Message from the National Program Office (NPO)
As this newsletter comes out, our North Carolina temperatures have gone from winter to summer to spring in the course of a few days, and the pine pollen is flying. The weather has been a factor ever since the last newsletter, with a gorgeous snowfall during our '11/'12 cohort sessions in Colorado Springs last January, and then, not so gorgeously, causing an abrupt cancellation of the March 6-8th Alumni Meeting in Chicago. Since your program directors and NAC members were reading 109 applications for the 2013 cohort, maybe it was good that the weather kept us inside!
Weather aside, Fellows worked hard in Colorado Springs – forming up (2012's) and diligently continuing (2011's) the work on action learning teams, enjoying (2011's) the first round of teaching from the legendary Eda Roth, and garnering wisdom about Leading Within the Profession from a stellar group of external consultants – Joanne Disch, Michael Evans, Beverly Malone, Angela McBride, Joanne Pohl and ENF '03 Karen Drenkard.
Thanks to the efforts of many of you, our applicant pool for the 2013 cohort was once again robust, and NAC members are looking forward to interviewing 42 of the 109 applicants in Chicago on May 7-9th. We will share the names of your newest colleagues as soon as they have been selected and approved by RWJF. From Brussels (Dave) or North Carolina (Linda), it was indeed a joy to read about what nursing leaders are doing across the country!
Our new grant year began April 1, and we are in the midst of welcoming a new staff member, Stacey Ezell, who will replace Kristin Gwaltney following her exciting promotion within CCL. We are busy planning the Greensboro June Sessions for our current cohorts and looking forward to the June 5-7th ENF Alumni Program (second try!).
May spring be knocking at your doors as you receive our news.
With our best regards,
Linda Cronenwett David Altman Andrea Williams