September 30, 2012

Elizabeth Gonzalez, PhD, Associate Professor in the Division of Graduate Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice Department, was recently elected to the position of President Elect for the Asian American / Pacific Islander Nurses Associated Inc. (AAPINA). AAPINA is a part of the larger National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMA), and is one of five member organizations that represent nursing professionals of different ethnicities nationwide. Originally, Gonzalez was sought out as a mentor for the program, which allowed her to assist doctoral students in drafting and editing their dissertations and manuscripts, as well as in navigating their programs of study.

Gonzalez’s role within AAPINA has evolved to focus more on planning and executing the 10th Annual National Conference, which will take place in Honolulu, Hawaii in March 2013. The theme of this year’s AAPINA conference, “Global Health: Nursing in the Future- Research, Education, and Practice,” will emphasize the infusion of knowledge and experience gained from research into clinical practice. At the conference this year, Jean Yan, PhD, a former Chief Nursing Scientist for the World Health Organization, will address the group as keynote speaker. “As an organization, we are sought out because of the increasing diversity in our population. My goal is to make our voice known as a unified body of ethnic nurses,” said Gonzalez.