Blog & News Updates

In this month’s President’s Column, ALSN President Dr. Heather Nelson-Brantley, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, FAAN reflects on the importance of replenishment, connection, and community in sustaining nurse leaders, and how those themes come together at the 2026 ALSN International Conference in Los Angeles.

One of the greatest gifts of being part of the ALSN community is learning from one another. We are surrounded by nurse leaders whose ideas challenge our thinking, inspire our growth, and remind us why leadership matters. Recently, a LinkedIn post from ALSN member Dr. Bob Dent prompted me to reflect on a concept that feels especially important as we enter a new season: replenishment. As nurse leaders, we often focus on resilience, our ability to persevere, adapt, and continue serving through challenges. Yet replenishment offers a different perspective. Resilience helps us keep going, while replenishment restores the energy, purpose, and passion that make leadership sustainable over time.

As I reflected on his words, I thought about each of you across our ALSN community. Whether you lead in healthcare operations, academia, research, or practice, you carry responsibilities that extend far beyond your job description. You serve as mentors, advocates, innovators, educators, caregivers, and changemakers. The work is meaningful, but it is also demanding. Replenishment is what allows us to continue showing up as our best selves for those who depend on us.

The truth is that replenishment looks different for each of us. It may be a daily walk with your phone tucked away, uninterrupted time with family, watching your grandchildren experience life's precious firsts, attending a concert or symphony, or simply creating space to step away from the constant demands of work. As summer comes to a close and a new academic year begins, this is the perfect time to reflect: How are you replenishing your cup? What practices most effectively restore your mind, body, and spirit? What brings you clarity in your life and in your work?

For some of you, the return of children to school may feel wonderfully replenishing. For me, replenishment often comes in small daily moments: closing the laptop, stepping onto my deck, taking a deep breath, and soaking in the beauty of nature and the joy of what I get to do in life each and every day. Yet replenishment is not always found in solitude. Often, it is found in connection. One of the greatest lessons we learned during the pandemic is that, at our core, we are meant to be in community with one another. We lead better when we are connected to something larger than ourselves.

That is why one of the greatest sources of replenishment for me each year is theALSN Conference. The energy is palpable. The hallways buzz with ideas. New friendships form over dinner. Longtime colleagues reconnect between sessions. Conversations spark collaborations that advance nursing leadership science and strengthen our profession. Every year, I leave renewed, inspired, and reminded that none of us leads alone. We are truly together in leadership, and there is something deeply replenishing about being surrounded by colleagues who understand both the challenges and the joys of our work.

Replenishment is essential for purpose-driven leadership. It is not a luxury, nor is it something we do only when we have time left over. It is an investment in our ability to lead with clarity, compassion, courage, and purpose. As we enter into the fall season, I encourage you to intentionally make space for what restores you and, if you can, join us at the ALSN Conference to experience the renewal that comes from learning, connecting, and growing together.

When we replenish ourselves, we strengthen not only our own leadership but also the collective strength of our ALSN community.

Together, we lead. Together, we grow. And together, we are replenished.

Together in leadership,

Heather Nelson-Brantley, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, FAAN

Click to learn more about the 2026 ALSN International Conference, taking place September 30 - October 2 in Los Angeles.

Nursing leadership continues to evolve alongside new challenges in healthcare, workforce development, technology, education, and patient care. For nurse leaders, educators, researchers, and emerging professionals, staying connected to new ideas and to one another is increasingly important.

This fall, the 2026 Association for Leadership Science in Nursing International Conference will bring the nursing leadership community together in Los Angeles from September 30 through October 2, 2026, at the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center.

With the theme “Strengthening collaborative pathways to shape the future of nursing: Leading with intention and innovating with purpose,” this year’s conference will provide opportunities to explore current nursing leadership science, learn from colleagues across education and practice, and build meaningful professional connections.

A Conference Built for Nursing Leadership

The ALSN International Conference promises to bring together professionals whose work is helping shape the future of nursing leadership.

Attendees include nursing faculty, nurse leaders in practice settings, graduate students in DNP and PhD programs, healthcare professionals, and hospital administrators. ALSN describes the conference as a place for nursing educators, executives, administrators, and researchers to learn and discuss current healthcare and system challenges.

Whether your work centers on leadership practice, research, nursing education, workforce development, quality improvement, or organizational change, the conference offers an opportunity to learn alongside others facing many of the same questions.

Explore Current Issues in Nursing Leadership

The 2026 program reflects the wide range of issues nurse leaders are navigating today.

Conference sessions will examine topics including nurse retention and wellbeing, human-centered leadership, artificial intelligence and machine learning, workplace culture, academic-practice partnerships, leadership development, professional governance, virtual nursing, workforce strategy, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement.

The program also includes research examining questions such as what exceptional nurse leaders do differently, how leadership affects nurse retention, how organizations can better prepare future nurse leaders, and how emerging technologies are influencing nursing practice.

These discussions give attendees the opportunity to move beyond broad leadership concepts and engage with current research, real-world initiatives, and strategies being tested across healthcare and academic settings.

Connect Nursing Research, Education, and Practice at the 2026 ALSN Conference

One of ALSN’s central goals is bringing academic and practice leaders together to advance leadership science, nursing education, and the practice of nursing leadership.

That connection is reflected throughout the conference.

Research presentations, educational sessions, pre-conference workshops, keynote presentations, poster showcases, and collaborative discussions give attendees multiple ways to exchange ideas and learn from colleagues working in different areas of the profession.

For graduate students and emerging leaders, the conference also provides an opportunity to connect with experienced nursing scholars and leaders while gaining greater exposure to current leadership research.

Attend and Build Meaningful Professional Connections

Some of the most valuable parts of a professional conference happen outside the formal presentations.

The 2026 ALSN Conference includes opportunities to meet colleagues throughout the event, including a welcome reception hosted by UCLA, poster showcases, meals, exhibits, the ALSN Member Meeting and Awards, and other opportunities for conversation and connection.

For nurse leaders whose work often spans departments, institutions, and professional disciplines, those relationships can create opportunities for future collaboration, mentorship, research, and shared problem-solving.

Join the Nursing Leadership Community in Los Angeles!

The 2026 ALSN International Conference takes place September 30–October 2, 2026, at the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center in Los Angeles, California.

If nursing leadership is central to your work, research, teaching, or professional growth, we hope you’ll join nurse leaders, faculty, researchers, graduate students, and healthcare professionals from across the profession for three days of learning, collaboration, and connection.

Explore the full conference program and register for the 2026 ALSN International Conference: Explore the Program & Register

Dr. Sandra Galura is an Associate Professor and Director of the Health Systems Leadership MSN Pathways at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her career reflects a longstanding commitment to developing nurse leaders and advancing the science of nursing leadership across both practice and academic settings.

Dr. Galura spent much of her clinical career in perianesthesia nursing, primarily in Phase I postanesthesia care. Her first formal leadership opportunity came when she was promoted to Assistant Nurse Manager, followed by Nurse Manager in the same unit. She later transitioned to academia as faculty in an associate degree nursing program, where she also served as a level coordinator responsible for the program’s second year.

While in that role, Dr. Galura committed to earning a PhD in nursing. She returned to the hospital setting and worked as a unit educator while completing her doctoral studies. After earning her degree, she advanced into system-level leadership, first directing procedural sedation management and perianesthesia care and later serving as System Director of the Nursing Clinical Excellence and Research Department. Following an organizational restructuring, she returned to academia and has taught at the graduate level since 2018.

Her interest in nursing leadership grew from an experience familiar to many new leaders: being promoted and realizing how much preparation the role required. That realization led her to seek professional development and ultimately shaped a career dedicated to leadership practice, research, and education. Through her teaching and scholarship, she hopes to strengthen the preparation and professional development of future nurse leaders.

Dr. Galura has been an active ALSN member since 2019. She learned about the organization from ALSN member Diane Andrews, who emphasized the value of connecting with colleagues committed to advancing nursing leadership science. Dr. Galura has served on the Membership Committee and now serves as ALSN Treasurer.

Outside of work, she enjoys hiking—especially in state and national parks—and scrapbooking and creating mini albums, which she describes as her therapy. She is also excited to soon become a grandmother for the first time.

Her message to new members centers on mentorship. Whether beginning a leadership journey, moving into a new role, or transitioning to academia, she encourages members to seek a career mentor. ALSN’s close-knit community and mentorship opportunities make it possible to build meaningful connections with leadership scholars and thought leaders across the country—connections that can become an invaluable part of one’s leadership journey.

If you would like to connect with nurse leaders like Dr. Galura and be part of this community, learn more about ALSN membership at: ALSN.info/Membership

I was recently reminded of the sacred privilege nurses have when caring for patients, families, and communities and how quickly that privilege can become too heavy for one person to carry alone. While helping a colleague navigate care for elderly parents, they paused and said, “I am only one person.” Their words stayed with me, not only because they revealed the weight of caregiving, but because they named a truth many of us know deeply: even the strongest among us need the strength of others.

That moment reminded me why nursing leadership matters so profoundly, within and beyond any single setting. Leadership helps us see when one person’s burden must become a shared commitment, calling us to bring forward accountability, resources, compassion, and action. In that way, leadership becomes the bridge between individual capacity and collective impact.¹

As I reflected on the “only one”statement, I was reminded of Edward Everett Hale’s words:“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”²

With ALSN, “only one ”becomes “we”. As the premier association advancing nursing leadership science through global collaboration, research, and education, ALSN offers a place where individual commitment is welcomed, strengthened, and transformed into shared leadership, knowledge, and influence.

I invite you to reach out to a board member today and choose one meaningful way to contribute: join an ALSN committee, mentor an emerging nurse leader, share your scholarship, or help advance one of our strategic priorities.Each offering matters. Each voice strengthens our collective purpose. ALSN’s influence grows when each of us claims the something we can do and brings it forward in service of something greater than ourselves. 

So, I ask you: What is “the something” you can do and how might “that something” help move us from one to we?

References:

1. Alsadaan, N., Salameh, B., Reshia, F. A. A. E., Alruwaili, R. F., Alruwaili, M., Awad Ali, S. A., Alruwaili, A. N., Hefnawy, G. R., Alshammari, M. S. S., & Alrumayh, A. G. R. (2023). Impact of nurse leaders behaviors on nursing staff performance: A systematic review of literature. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 60, 1–14. https://doi.org/: 10.1177/00469580231178528  

1. Hale, E. (ND). I am only one. Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/8183.Edward_Everett_Hale

As we look forward to gathering at the ALSN Conference this September, I have been reflecting on one of the defining strengths of our organization: community. Our conference theme, Strengthening Collaborative Pathways to Shape the Future of Nursing: Leading with Intention and Innovating with Purpose, speaks directly to the power of connection and collaboration that has long distinguished ALSN. Year after year, our conference has served as the premier gathering place where nurse leaders in practice and academe come together to learn, share ideas, build partnerships, and advance the science of nursing leadership. It is through these interactions that we have created a strong, inclusive, and vibrant community that continues to shape and define the field.

For me, the power of this community is deeply personal. I still vividly remember my first ALSN conference, CGEAN at the time, in 2012. I was a budding PhD student, eager to learn and perhaps a little intimidated to be in a room filled with individuals whose work had shaped my thinking and informed my dissertation. I remember being in awe of the speakers and scholars around me, many of whom I had cited numerous times but never imagined I would meet in person. Yet what struck me most was not their accomplishments, but their generosity. They welcomed me into the community, shared their wisdom, offered encouragement, and took me under their wings. Many of those relationships developed into mentorships and friendships that continue to this day. That conference was where I first discovered the power of "finding my people," and I have been coming back ever since.

This year, our community is stronger than ever. As ALSN continues to expand globally, we are building new connections, strengthening existing relationships, and broadening our collective impact across nursing leadership science and graduate education in nursing leadership. Through new international collaborations and growing engagement from colleagues around the world, we are broadening perspectives, strengthening relationships, and creating new opportunities to advance leadership science and graduate education in nursing leadership. Each new connection enriches our collective work and reinforces the idea that we are truly stronger together.

What makes ALSN special is that it is your community, whether through a conversation with a colleague, a formal mentoring relationship, a trusted network of peers helping you troubleshoot operational challenges, a collaboration that grows a program of research, or a collective voice advocating for issues that matter to nursing leadership. As we prepare to gather in September, I encourage everyone, from our rising stars to our living legends, to join us in community and continue cultivating what may be ALSN's greatest superpower. Together, we are stronger. Together, we lead with intention, innovate with purpose, and shape the future of nursing leadership.

Together in leadership,
Heather Nelson-Brantley, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, FAAN
President, Association for Leadership Science in Nursing

The evolution of healthcare demands leaders who are not only operationally adept but also deeply empathetic. Dr. Penelope Gorsuch, a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, executive nurse leader, and current faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Nursing, embodies this balance. Teaching in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, Dr. Gorsuch leverages decades of military and clinical experience to shape the next generation of healthcare pioneers. Her journey underscores a profound truth: effective nursing leadership is rooted in relationship building, continuous learning, and strategic vision.

Dr. Gorsuch’s path to leadership began after eight years of dedicated bedside care. Operating as a military nurse and attaining the rank of Captain, she observed how leadership directly impacted both patient outcomes and the clinician experience. These foundational years ignited a desire to influence care delivery on a broader scale. When she stepped into her first formal role as a Nurse Manager, her core philosophy was solidified. "Effective leadership begins with building strong, trust-based relationships," noting that these early experiences laid the groundwork for her extensive career.

This commitment to advancing the profession naturally led her to the Association for Leadership Science in Nursing (ALSN) eight years ago. Introduced to the organization by colleagues, she quickly found a network of exceptional mentors. Her early contributions included collaborating on a scoping review and partnering to apply a theoretical framework to a Professional Practice Model—work that has since been recognized as exemplary in multiple publications. Today, her role has evolved significantly. As ALSN’s inaugural Director of Philanthropy, she views fundraising as a critical enabler of the organization’s mission. For Dr. Gorsuch, philanthropy provides the essential resources needed to develop strong leaders, advance research, and translate evidence into practice. Her primary focus this year is establishing a new committee, developing its charter, and defining clear goals to drive ALSN’s philanthropic strategy forward.

When looking at the broader healthcare landscape, Dr. Gorsuch is acutely aware of the modern complexities facing the workforce. Nurses sit at the epicenter of healthcare delivery, tasked with operationalizing near constant systemic changes. This reality keeps her focused on the speed and thoughtfulness of professional support systems. "What keeps me up at night is whether we are moving fast enough and thoughtfully enough to support the workforce through this level of change without exacerbating burnout or losing the human connection that defines nursing". She advocates for leaders to be digitally fluent and evidence driven, ensuring that the digital transformation of healthcare reduces administrative burdens rather than adding to them.

Despite these challenges, Dr. Gorsuch remains optimistic about the future. This optimism is fueled daily by the ALSN Board and its global membership. She sees a bright future forged through global collaboration, robust education, and strategic innovation. By equipping emerging leaders to navigate complex environments, she believes the profession will successfully drive meaningful improvements across patient, clinician, and organizational levels, ultimately creating a more resilient health system. 

NOTE: Creation of this spotlight was supported by Google Gemini
for reviewing of grammar, formatting and fluidity.

If you would like to connect with nurse leaders like Dr. Gorsuch and be part of this community, learn more about ALSN membership at: ALSN.info/Membership

Change rarely arrives with a clear plan. More often, it begins as a quiet nudge, a sense that the way we are moving through our days no longer fully reflects what matters most.

Recently, this came to mind during a conversation with a colleague about the pull of constant busyness, the kind that fills every moment, even when it no longer reflects what she values most. She shared how little time remained at the end of the day for self-care, exercise, rest, or meaningful time with her family. Her children, she said, simply wanted her to slow down and be present with them.

What stood out was not only her exhaustion, but also the quiet hope that she might give herself permission to choose differently. Many of us know what it feels like to keep moving, even when something within us is asking for a pause.

That moment reminded me that meaningful change often begins with intention and is strengthened through collaboration. For her, the questions became personal: What is getting in the way of living my values? And what small, realistic shift could help me honor what matters most? Sometimes, all it takes is someone willing to listen and create room for honest reflection to lead to new possibilities.

This is the kind of human-centered collaboration ALSN members continue to create, not only working together on tasks but helping one another make intentional choices. It means giving ourselves permission to pause, recalibrate, and realign our daily actions with the values we hope to model as leaders. In doing so, we live out our values-centered leadership which is at the heart of ALSN.

As ALSN members, we are shaping the future of nursing leadership and systems science through the choices we make each day. This month, let us pause, recalibrate, and lead by choosing one small shift that aligns our actions with our values and inviting one ALSN colleague to do the same.

In this month’s President’s Column, ALSN President Dr. Heather Nelson-Brantley, PhD, RN, NEA BC, CNE, FAAN shares an update on ALSN’s new association management partnership with FirstPoint:

I’m excited to share important news that marks a pivotal moment for ALSN’s future. Please join me in warmly welcoming FirstPoint as our new association management company (AMC)—a partnership that positions us for our next chapter of growth and impact.   

Over the past several months, the ALSN AMC Search Taskforce reviewed more than ten proposals and conducted multiple rounds of interviews to identify the partner best aligned with ALSN’s mission, vision, and values. This thoughtful, thorough process led us to select FirstPoint for its strong alignment and clear potential to serve as a proactive partner in advancing and sustaining our work.   

I extend my sincere thanks to Joy Parchment, Todd Tussing, and the entire ALSN Board for their extraordinary time, care, and leadership throughout this effort. Their dedication ensures a strong and vibrant path forward for our organization.   

FirstPoint is a fully accredited AMC with more than 30 years of AMC experience, bringing deep expertise in event planning, international membership engagement, and certified virtual conferencing—capabilities that will enhance how we connect and serve you.   

We acknowledge Prime Management for their service to ALSN over the past five years and thank them for their contributions.   

This transition reflects a renewed commitment to excellence and positions ALSN for continued growth and long-term success. I look forward to all that lies ahead and to you meeting the FirstPoint team in person at our annual conference this September.   

To support you, FirstPoint will offer a dedicated phone line and email service for all ALSN needs. I encourage you to review the team bios included later in this newsletter to get acquainted with the professionals supporting our work.   

Thank you for your continued commitment to ALSN. Our future is bright, and I am inspired by what we will achieve together in this next chapter building on a long history of ALSN (and formerly CGEAN) contributions and impact.

Together in leadership,
Heather Nelson-Brantley, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, FAAN President, Association for Leadership Science in Nursing

There is so much we can learn from the natural world, especially
from even the smallest creatures. On a recent hike, my family and I
observed a long line of black ants stretching up one side of a hill
and down the other. Each ant carried a piece of a leaf and moved
with steady determination, as if it fully understood both its purpose
and its contribution to something greater.

When we asked our guide about this remarkable sight, we learned
they were leaf-cutter ants. Intrigued, I later learned more about
them. Despite their size, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes
that these ants play a powerful role in their ecosystem, they help
aerate the soil, can carry nearly fifty times their body weight, and
use natural defenses to protect their colonies from fungi. Their
example is a powerful reminder of what is possible when individuals
work with purpose and in community.

I see that same spirit in ALSN. Across roles, settings, states, and
countries, our members show up with intention, connecting,
building, and uplifting one another. Each effort matters. Each
contribution reinforces our collective impact. Together, we are not
only strengthening our organization, but we are also cultivating a
thriving community, with shared purpose and possibility.

Your turn: What idea are you growing? And who might help bring it
to life? I encourage you to connect across roles, regions, and
countries within ALSN to collaborate in new ways.

I would love to hear what you’re working on and what inspires you.
Please share one idea you’re exploring with me at
president.elect@alsn.email.