2020 Fall GAPNA Newsletter Volume 39 Issue 3

Chapter Conducts First Virtual Chapter Meeting: Elects to Have Student Board Member; Wolff-Baker Elected President-Elect

By Ron Billano Ordona

As a response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Northern California Chapter of GAPNA (NCCGAPNA) conducted its first fully virtual chapter meeting April 25, 2020. In the past, the chapter conducted hybrid virtual/in-person meetings where other participants who were not in attendance in-person could attend online.

After a 60-day period after announcing the chapter’s plan of including a student non-voting member of the chapter Board (as spelled out in the Chapter By-Laws), it was unanimously voted in the Chapter Meeting that NCCGAPNA will include a Student Board Member, the details of which are being developed.

The chapter drew inspiration from other GAPNA chapters who have the same component in their leadership teams. Students are key members for the future of the organization, hence, a Student Board Member focused on this particular group is deemed beneficial. The Student Board Member’s focus includes spearheading the Student Out Night, an annual chapter event.

Upon further review of the Chapter By-Laws, it was also noted that the President-Elect was up for re-election and Deborah Wolff-Baker was elected President-Elect. Deborah is one of the pioneers in the chapter and is the Chairperson of the GAPNA Health Affairs Committee. Mary Cochran Abraham, Treasurer, and Julie Dutton, Secretary, will serve for another year. Other Chapter Officers and Committee Chairpersons include Madeline Tam (Immediate Past-President), Julie Dutton (CE Conference Chairperson), Jennifer Serafin (CE Mentor and Webmaster), Sarah Dulaney (Nurse Planner), Winnie Seto (CE Coordinator), Trudy Keltz (Historical), and Ron Ordona (Student Night Out).

Also discussed at the meeting was the wrap-up of the 2020 Annual Conference on Geriatric Updates sponsored by the chapter. Attendance totaled 39 with 28 NCCGAPNA members, 8 non-members, and 3 students. Evaluations overall were positive and speakers were well liked.

The CE Conference Committee is brainstorming for ideas and speakers for the 2021 Annual Conference, tentatively slated for February 6, 2021. There was discussion of conducting the CE event virtually with telehealth and COVID-19 updates as potential topics.

Ron Billano Ordona, DNP, FNP-BC
Chapter President
ron@seniorcareclinic.org

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