarding anesthesia curriculum. Now today I am here, after graduating in 2015, holding positions locally and on the state level. I would not have it any other way! Continuing to mentor and give back in any way I can! 

Celebrating Dr. Juan Quintana, DNP, CRNA not only as the first and only Hispanic AANA President, recipient of AANA Foundation Rita LeBlanc Award, or mission work but also the vision to assemble an AANA Diversity Task Force to provide strategic planning for future of the profession.

In 2014, Dr. Quintana was elected as an AANA Board Member, he was invited as our keynote speaker at the Diversity CRNA 2014Information Session & Airway Simulation Lab Workshop at Duke University on the Business of Anesthesia.

Then, after being elected as AANA President, he continued to serve as the keynote speaker at subsequent Diversity CRNA Events at the University of Pittsburgh, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, and Texas Christian University to inform and inspire the next generation of diverse nurses across the country. 

BRAVO, Dr. Quintana, BRAVO! 

This is Goldie Brangman, CRNA, MBA, MEd Past Program Director, Harlem School of Anesthesia for 34 years and first and only African-American CRNA President, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists:

Ms. Brangman quote on her much longer journey to find her way as a senior leader with the AANA. Her success was to engage with and received genuine support from CRNAs who elected her as President of the New York Association of Nurse Anesthetists to AANA Board Member to eventually being elected as President of the AANA 1973 – 1974: 

“I was the first woman of color in a leadership position in the AANA, and as a result, I had to run for every AANA office at least twice”. ~ Goldie Brangman, CRNA, MBA, MEd.