New ANA Leadership
American Nurses Association Elects Dr. Anita Girard as 39th President to Guide Future
Anonymous
The American Nurses Association has elected Dr. Anita Girard as its 39th president, AP News reported on June 27, 2026. Girard, a veteran nursing executive with more than 30 years of experience, will take office on January 1, 2027, representing the nation's more than 5 million nurses.
The election took place at the ANA Membership Assembly in Washington, D.C., during what the organization called a "historic milestone" — the association's 130th anniversary. Girard, who currently serves as ANA vice president, will succeed outgoing president Dr. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, Daily Guardian noted.
Girard Brings Decades of Hospital and Advocacy Experience
Dr. Girard's career spans both frontline nursing leadership and high-level hospital operations. She spent over 30 years at Stanford Health Care. She also served four years as Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Nursing at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Hastings Tribune reported.
She previously led ANA\California as president from 2019 to 2023. In her election statement, Girard said she looks forward to "listening to our members, advancing ANA's strategic priorities, and ensuring nursing continues to be a trusted force." Healthcare analysts see her dual background in hospital operations and state advocacy as a key asset.
Historic Vote Opens ANA Membership to LPNs and LVNs
The day before Girard's election, the Membership Assembly voted on a landmark bylaws change. Delegates approved expanding ANA membership to include Licensed Practical Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses for the first time at the national level, Caledonian Record reported. This reverses decades of policy focused only on Registered Nurses.
Outgoing president Dr. Mensik Kennedy called it a step toward building "a more inclusive ANA that reflects the full nursing team." The change is expected to grow ANA's dues revenue significantly. Critics note, however, that despite claiming to represent 5 million nurses, actual dues-paying membership sits at roughly 220,000 — a gap Girard must close.
New Strategic Plan Sets Three-Pillar Agenda for 2026–2030
Girard's presidency will center on the ANA's 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, built on three pillars: Advocate, Elevate, and Engage. The plan aims to stabilize the nursing workforce after years of pandemic-driven departures. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 194,500 annual job openings for registered nurses through 2030, underscoring the urgency.
The ANA is also pushing for $610 million in Title VIII Nursing Workforce funding for fiscal year 2027. More than 400 nurse delegates lobbied Congress on that goal during ANA Hill Day on June 26, one day before the election. ANA Senior VP Katie Boston-Leary has framed the challenge as a "system failure" — not a personal burnout problem — signaling a shift toward aggressive systemic lobbying under Girard.
New Board Leaders Elected Alongside Girard at Washington Assembly
Several other leaders were also elected at the June 27 assembly. Heidi Sanborn of the Arizona Nurses Association will serve as Secretary. Two new Directors-at-Large were chosen: Ahnyel Burkes from Louisiana and Nelson Tuazon from Texas. Josephine Agyei of ANA-New York will fill the Director-at-Large seat reserved for a staff nurse, Caledonian Record reported.
All new officers, including Girard, begin their terms on January 1, 2027. The assembly met at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C., with more than 400 voting delegates present. The ANA said the breadth of new leadership reflects its goal of building a more representative governing structure for the profession.
Sentiment
NeutralNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
4
Articles
4
Reach
4
A
AnonymousAuthor
