Featured Speaker

Susan Y. Swart, EdD, MS, RN, CAE

ANA Vice President, ANA PAC Chair

Dr. Susan Swart,  EdD, MS, RN, CAE is currently the Chief Executive Officer/President of SYS Consulting Solutions, Inc. She also serves as the Vice President of ANA, and the Executive Director of ANA-Illinois, Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing and the Illinois Nurses Foundation.

It is her life’s mission to foster nurse empowerment. Dr. Swart expertise is in issues related to the scope of practice, ethics, nursing regulation, and public policy development. She is a sought-after speaker and is known for her coalition-building skills, innovative leadership approaches, organizational growth strategies, and partnerships to advance organizational missions.
Dr. Swart earned her BSN degree from the University of St. Francis and her MS in the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program from the University of Illinois. Recently, she received her doctorate degree (EdD) from Olivet Nazarene University with an emphasis on ethical leadership. 

Keynote - The Economy of Kindness

Linda Cohen

Linda Cohen, also known the “kindness catalyst” has been a professional speaker and consultant, for more than a decade. She works with businesses and associations on the ROI of Kindness. Her first book, 1,000 Mitzvahs: How Small Acts of Kindness Can Heal, Inspire and Change Your Life was published by Seal Press. Her 2nd book, The Economy of Kindness: How Kindness Transforms Your Bottom Line was published in October 2021. Cohen earned her BA from American Jewish University and an MA from Brandeis University. Cohen is a member of the National Speakers association. She served as the president of the Oregon chapter in 2018-2019. Originally from New England, she lives in Oregon with her husband of 29 years. They have two spirited young adult children and have raised three Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Cohen enjoys yoga and a good cup of Earl Grey Tea.

Afternoon Speaker - Hacking Innovative Solutions for Improving Work Environments

Rick Hall, PhD, RDN, FAND

Dr. Rick Hall is a clinical professor and Assistant Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University, where he teaches coursework on health, leadership, and innovation.

He is an entrepreneur, researcher, and mentor to several health related startups. His work has been published in Better Homes and Gardens, the Asian Wall Street Journal, the Journal of School Nutrition, and the Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

Dr. Hall is the owner of My Personal Multivitamin and the co-founder of Dry Wash Media.

He is the founder and director for Arizona State University's Health Entrepreneurship Accelerator Lab and the managing partner for the Mayo Clinic and Arizona State University's MedTech Accelerator - an executive education program that recruits medical startups from across the globe to accelerate pathways to market.

Closing Keynote - YES to Nursing!

Debbie Harbinson, MHI, RN, HNB-BC

Participants are invited to stay aware and release any attachments on how the present moment will go and simply enjoy being in the here and now. Using principles of play and humor, Debbie will explain that when we take pressure off the concerns of performance, it is revealed how we are always in the flow of life, both personally and professionally. As participants realize that life is always living them, no matter what their thoughts are, there is much more fun, creativity and grace available to them in the day. Because we instantly feel what we think, this presentation offers experiences that demonstrate how we can naturally and effortlessly move toward less secure thinking and enjoy a better experience in life.

Keynote - Using Predictive Analytics to Improve Health Outcomes

John Nelson

John Nelson, PhD, MS, RN, is CEO of Healthcare Environment, a company that specializes in predictive analytics to improve outcomes in healthcare. His master’s degree is in statistics and PhD in Nursing. He has worked in 46 countries, in over 400 organizations. Books he has published include Measuring Caring (2012, Springer Publishing) and Using Predictive Analytics to Improve Healthcare Outcomes (2021, Wiley Publishing). His new book received the 2021 book of the year award within the informatics category by American Journal of Nursing (AJN). He also founded and leads the Caring Science International Collaborative that studies the profile of nurses and nursing assistants in 15 countries.

Afternoon Speaker - Protect Yourself with PPE: Positive Patient Experiences

Tena Brown

Tena Brown is a passionate and unforgettable inspirational speaker, empathy educator, and patient advocate. For more than 20 years, she has motivated physicians, nurses, professionals with her insightful approach to the patient experience. Tena’s personal health experiences place her in a unique position to elevate patient care. Suffering from lifelong chronic illnesses, Tena’s challenges have motivated her to develop extraordinary empathy with the personal struggles and self-esteem issues of patients. She has spoken at the FDA, Mayo & Geisinger Clinic, as well as the American Academy of Dermatology International meetings. Her workshops were on the Academy’s Leadership series for many years. Tena holds near to her heart the responsibility of resourcing patients with tools that can truly change their lives. Above all, Tena’s passion lies in helping patients, organizations, and professionals become Positively Unforgettable.

Closing Keynote

Nurse Blake, BSN, RN

Comedian and Registered Nurse

Nurse Blake is the largest nurse influencer, advocating for nurses and patients on social media where he has over 1 million likes on Facebook and over 850,000 followers on Instagram. Blake is a registered nurse and received his BSN from the University of Central Florida. He has worked in a number of healthcare roles throughout his career and has managed several large programs including The Banned4Life Project and Nurses Support Their Young. He is a writer and public speaker and has been a paid contributor to the New York Times. He recently released a children’s book I Want to Be A NURSE When I Grow Up which was an Amazon bestseller. His social media platforms reach over 10 million unique individuals each month, and his viral videos have been viewed over 250 million times. In addition to selling out 55 shows on tour in 2021, Nurse Blake has been the Keynote Speaker at in-person and virtual conferences around the country. He uses humor to connect with audiences by sharing his nursing journey and showing them the power they have within themselves to make positive changes in healthcare and the communities they serve.