By Jane W. Ball, DrPH, MPH, RN
Dear Alumni,
This is my final letter as president of the Johns Hopkins Nurses’ Alumni Association. The past four years as president and the three before that as a board member have been a rewarding experience. Collaborating with all our alumni board members, working to enhance the alumni and student interest in the JHNAA, attending Alumni Weekend events, presenting 50-year reunion medallions to jubilarians, greeting new SON alumni at their graduation, serving as a member of the Dean’s Nursing Advisory Board, and conducting the 130th JHNAA annual meeting were all especially memorable.
Think about it—a nurses’ alumni association that has been in existence since 1892 when our school’s first graduates decided to form an association. We have a long, proud history as alumni of the various Johns Hopkins nursing education programs. Consider exploring the history of our nursing programs and our alumni at nursing.jhu.edu/nursearchive.
We have three current board members who are assuming leadership of the JHNAA, and each of them has made great contributions to the JHNAA over the past couple of years. Fernando Mena-Carrasco is now president, Korrina Lau is vice president, and Martha Abshire remains treasurer. The JHNAA is in good hands with these new leaders. We also have three new board members: Lou Bartolo, Garrett Matlick, and Jeffrey Vu. For the first time, we have a majority of men serving as board members of the JHNAA. We have also done our best to have alumni representatives from as many different programs, as well as geographic distribution, as possible. Please join me in welcoming the new leadership and members of the JHNAA.
I want to acknowledge Katie Coleman, the director of constituent engagement, who has been our liaison between the JHSON and the JHNAA. She is the reason we have been so successful in expanding alumni outreach over the past couple of years.
As I reflect back on my experiences as a Hopkins nurse and my role as president of the JHNAA, I am excited about the future of the school, our alumni, and our alumni association