Imprint 2020 September/October 2020 September/October | Page 18

Greetings from your 2020-2021 Elected Officials

Board of Directors
Brandi Borden President University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette , LA president @ nsnainc . org
Hi NSNA members ! Thank you for allowing me to serve as the 2020-2021 NSNA president . I am excited for this opportunity and the year ahead . Canceling the NSNA Annual Convention was a great loss in many ways . This would have been my fourth NSNA Convention and I was looking forward to seeing and interacting with you all again .
For those whom I have not had the pleasure of meeting , allow me to introduce myself . I was raised in a culturally diverse , military household and grew up in California . I am a single mom to an amazing 8-year-old boy and put myself through nursing school to provide a better life for us doing work that I really enjoy . I love traveling , eating great food , and meeting new people .
In May 2019 , I earned my associate degree in nursing at the Charity School of Nursing in New Orleans , LA . Upon graduating , I accepted a job and am currently working in the Trauma ICU at University Medical Center in New Orleans , LA . Soon after starting my job , I chose to continue my education and am pursing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette .
My journey in student nurse leadership began after learning how my school chapter helped communities by outreach programs and advocating for students and programs . I became very active in my local and state associations and served as vice president then president of my school chapter . I also served as parliamentarian and Horizons Editor for my state chapter . Throughout my involvement with NSNA , I have been inspired by the student nurse leaders , authors of resolutions , candidates running for office , speakers , and the overall professionalism of NSNA .
The year ahead will be exceptional for NSNA and its members ! The Board of Directors are remarkable leaders and I am confident in their abilities and the goals they have set for each committee . In addition , the Board of Directors and NSNA staff are spearheading new ways to offer valuable content to members while also trying to keep everyone safe from the pandemic . As we work earnestly to ensure an amazing year , we hope you will join us for the virtual NSNA MidYear Conference .
I am available to each and every one of you and am willing to listen to your thoughts , suggestions , questions , and concerns . Please feel free to email me at president @ nsnainc . org . I look forward to hearing from you . Once again , thank you for the wonderful opportunity you have provided me to serve as your president .
Luiz Dias Vice President Tarrant County College Fort Worth , TX vicepresident @ nsnainc . org
I have always enjoyed being involved in healthcare . In the past 20 years since graduating from college and graduate school , I have been involved in healthcare within the technology realm . I started in the health care industry in the mid 1990s as a phlebotomist during my years at college . I deeply enjoyed the interaction with patients and the idea that I was impacting healthcare one person at a time .
Throughout the years , I have had the opportunity to work in various roles such as : sales , account management , team management , continuing education instructor , and presenter . My experience level ranges from entry level to vice president of various organizations . During these years I have always felt a longing to return to healthcare in a more holistic and granular role and I felt driven to make a change in my life .
Over a year ago , I decided to pursue a second career in nursing . I have been married for 25 years to my incredible wife and have two girls ages 12 and 15 . As a parent , I am always instructing my children to chase their dreams and pursue a career with great passion . I took that advice to heart and decided to go back to school to purse a nursing degree . Re-taking classes that I once took over 20 years ago was not exciting , but it proved to me that I not only have the aptitude and desire to further my education , I have an internal spark that I have not felt in a long time .
This past year I have served as the President of the local TNSA chapter at Tarrant County College and have really enjoyed this opportunity . I bring a wealth of industry experience with proven leadership at every level . However , I feel so humbled to be around my classmates to know that they found a passion for this career much earlier in their lives . I would like to use my experience as I serve as Vice President of NSNA working with the incredible minds of all the past , current , and future nursing students and mentors . I welcome the challenge to learn at each level of my education and to serve as a mentor to those individuals who wish to further their nursing career . While I feel that I have much to offer , I also have so much to learn from all my instructors , mentors , and classmates . In order to lead well , an individual must also be teachable . I fit this mantra and I am ready for the challenge .
Stacie Kinsey Secretary / Treasurer Baylor University Dallas , TX secretary-treasurer @ nsnainc . org
Hello NSNA ! What a year it ’ s been ! I am so excited to serve you as your Secretary / Treasurer this year . I ’ d like to start by saying you all amaze me and leave me in awe with the amount of adaptation and growth displayed in this challenging time . I am a senior nursing student at Baylor going into my last semester of school . When I began my nursing adventure , I made it an intentional effort to walk in with an open heart . I fell in love with my experiences in the operation room , and plan to pursue that passion . In addition to school , I serve in leadership roles on several committees at school and in my community and work as a corporate event planner .
I serve as the chair of the Finance Committee , and I serve as a member of the Executive Committee and Convention & Program Planning Committee . Using my experiences in the corporate world , I plan to help guide
16 NSNA IMPRINT n SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 n www . nsna . org