| ALSN Ambassador ProgramThe International Ambassador program’s purposes are to build an international membership to ensure that ALSN membership is relevant and accessible globally and determine mutually beneficial collaboration opportunities in leadership, education, research, and practice. The program will be a vehicle for discussion on challenges and solutions for nurse leaders in practice and education. |
The International Ambassador Program was established in response to a recognized need for greater global engagement and collaboration among academic and nurse leaders. A team of academic and nurse leaders identified the opportunity to expand the reach and relevance of the Association for Leadership Science in Nursing (ALSN) on an international scale. They initiated the program to foster international membership, create space for dialogue on shared challenges in nursing leadership and education, and explore collaborative opportunities in leadership, research, education, and practice. | Additionally, the program’s creation aligns with the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics Principle #10, which emphasizes the importance of promoting global nursing. This principle highlights the ethical responsibility of nurses to advance nursing knowledge and leadership across international borders, further underscoring the need for a platform dedicated to meaningful global exchange and partnership. This vision laid the foundation for the program’s development as a platform for meaningful global exchange and partnership. |
Meet the Ambassadors
| HARBY O. ABELLANOSA (HOA) MSN,RN,FPSQua,FPCHA,FANSAP,CESEHOA is a dedicated public servant with more than a decade of leadership in hospital and healthcare administration. His professional expertise spans Nursing Management, Quality Improvement, Organizational Leadership, and Workforce Development. A Registered Nurse, he obtained his Career Executive Service Eligibility in 2019. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2007 and his Master of Science in Nursing in 2013 and is currently pursuing dissertation research for his Doctor of Nursing Management degree at Trinity University of Asia. He has further honed his expertise through specialized programs in Leadership, Management, and Hospital Administration from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business and the Development Academy of the Philippines. He was a Department of Health scholar at the Asian Institute of Management, and a grantee of the World Health Organization–Collaborating Center at UP Manila for the Global Health Nursing Leadership Program (2025 Cohort), joining nursing leaders from across the WHO Western Pacific Region. Most recently, he was recognized as a “Chief Nurse of the Year” Excellence Awardee at the Hospital Management Asia Awards, emerging as one of only four honorees selected from 399 entries across 14 countries. At present, he serves as Chief Nursing Officer, with the rank of Nurse VII, at the DOH–Cebu South Medical Center, and as National President of the DOH Chief Nurses Association, where he plays a pivotal role in advancing nursing governance and promoting the welfare of the nursing profession. |
| Ryan Chan, RN, MScN, PhD(c)Ryan Chan is an Assistant Professor (Teaching Scholar) at the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University (Canada), and currently serves as President of the Canadian Nursing Informatics Association. Ryan’s emerging teaching, scholarship, and professional interests include digital health/nursing informatics, with a focus on exploring how emerging technologies and digital applications can be leveraged to enhance and optimize nursing practice and quality of health care and health services delivery. Ryan continues to engage in service and collaboration with various local, provincial, and national professional organizations to contribute toward the advancement of nursing, nursing informatics, and nursing education. |
| Lu-Yen (Anny) Chen, PhD, FHEALu-Yen (Anny) Chen, PhD, FHEA, is an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Taiwan. Trained in Taiwan with a clinical background in paediatric intensive care, she later earned both her master’s and PhD from the University of Edinburgh. Her scholarship focuses on disaster nursing, AI-enabled nursing, and nursing education, with projects on risk prediction, clinical decision-making, and AR/AI-supported skills training. Dr. Chen serves on the Nursing Informatics Education Advisory Panel of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) and is an Associate Editor for Applied Nursing Research. She is also a committee member of Sigma Theta Tau International’s Lambda Beta-at-Large Chapter (International and Community Committee) and of the Disaster Nursing Committee of the Taiwan Nurses Association. She collaborates widely across disciplines to build capacity in predictive analytics, curriculum innovation, and emergency preparedness, and mentor’s students in data-driven quality improvement. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). |
| Matthew Chau Siu-long PhD, RNDr Matthew Chau Siu-long is a registered nurse and currently a Post-doctoral Fellow at the School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, where he earned his bachelor’s and PhD degrees. His research focuses on addiction, eliminating tobacco use, and alcohol harm reduction - the world’s two most preventable causes of disease and death. His doctoral study was on using mobile instant messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp, WeChat) to develop a chat-based intervention for alcohol reduction in university high-risk student drinkers. His research involves a wide spectrum of research methods, including population-based surveys, qualitative research, and randomised controlled trials. Dr Matthew Chau is also committed to primary healthcare research. |
| Myrna A. A. Doumit, PhD, MPH, RN, FAANMyrna A. A. Doumit, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN is a tenured Professor at the American University of Beirut (AUB), Hariri School of Nursing (HSON). She served as an Associate Professor and founding Assistant Dean (2011- 2022) at the Lebanese American University (LAU), School of Nursing. Dr. Doumit served as a nursing faculty at AUBSON from 1990-2010. She is a Fellow at the American Academy of Nursing. Dr Doumit is a GNLI Scholar Alumni. Dr. Doumit is a qualitative researcher and active scholar with expertise in oncology nursing, palliative and spiritual care, quality of life, and the nursing workforce. Dr. M. Doumit has led various community and national health initiatives. She is also a member of national and international professional societies that promote cancer nursing education, practice, and health policy. Dr. Myrna Doumit served as President of the Order of Nurses in Lebanon (2018-2021). Dr. Doumit is the president of the Nursing and Midwifery Scientific Council at the Arab Board. She is a founding member of the Chi Iota Chapter at AUBSON (STTI). She also served as the first Coordinator of the STTI Middle East region (2015-2017). Recently, she was elected as a board member representing the EMRO region at the International Council of Nurses (ICN). She serves as a reviewer for numerous international nursing journals. Dr Doumit is the recipient of many national and international awards for her work in the field of nursing and her leadership. Throughout her career, Myrna has consistently advocated for increased recognition of nurses at the national, regional, and international levels. |
| Maia Gogashvili, MD, PhDMaia Gogashvili, Professor, Head of the Nursing Department (University of Georgia), Program Director of the Bachelor Nursing program. Holds educational credentials and professional experience in both Nursing and Medicine, has completed a Post-Master Teaching Program at Emory University (Atlanta, USA). She possesses experience in Teaching, in the development and implementation of professional/higher education nursing programs. She has led and coordinated numerous national and international healthcare projects. From 2002 to 2016, an affiliated faculty of the University of Scranton (USA). She has experience in research and consultancy with the National Science Foundation of Georgia, has collaborated with more than 15 international organizations, including UNICEF, Oxford Policy Management, USAID, IRD, Caritas Czech Republic, EBRD, maintains active collaboration with the WHO. Dr. Gogashvili is one of the principal authors of the National Strategy for Nursing Reform in Georgia. 2020-2022 she was an invited member of the Accreditation and Authorization Councils, currently - a member of the Sectoral Councils for Higher Education in Nursing and Midwifery. She is a founding and board member of the Georgian Nurses Association, of the Family Medicine Association, member of FINE (the European Federation of Nurse Educators). Dr. Gogashvili is a member of the National Council for the Professional Development and Regulation of Nurses and Midwives. |
| Emily McWhirter, PhD, RNEmily is a senior healthcare practitioner, with a PhD in nursing leadership, a BSc(Hons) Midwifery and strategic healthcare management education at Harvard Business School, USA. She has worked in the National Health Service in the UK and in the independent and charity sector for over 35 years, 20 at a senior level, across 4 London teaching hospitals, specialist centres, and general hospitals. Her clinical background is in emergency care. Having been a Director of Nursing for three and a half years, which included leading a hospital through the Covid-19 pandemic as the hospital director for nursing and infection prevention and control, Emily has since worked for the Chief Nurse at the World Health Organization in Geneva. She now works for the Royal College of Nursing in the UK, as Associate Director for a new Leadership Academy where she is building programmes and support mechanisms to strengthen nursing leadership globally. She is a visiting Professor of Nursing at Anglia Ruskin University in the East of England and a member of the Board of the International Council of Nurses. |
| Ippolito Notarnicola, PhD, MSN, RN, FFNMRCSI, FESNOIppolito Notarnicola, PhD, MSN, RN, FFNMRCSI, FESNO, is an Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of Enna “Kore” in Italy. He has extensive experience in nursing education, leadership, and clinical research, and has previously held positions as Research Nurse Coordinator at the Regional Agency for Emergency Healthcare (ARES 118) and as Nurse Researcher at the Center of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship (CECRI) of OPI Rome. Prof. Notarnicola earned his PhD in Nursing Sciences from the University of L’Aquila and his MSN in Nursing Management and Education. He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FFNMRCSI) and a Fellow of the European Specialist Nurses Organisation (FESNO). He has also been awarded a Fellowship by the European Specialist Nurses Organisation (ESNO) and is currently participating in the Shaughnessy Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive Fellowship at the Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, and Case Western Reserve University (USA). His research focuses on nursing leadership, systems thinking, professional competence, and innovative models of care. He has published widely in international journals and serves in leadership roles within Sigma Theta Tau International, including Co-Chair of the Europe Communications Committee. |
| Aida Peres PhD, RNFull Professor and Head of International Affairs Office at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR). Holds a Bachelor’s and Licentiate degree in Nursing and Midwifery from the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil (1989), a Master’s degree in Administration from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil (2002), a Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of São Paulo, Brazil (2006), and a Postdoctoral degree from the University of Alicante, Spain (2011). Visiting Researcher at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (2018), and Visiting Associate Professor at University College Dublin, Ireland (2022–2027). Teaches courses in Nursing (Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral programs) and Biomedical Informatics. Founding member of the Research Group on Health Policy, Management, and Practices. Permanent Faculty Member of the Graduate Program in Nursing (Academic Master’s and Doctorate), with expertise in Health Services Management, focusing on Professional Competence and Leadership, Health Management, Public Policies, Nursing Management, Health Information, Nursing Education, and Work Processes. Coordinator of the International Network for Nursing Care Management (RIGCE - International). Productivity Researcher Fellow awarded by CNPq – Brazilian Research National Council, since 2018. With funding for several research projects. |
| Thochaporn Tesail MSN, RNThochaporn Tesasil (Toni) began her career as a PICU nurse in 1991 and became a Clinical Nurse Specialist in 2005. She holds two Master’s degrees—one in Labor and Welfare Development from Thammasat University, and another in Nursing Administration from The Sage Colleges, New York, supported by a Royal Scholarship. She has extensive leadership experience, having served as a Nurse Manager, Nurse Supervisor, and Head of the Pediatric Nursing Department. At the national level, Toni has contributed as a board member of the Nurses’ Association of Thailand and the Pediatric Nurses Association of Thailand. She also serves as a board member of the University Hospital Nursing Director Consortium in Thailand. She is currently the Director of Nursing at Siriraj Hospital, the oldest and largest hospital in Thailand. |
| Valerie Tothova, Ph.D., Dr. h.Prof. Valerie Tothova obtained her initial nursing education at a secondary nursing school. She earned a Master’s degree in Pedagogy and Nursing, at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague, and both her doctorate and Ph.D. in Nursing at Trnava University. For over forty years, she has been devoted to nursing education. At the University of South Bohemia, she founded the Department of Nursing and launched Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral programs in the field, helping establish nursing as an academic discipline in the Czech Republic. She became the first Associate Professor and subsequently the first Full Professor of Nursing in the country. At the faculty, she served as Head of Department, Vice-Dean for Education, and for two terms as Dean. Since 2019, she has been Vice-Dean for Research and Director of the Institute of Nursing. Her research focuses on prevention, patient safety, community, and transcultural nursing. She has published over 200 scientific papers, authored several monographs, and received national and international recognition. |
Association for Leadership Science in Nursing |
