The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) has announced the 2019 election results for its Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. The new officers, directors, and committee members were announced to association members at Congress, the annual business meeting, on Wednesday, April 10. Each has been elected to a two-year term, with the exception of president and president-elect, who serve one-year terms.
Missi Merlino, MHA, RN-BC, CNOR, CSSM, has assumed the role of president for the new term from the role of president-elect. Merlino has been a perioperative nurse and member of AORN for 28 years. She currently works as a Staff Nurse II at Scott & White Medical Center- Pavilion Surgery Center in Temple, TX. Her professional experience includes roles in management, education and informatics.
The newly elected officers are:
David A. Wyatt, PhD, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, president-elect. He is the vice president of Perioperative Services, Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. Wyatt has been a perioperative nurse for 24 years and a member of AORN for 17 years.
Evangeline (Vangie) Dennis, BSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, treasurer. She is the executive director of Perioperative Services, Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center Downtown and Atlanta Medical Center South, GA. Dennis has been a perioperative nurse for 45 years and a member of AORN for 32 years.
The newly elected members of the board are:
Nakeisha M. Archer, MBA, RN, NE-BC, CNOR, is the director of Perioperative Services, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston.
Vicki J. Barnett, MSN, RN, CNOR, is the founder of VJB Perioperative Consulting, Atlanta, GA.
William Duffy, RN, MJ, CNOR, FAAN, is the director of the Health Systems Management Program, Loyola University Chicago, Il.
Brenda G. Larkin, MS, RN, ACNS-BC, CNS-CP, CSSM, CNOR, is a clinical nurse specialist for Aurora Health Care System’s Aurora Lakeland Medical Center, Elkhorn, Wisc., and Aurora Medical Center, Burlington, WI.
Newly elected to the Nominating Committee are:
Laura A. Gayton, MHCA, BSN, CNOR, CSSM, is the director of Perioperative Services, Presence Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago, Il.
David L. Taylor III, MSN, RN, CNOR, an executive health care consultant for the Resolute Advisory Group, LLC, San Antonio, TX.
