Mission and Leadership

Mission Statement

As the professional organization and voice for the specialty of travel health nursing, ATHNA's mission is "to advocate for nurses engaged in the care of all travelers through professional development, scholarship, evidence-based practice, and specialty board certification."

Organizational Goals

  • Serve as a primary professional resource for U.S. nurses who provide care to domestic and international travelers.
  • Support the recognized U.S. specialty of travel health nursing and the widespread utilization of Travel Health Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2021.
  • Support travel health nurses to keep current regarding recommendations and emerging travel health issues.
  • Promote communication and networking among travel health nurses and other health professionals across North America.
  • Partner with national and international organizations with a shared commitment to promote the health and safety of travelers through quality clinical care, education, research, and advocacy.

ATHNA Strategic Plan Synopsis for 2023-24

  1. Support the Certification Task Force to continue its efforts to implement a portfolio-based travel health nurse specialty board certification consistent with US standards.
  2. Promote specialty board certification to ATHNA members and employers through outreach and education.
  3. Elevate ATHNA's recognition and standing with key stakeholder organizations by promoting positive partnerships and appointing Fellows and Directors as appropriate to serve as liaisons.
  4. Implement a sustainable structure and process for communications with ATHNA membership by actively recruiting various communication management volunteer positions.
  5. Establish the board position of Membership Outreach Coordinator.
  6. Implement a new and sustainable membership management system including membership registration, member profile, & member contact information.
  7. Appoint task forces to coordinate two ATHNA education events: a national meeting to be held in advance of CISTM19 in New Orleans, 2025 and a 2024 summer NED (Networking Education and Development) program at members' homes across the U.S.
  8. Identify sources of sustainable funding and solicit contributions to support ATHNA operations. Recruit a fundraising coordinator.

ATHNA Leadership

Full descriptions of the structure of ATHNA and its 501 c3 corporation can be found in the ATHNA Bylaws.

The ATHNA Executive Committee

The ATHNA Executive Committee consists of the officers of the corporation. The EC is responsible for overseeing board policies, facilitating decision making, and prioritizing issues for the full Board to address. They ensure the Board is establishing and maintaining good governance practices. The EC is responsible for the day‐to‐day management of the Corporation. It shares with the President ultimate responsibility and authority over all committees. It has the power to act on behalf of the full Board. The main purpose of the EC is to facilitate decision making between Board meetings or in urgent and crisis circumstances. EC members have many oversight duties.

Kathryn B. Reid, PhD, RN, FNP-C, CNL
President

Candace McAlester, DNP, MS, APRN, FNP-C, RCPS (Glasg)
Certificate in Travel HealthTM
Vice President

Susan L. Cruz, ANP-BC, MS, MPH, AFTM RCPS (Glasg)
Certificate in Travel HealthTM
Secretary

Amy Manion, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC
Treasurer

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors represent the interests of the ATHNA membership. The Board is responsible for the business, property and affairs of ATHNA. The Board of Directors has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure the long‐term sustainability of the Corporation. It is the responsibility of the Board to guide decisions of the Corporation including the choice of its leadership and how it will carry out its mission and achieve its organizational goals. The ATHNA board consists of an odd number of members elected for 2-year terms, and representative of the diversity of the membership.

2024-2025 Directors

Linda Bos, BSN, RN, AMB-BC
Certificate in Travel HealthTM

Ashley Cain, BSN, RN

Heather Conner, RN, BN, FISTM, Past Chair NPG, ISTM

Colleen Jeffery, RN, BSN, MSc
Certificate in Travel HealthTM

Candace McAlester, DNP, MS, APRN, FNP-C, RCPS (Glasg)
Certificate in Travel HealthTM

Wanessa Ricci, RN
Certificate in Travel HealthTM

Julie Richards, DNP, MS, MSN, WHNP-BC, FATHNA ex-officio
Certificate in Travel HealthTM

Elaine Rosenblatt, MSN, FNP-BC, FATHNA
Certificate in Travel HealthTM

Linda Sapio-Longo, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

Maureen Thompson, RNC, MSN

Sandy Weinberg, RN, BSN, MA, FATHNA
Certificate in Travel HealthTM

Kiya Wilson, MBA, BSN, RN, CCM, CHC, CPT

Committees

Communications
With oversight by the Chair-Director of Communications, this committee is responsible for all ATHNA communications. Members manage the website, Constant Contact, and social media, as well as all other messages which inform members, stakeholders, and the public of ATHNA’s objectives and activities.

Finance
Under the direction of the Treasurer, the Finance Committee meets to plan the budget/expenditures/investments and assist with an annual internal audit to ensure the long-term financial health of ATHNA is maintained.

Nominations
Appointed by the President, members of the Nomination Committee are responsible for the identification and recruitment of candidates for positions on the ATHNA board.

Audit
Appointed by the President, members perform an audit of ATHNA's accounts at the close of the fiscal year and submit an annual report with recommendations.

Networking Education and Development (NED)
This committee plans, organizes, and delivers the networking, educational, and development meetings (referred to as NED) offered to all ATHNA members annually. The CE accredited, 1-day program is available at multiple locations simultaneously across the United States.

Task Forces

Board Certification
Members of this task force are working on the development and implementation of a travel health nursing board certification by portfolio similar to those offered for other U.S. nursing specialties.

NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana)
NOLA task force members are responsible for planning, organizing, and delivering a one-day national networking, education, and development program available to all ATHNA members. The event will take place in New Orleans in May 2025 to coincide with CISTM19.