Emergency Nurses Association Announces Patricia Kunz Howard As 48th President

Howard to advocate for inclusivity and diversity in second term leading ENA

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Jan 02, 2019, 10:06 ET

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Patricia Kunz Howard, PhD, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN, added to her list of significant accomplishments on Tuesday when she took office as president of the Emergency Nurses Association for the second time in her distinguished career.

Since 1990, Howard, of Lexington, Kentucky, has been actively involved in ENA – the premier emergency nursing organization with 43,000 members worldwide. She served as ENA's president in 2005 as part of a six-year stretch on the association's board of directors from 2000 to 2006. Howard is the first person in ENA's history to be elected president twice.

"It is truly an honor to represent ENA as president in 2019. I am grateful for the trust members have placed in me," Howard said. "I promise to work diligently with the board, state and chapter leaders, ENA staff and our members to continue ENA's future growth and momentum as the leading voice for emergency nurses."

Howard's platform for the year centers on inclusivity and diversity to enhance ENA's relevance to all emergency nurses; continued educational innovation; and an ongoing focus on injury prevention efforts that promote safe environments for patients and nurses.

Howard currently works at University of Kentucky Healthcare as its enterprise director for emergency services responsible for clinical and business operations. In her 18 years at UKHC, Howard has held several positions in emergency services, including operations manager and staff development specialist. Howard's career accomplishments earned her ENA's Judith C. Kelleher Award in 2011. The University of Kentucky named her as one of its 50 most distinguished alumni in 2010 and she was inducted as a Fellow of the Academy of Emergency Nursing in 2008.

Howard will oversee the 2019 ENA Board of Directors, which is the association's governing body. The board manages ENA's strategic planning initiatives to align with the association's mission, vision and goals. Board members also serve as liaisons to states by working with local leaders and members.

The 2019 ENA Board of Directors:

President: Patricia Kunz Howard, PhD, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN, of Kentucky

President-elect: Mike Hastings, MSN, RN, CEN, of Washington

Secretary/Treasurer: Ron Kraus, MSN, RN, CEN, ACNS-BC, of Indiana

Directors:
Joop Breuer, RN, CEN, CCRN, FAEN, The Netherlands
Kristen Cline, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, CFRN, CTRN, TCRN, of South Dakota
Terry M. Foster, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, CCRN, TCRN, FAEN, of Kentucky
Gordon Gillespie, PhD, DNP, RN, CEN, CNE, CPEN, PHCNS-BC, FAEN, FAAN, of Ohio
Karla Nygren, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, TCRN, CCRN, CPN, of South Dakota
Ryan Oglesby, PhD, MHA, RN, CEN, CFRN, NEA-BC, of Florida
Jennifer Schmitz, MSN, EMT-P, CEN, CPEN, CNML, FNP-C, of Maine

Immediate Past President: Jeff Solheim, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CFRN, FAEN, FAAN, of Oregon

Chief Executive Officer: Nancy MacRae, MS, of Illinois

Emerging Professional Liaison: Shannen Kane, BSN, RN, of North Carolina

About the Emergency Nurses Association

The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With more than 43,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency healthcare public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.

ENA Media Contact:
Dan Campana
Senior Manager, PR & Communications
847-460-4017
[email protected]

SOURCE Emergency Nurses Association