ABOUT US

Leadership

Founder Bio

lena
Wallena Gould
EdD, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN
DNAMP Founder & CEO

Wallena Gould, EdD, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer for the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program.

The Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program is a non-profit organization 501(c)(3). We are committed to promoting and advancing diversity initiatives to mentor critical care nurses who want to successfully matriculate into graduate nurse anesthesia programs through the Immersion Model. Additionally, we actively mentor and professionally socialize nurses, nurse anesthesia students, and CRNAs of color by providing ongoing professional development. Since 2007, we increased diverse registered nurses’ growth in cohorts from 6% to 12% aggregate number of nurse anesthesia racial and ethnic representation of the 59,000 members of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.

In 2015, Dr. Gould was the first CRNA of color to be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing. Dr. Gould is a recipient of the prestigious 2019 AANA Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment, Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, 2018 recipient of the NBNA Trailblazer Award, Chair of the Diversity Task Force for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and a Lead Consultant for HRSA Workforce Diversity $1 Million Grant. In 2021, Dr. Gould was inducted into the inaugural cohort as a Fellow of the American Association on Nurse Anesthesiology. Presently, she is the Vice-Chair of Diversity & Inclusivity for the American Academy of Nursing, Committee Member of the American Nurses Association Innovation & Education, and Visiting Assistant Professor Faculty Member at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

Her journey has taken her from being a single mother on welfare as an undergraduate (Educational Opportunity Fund) student at Fairleigh Dickinson University (1990). Upon graduating from FDU, she became an Auditor at Ernst & Young in New York City. After working one year as an Auditor for Ernst & Young, she changed careers to the healthcare profession and enrolled in Gloucester County College for an Associate Degree in Nursing.

Introduced to Nurse Anesthesia while working as an operating room nurse for several years, Dr. Gould left thereafter to work in the trauma unit. She applied to La Salle University Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia and graduated in 2004.

While a Nurse Anesthesia Student in the MSN Bridge Program at La Salle University in 2002, the program was part of a cohort that was instructed by faculty with a shared curriculum with 5 Nurse Anesthesia Programs. Immediately obvious with this course of instruction in the Philadelphia region was no Nurse Anesthesia faculty of color. A poster presentation was assigned in class to illustrate any anesthesia-related subject that impacts the profession. As a graduate nurse anesthesia student, she secured the racial and ethnic demographic data of Nurse Anesthetists in the country from the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) and displayed the workforce disparity on the poster titled, "Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia." According to the AANA 2002 Profile Survey, of the 36,000 Certified Registered Nurses reported approximately 6% minority representation of practitioners in the country. This prompted her to start a regional mentorship program in the Philadelphia area. To date, the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program (DNAMP) through the Immersion Model outcome results include 658 nurses of color who successfully matriculated and graduated from 92 nurse anesthesia programs out of 124 nurse anesthesia programs, including Puerto Rico.

The DNAMP sponsors Diversity CRNA Information Sessions & Airway Simulation Lab Workshops across the country where a panelist of Nurse Anesthesia Program Directors and predominantly minority CRNAs and SRNAs discuss the admission process, rigors of the program, clinical, didactic courses, and more. Diverse registered nurses and nursing students attend these sessions to learn comprehensive information about the academic and financial preparedness to develop into successful and competitive applicants to eventually become nurse anesthesia students. Prominent senior leadership from the AANA has been consistent with our mission and they have been guest speakers for the Diversity CRNA Information Sessions. Past Diversity CRNA Information Sessions have been held at the University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University, University of Southern California, University of Miami, University of Maryland, Duke University, Northeastern University, University of Pittsburgh, Drexel University, Emory University (GA), Augusta University (GA), Samuel Merritt University (CA), Texas Christian University, and the University of New England.

The Immersion Model includes national outreach in pipeline efforts through the following: Diversity CRNA Information Sessions, Diversity CRNA HBCU & Hispanic Serving Institution School of Nursing Tours, and Diversity CRNA Doctorate Symposiums.

The DNAMP sponsors Anesthesia Airway Workshops throughout the year for predominantly minority nurses from across the country to learn about the details of the anesthesia machine, simulation of intubations, spinal and epidural placement, and invasive line insertions. The DNAMP Board of Director CRNAs visits Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Schools of Nursing and urban junior/senior high schools on Career Days to discuss Nurse Anesthesia as a viable career option. DNAMP has further, established partnerships with minority nursing associations to collaborate on panels on advancing the nurse anesthesia profession to their membership. A year-end graduation dinner for members (Nurse Anesthesia Students and CRNAs) is planned for those who successfully completed the nurse anesthesia program.

In 2007, Dr. Gould was nominated as a finalist for the Nursing Spectrum Nursing Excellence Award for the Mentorship Category. Dr. Gould is profiled in the Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing Campaign website. In the same year, Minority Nurse Magazine wrote a featured article on The Minority Student Guide to Nurse Anesthesia Programs of which Dr. Gould was interviewed for the manuscript. Dr. Gould has presented for the New Jersey Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NJANA) on Diversity in the Nurse Anesthesia Profession (2007).

In March 2008, a presentation, Diversity, and Inclusion for EOF Nursing Students Considering Nurse Anesthesia was made to the State of New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund Professional Association in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 2009, Dr. Gould was awarded three prominent distinctions: Outstanding Alumna for Achievement and Leadership Award from the Tri-State Consortium of Educational Opportunity Programs; Outstanding Alumna Award from La Salle University School of Nursing; and Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award as the Top National Winner as an Advanced Practice Nurse.

In 2009, the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program launched the website, www.diversitycrna.org with over 2.3 million hits to date. Strong networking and active dialogue interface on the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram, all moderated by Dr. Gould.

In 2010, Dr. Gould had speaking engagements for various organizations: The Minority Nurse Leadership Institute at Rutgers University, How to Start Your Professional Organizations; District of Columbia Association of Nurse Anesthetists at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Arlington, VA, Promoting Diversity in the Nurse Anesthesia Profession; National Association of Hispanic Nurses Conference in Washington, DC, Hispanic Nurse Anesthetists: A New Frontier. In 2011, Dr. Gould was the recipient of the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nurses (Semi­ Finalist) Award. In 2012, She was the recipient of the Thomas H. Kean Outstanding Alumni Award. Dr. Gould has published four articles for Minority Nurse Magazine: Culturally Competent Nurse Anesthesia Care, Minority CRNAs and Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists: Soaring to New Heights with Doctoral Degrees and Improving Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia and Guide to CRNA Admissions. She is also on the Advisory Editorial Board for Minority Nurse Magazine.

Dr. Gould completed the Doctorate in Education Program at Wilmington University with a concentration in Higher Education; research topic on the professional socialization of underrepresented minority nurse anesthetists and nurse anesthesia students (2013). Dr. Gould lectures on Cultural Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia, Cultural Competence, Health Disparities, and Changing Demographics and Impact in Nurse Anesthesia for state nurse anesthesia associations (NJ, DE, DC, and GA), AANA minority nursing associations, and the Cameroon Professional Society. In 2014, Dr. Gould was named as the Lead Consultant for the HRSA Workforce Diversity Grant ($1,033,364) titled, Increasing Diversity, Reducing Disparities, & Understanding the Social Determinants of Health (Grant# D19HP26972) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Nurse Anesthesia Program (2014 - 2017). She is the owner and Executive Officer of Diversity Solutions, LLC.

Dr. Gould is a recipient of the Prestigious Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment at the 2019 AANA Annual Congress. As per the AANA Website: The Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment was established in 1975 to recognize individuals whose foremost dedication to excellence has furthered the art and science of nurse anesthesia.

There are only 3 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists who were inducted into the Academy since 1983. Dr. Gould is the first CRNA of color to be inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Dr. Gould is a member of the American Academy of Nurses, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, National Black Nurses Association, American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. In August, Dr. Gould was inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists adding FAANA to her credentials.

Presently, she serves as the Chair of the American Academy of Nursing Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity Committee and the Co-Chair, Education & Innovation, American Nurses Association. In May 2022, the 7th edition of Nurse Anesthesia textbook by Nagelhout & Elisha, Dr. Gould is the contributing author of Chapter 3, Patient Center Care and Cultural Competence in Nurse Anesthesia.

In October 2022, Dr. Gould was selected as an American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner on an innovative evidenced-based nursing model, Immersion Model for Diversifying Nurse Anesthesia Programs. This is the first time a CRNA was recognized as a premier nursing model by the prestigious American Academy of Nursing.

She is married with three children and resides in New Jersey.

DNAMP Board President

Mark Giles CRNA 2
Mark Giles
DNP, CRNA
DNAMP Board President

Mark Giles, DNP, CRNA is the Board President for the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program.

Dr. Giles will be instrumental in the strategic planning of diversity initiatives for changing the face and culture of Nurse Anesthesia.

Mark Giles, DNP, CRNA is a full-time CRNA and Adjunct Professor.  Dr. Giles graduated from the Quinnipiac University DNP Program.  Dr. Giles successfully defended his scholarly DNP project on 'Chronic Kidney Disease: Dialysis to Successful Kidney Transplant.'

In addition, Dr. Giles has served on CRNA panels and as a preceptor at past Diversity CRNA Information Session & Airway Simulation Lab Workshops, Diversity CRNA School of Nursing Tours, and Diversity CRNA Advanced Practice Doctorate Symposiums.  Dr. Giles is a lifelong member of the National Black Nurses Association.

Board of Directors

Anwar Zafar
Zafar Anwar
MSN, CRNA
churchill_jamilla
Jamilla Churchill
MSN, CRNA
Department of Nursing
Martina Cruz Steed
PhD, CRNA
Charles Harper
Charles M. Harper, Sr.
PsyD Candidate, MBA
DNAMP Secretary
Michel Kamga 3
Michel Kamga
DNP, CRNA
Nkam Mongwa CRNA
Nkam Mongwa
MBA, MSN, CRNA
DNAMP Treasurer
Jenitre
Jenitre Moore
DNP, CRNA
Nathaly Palacios
Nathaly Palacios
DNP, CRNA
Victor Pareja
Victor D. Pareja
DNP, CRNA
Michelle Gonzalez
Michelle Rodriguez Gonzalez, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, CHSE
John Williams 2
John Williams
DNP, CRNA
DNAMP VP
Captain James A. Winters 7
CPT James Winters
CAPT, USAFR, DNP, CRNA, NSPM-C