Please help me welcome Leticia Chin, MSN, BSN, RN, CCRN, 2026-2027 Chair of the Legislative Awareness and Advocacy Committee.

Leticia is a certified critical care registered nurse at Hackensack University Medical Center with over 20 years of experience in the neonatal intensive care unit and serves as co-Chair of the network Transitions of Care Council at Hackensack Meridian Health. She is deeply committed to multiculturalism, safe care transitions, and quality improvement through her leadership in internal collaboration initiatives and unit- and network-based professional development efforts. Leticia earned her graduate degree in Nursing Science with a specialization in Healthcare Policy from Chamberlain University in 2024 and was inducted into Sigma Phi Pi in 2023. Her excellence and advocacy are reflected in her receipt of the 2024 Nursing Excellence Award for Innovative Nursing and the 2023 Daisy Award.

Leticia is an active member of the New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA). Her commitment to health policy and advocacy is evident by her work with the NJSNA Region 3 and as a founding member of the NJSNA Legislative Awareness and Advocacy Committee (LAAC). Her passion for advocacy and health policy, combined with a collaborative energetic approach, she brings nurses together to support optimal patient and professional outcomes.

The Legislative Awareness and Advocacy Committee works to ensure that nurses are informed about legislative and policy issues that affect both nursing practice and their patients. A key focus of the Committee is guiding and mentoring Committee members to understand the legislative process and the importance of nurse’s legislative advocacy involvement. Through education and outreach, the committee encourages nurses to communicate and engage with legislators while sharing their frontline experiences enhancing their advocacy efforts. By doing so, the committee supports policies that reflect the realities of nursing practice to contribute to a stronger New Jersey healthcare system and the NJ citizens.

Over the years, the committee has actively engaged in advocacy efforts by writing to legislators on issues impacting nursing practice and patient care, attending State House tours, American Nurses Association Hill Day, legislative briefings, and meeting with elected officials and their staff. These activities have allowed committee members to share the perspectives of nurses from both clinical and academic settings. In 2025 the committee provided ongoing updates to Committee members on pending legislation and hosted educational opportunities, including the Advocate, Lead, & Vote: The Time for Nurses is NOW lunch-and-learn webinar with Kimberly Gordon, RN, CRNA. Together, these efforts have helped build confidence in advocacy and ensure that nurses’ voices continue to shape healthcare policies in New Jersey.

This past year, 2025, brought my tenure to an end as the NAAC Chair. I wish the best of luck to Leticia Chin and the Committee members who are committed to our Mission and Vision, ensuring our united voice will continue to be strong.

Sincerely,
Sandy
Sandra Foley, DNP, RN
Chair-Elect, Nominations and Elections Committee, American Nurses Association
Immediate Past-President, New Jersey State Nurses Association
William Paterson University
Full-Time NTTP Nursing Faculty