President-Elect Candidate:

Christina Hicks, MS, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAUNA

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery.

SUNA Activities: Current Treasurer, current DFW chapter president, current UDS task force leader, previous author and lead author for various patient education fact sheets, previous UDS SIG leader, presenter, donator.

Goals for the Position You Seek: My goal is to continue to support the mission, vision, goals, and evolution of the SUNA organization to best meet the needs of patients, urologic professionals, caregivers, and families within the urologic community nationwide and to do so with a fiduciary responsibility to the organization. My goals include:

• The continued support of establishing, promoting, and upholding standards of care in urologic practice in an effort to ensure patient safety.
• Supporting and empowering urologic professionals, patients, caregivers, and families.
• The continued development and dissemination of education for urologic professionals, patients, caregivers, and families.
• To establish a presence in legislation affecting urologic nursing care.
• To encourage and promote urologic nursing research and evidence-based practice.
• To listen for comprehension of what SUNA members perceive can enhance the value of SUNA for the future and act on attainable & beneficial suggestions.
• To market, expand awareness, and gain support for SUNA and SUNA’s mission, vision, and goals within the urology community nationwide.
• To lead and support the board of directors in making important decisions that affect SUNA members, the urologic community, and the organization.
• To improve the quality of life of urologic professionals, patients, caregivers, and families within the urologic nursing community.

Director-At-Large Candidates:

Suzanne M Fortuna, DNP, APRN-BC, CNS-BC, FNP-BC

Metro Health Medical Center.

SUNA Activities:

• Poster presentation past years
• Planning Patient educ hand out on bowel management 2023

Goals for the Position You Seek: I look forward to the member at large position to learn the mission/voice of the organization and how I can continue to support colleagues specifically APP's in practice.

Julian L. Gallegos, PhD, MBA, FNP-BC, CNL, FAUNA

Clinical Associate Professor/Director, DNP Program/Interim Assistant Head of Graduate Programs - Purdue University-West Lafayette, Indiana.

SUNA Activities:

• Urologic Nursing Editorial Board, Member
• SUNA-AUA Liaison
• DEI Task Force, Member
• Board of Directors, Director At Large

Goals for the Position You Seek: As an academic leader in Nursing and involvement with SUNA, I bring with me years of nursing expertise and a network of opportunities to help elevate the mission and vision of SUNA. I seek election as Director at Large on the Board of Directors of SUNA to help advance the practice of urologic nursing through:

1. seeking opportunities for partnerships with professional nursing organizations to enhance membership, promote urologic education and research, and advocate for all urologic patients through health policy;
2. promote and support evidence-based clinical education for all levels of SUNA members to ensure safe and quality care of urologic patients;
3. bolster current efforts by those Task Forces SUNA has commissioned to strengthen the mission and vision of the organization;
4. champion SUNA as the premier professional organization for urologic practice amongst nurses and associates.

RACHAEL MEDRANO, APRN, FNP-C

Nurse Practitioner in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

SUNA Activities:

• Current secretary
• Previously on the planning committee for the Advanced Urologic in Dallas 2022
• Reviewer for Nocturia Factsheet

Goals for the Position You Seek: I would like to continue to serve as secretary and a member for the board of SUNA to help empower urology/urgoynecology providers so we can provide up to date and quality care for our patients. I am passionate about patient education and believe that patients need to be equal partners in their care for successful outcomes. SUNA provides patient education, as well as opportunities to create new educational materials to meet patient needs. I believe that SUNA does good work to support our patient and provider needs and would like to continue to further the success of this organization.

Andrea Strong, DNP, CURN

Nurse Practitioner Department of Urology Medical College of Wisconsin / Froedtert.

SUNA Activities:

• Certified Urologic Registered Nurse (CURN) May 2016-Present
• Presentations:
  • 2022 UroNurse Presentation Episode #17 Virtual: Autonomic Dysreflexia
  • 2022 UroNurse Presentation Episode #12 Virtual: Urology 101 Part 2, The Ins and Outs of Catheters
  • 2022 UroNurse Presentation Episode #7 Virtual: Urology 101, The Ins and Outs of Catheters
  • 2022 UroNurse Presentation Episode #3 Virtual: Telephone Triage
  • 2021 Chicago Metro SUNA “Zooming into Urologic Nursing” Conference Spring:
  • Telephone Triage in Urology: What you need to know. Virtual Conference Chicago, IL
  • 2019 Chicago Metro SUNA “Sex, Love, and Urology in 2019” Conference Spring: President’s Welcome Address. Lisle, IL
  • 2018 Chicago Metro SUNA Members Meeting: Everything You Need to Know About Catheters! Oak Park, IL
  • 2017 Chicago Metro SUNA Educational Meeting: Urology 101. Chicago, IL
  • 2017 Chicago Metro SUNA “Updates in Urology” Conference Spring: Basic Urodynamics. Chicago, IL
  • 2016 Chicago Metro SUNA “Latest & Greatest” Conference Fall: Understanding Biomarkers and Prostate Cancer. Lisle, IL
  • 2016 Rush University Urology and Chicago Metro SUNA Conference: Biomarkers and Prostate Cancer. Chicago, IL
  • 2016 Rush University Urology and Chicago Metro SUNA Conference: Urostomy Tube Care and Specimen Collection
• Leadership Positions:
  • Educational Director, Chicago Metro SUNA Chapter 2022-present
  • Board Member, Chicago Metro SUNA Chapter 2020-2022
  • President-Elect, Chicago Metro SUNA Chapter 2017-2020
  • Member, SUNA National Membership Taskforce Committee 2018
  • Chicago Metro SUNA Local Bi-Annual Conference Planning Committee Member 2017- Present
  • UroNurse Weekly Expert Panel Volunteer 2022- Present
  • SUNA Patient Education Materials on Low Testosterone and Nocturia, Expert Reviewer 2022
  • Chicago Metro SUNA Prostate Health Booth 2014

Goals for the Position You Seek: As a candidate for Director-at-Large for the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (SUNA), I would work to achieve the following goals:

• Communication: Enhance communications and encourage engagement among SUNA members, urologic professionals, and other likeminded professional organizations. Seek to attract and maintain membership through existing means of communication and work to broaden our influence on social media and other electronic platforms.
• Inclusivity: Our organization should strive to be inclusive and welcoming to all members of our community, regardless of their background, identity, or beliefs. We should actively work to create an environment that is safe and supportive for all.
• Innovation: We should embrace evidence-based practice and new technologies, seeking to stay at the forefront of our field while adapting to the changing world around us.
• Financial stability: We should maintain financial stability and transparency, ensuring that our resources are used effectively and efficiently to serve SUNA’s mission.
• Collaboration: We should work collaboratively with other organizations and individuals, seeking to build partnerships and amplify our impact.
• Accountability: We should hold ourselves accountable to the highest ethical and professional standards, maintaining integrity in all of our actions and decisions.