NDNA Board of Directors Updates

NDNA Members!

The North Dakota Nurses Association has recently elected, re-elected, or appointed new Board Members. 

One of the recent changes we have had is that VP of Government Relations, Kristin Roers, was elected to the ND District 27 Senate!!  Kristin has been a NDNA Board Member for the past several years.  She has volunteered her time and energy to the association, keeping nurses aware and being a role-model for nurses to have a VOICE.  Thank you for your service and congratulations on your position!

We are proud to have the below North Dakota Nurses as our NDNA Board of Directors - also see the "This is Us" tab! 

President  - re-elected for 2019-2020
Tessa Johnson MSN, RN

I have a genuine passion for nursing and nursing practice in the state of North Dakota. Being a part of the board has shown me the selfless time, effort, and dedication it takes to be an advocate of the nursing profession. I want to help the board and the nurses in the state to be the best they can. 
I am currently employed through Agemark Countryhouse inDickinson as the Executive Director of the building. I have a background in nursing leadership and management, and have a diverse background in different areas of nursing to bring to the table.

Vice President of Finances
DeeAnna Opstedahl MSN, RN, CNOR

DeeAnna is the current Vice President of Finances. I previously belonged to the SDNA and SDHA. I did not hold an office, but attended most of the meetings. I was the Acute Care director in Spearfish, SD and then took a Director position in the OR I Sturgis. I was the chair of a board that made decisions on products purchased and contracts signed by Rapid City Regional Health. I was recruited by Dickinson for the Director of Surgery position and then CHI asked if I would be the regional OR director for the western side of ND. I was then recruited to be the VP of Patient Care in Dickinson. I am responsible for may budgets within the hospital. I work very well with others and have had opportunities to get the best price of products in the surgery departments.

Vice President of Government Relations – newly appointed for rest of 2018 and 2019

Halley Maas, BSN, RN

From a very young age, I was taught the importance of not only being involved, but being a leader.  I have had several leadership roles throughout my life, and I believe those responsibilities have shaped me into who I am today.  I want to serve NDNA in order to have a voice in my professsion and collaborate alongside amazing people! I have always been interested in the political and legislative side of nursing, but never knew how to dive in.  I think this is the perfect position for me to learn and grow as a nursing professional! 

Halley works in Cardiac and Intermediate Care at Essentia Health in Fargo.

 

Director at Large: Recent Graduate – newly elected for 2019-2020

Jessica Vos, BSN, RN

I graduated from NDSU with my BSN in August 2016, and have since been working on Med/Surg at the Fargo VA. I have worked at the VA for 5 ½ years. Before becoming an RN, I worked as an LPN, both on Med/Surg and in the Rheumatology Clinic. Being at the VA has taught me so much about policy and politics. But in the end, we have to do what is right by our patients so there needs to be balance and compromise at times to produce acceptable outcomes. 
As a nurse, I practice to serve my patients and their families and provide the best care possible. I also know there are other aspects (behind the scenes) issues that affect our jobs and the care we can provide. I would like to serve the NDNA to help guide and lead nurses, influence leadership in recognizing the importance of the nurses role in patient outcomes, and to find best practices to provide the safest and most effective care for our patients. 
As a newer member of the NDNA, I am eager and willing to provide the board with my enthusiasm and talent for detail. I know a lot of things in nursing and policy can be gray at times and I am the type of person to help provide clarity in uncertain situations. I am self-directed and thrive off application of processes. I also thrive off policy and rules. I can find clarity and make decisions based information provided to me and express that information to others to help them understand. 
Even though I am a newer RN, I have always considered myself a leader. I can see strengths in my peers and encourage them to embrace those strengths and help them become leaders. I believe everyone is leader given the opportunity.

 

Vice President of Practice, Education, Administration, and Research (PEAR) 

Sherry Burg, BSN, MBA, RN

Sherry Burg is the Vice President of Practice, Education, Administration & Research. She currently works as a manager at Altru Health System. I am a motivating, people oriented, collaborative nurse manager with over 20 years of leadership experience in the fast-paced, inpatient world of health care. Results orientated leader with focus on patient, family, physician, and staff relationships, evidence-based care, quality management, customer satisfaction, productivity and financial performance. Greatest strengths: team-building focused on mission, vision, and values of the organization; facilitating professional growth and development with coaching; strong communication skills; and financial strategic planning.

Vice President of Practice, Education, Administration, and Research (PEAR) – newly elected 2019-2020

Jerico Alicante, BSN, RN, CNN, FISQua

I am Jerico G. Alicante, BSN, RN, CNN, FISQua, originally from the Philippines with more than 10 years of progressive nursing experience as medical-surgical and critical care ICU nurse and as clinical instructor in a BSN program in a university in the Philippines. I was inducted into Sigma (formerly, Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing) at the Alpha Eta Chapter at University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA in May 2014. Since then, I have been involved at the local level as board of director; regional level as Asia Regional Committee member; and international level as current board of director for Sigma Foundation for Nursing 2017-2021. I have also served on different committees as member and chair within Sigma and other professional organizations such as the Renal Nurses Association of the Philippines to which I serve as board of director and scientific committee chair. I want to be involved with NDNA to help with local RN's develop their leadership potential and be instrumental to realize their impact on the patients, family, and community that they serve.

Vice President of Communications
Kayla Kaizer, BSN, RN

Kayla is the VP of Communications for NDNA. I served on my local Nursing Student Association Board at the University of Mary and the Nursing Student Association of North Dakota Board of Directors as a Graduate Consultant in 2015. Nursing is my passion and I love being involved in nursing at a higher level than just my job. I am very eager to serve on the NDNA board and get more people involved.

 

Vice President of Membership – newly appointed for rest of 2018 and 2019
Kami Lehn, BSN, RN

I have 9 years of nursing experience with a diverse background of nursing roles. I have provided care as a bedside nurse, a clinic nurse, as well as working in an administrative role in medical review. I am excited to serve on the NDNA board to help advance nursing as a whole, while expanding my knowledge in a field that I have passionately committed my life to. I believe that nursing is an ever-changing field, and to ensure that we provide quality, safe care we all need to be part of a strong community that shares our knowledge.