Executive Director Message
What does it mean to lead?
Too often, we tie leadership to a job title, a credential, or a position of authority. But in nursing, leadership isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you live. It’s how you advocate for your patients, how you challenge the status quo, how you mentor colleagues, and how you speak truth to power—every single day.
The Power of Nurses: Leadership isn’t about hierarchy—it’s about impact. It’s about action. And it’s about acknowledging that nurses have always been leaders, even when we weren’t consistently recognized as such.
At ANA-Michigan, we’re not just talking about leadership, we’re building it.
Leadership That Doesn’t Wait for Permission
Nurses across Michigan are shaping policies, advancing practice, and innovating systems. They’re writing legislation, leading grassroots movements, and mentoring the next generation with passion and purpose. They are involved in ANA-Michigan committees, leading powerful conversations in town halls, presenting on national stages, and breaking ground in rural health, public health, and academic innovation.
This is what leadership looks like when it’s not confined to a corner office. This is what it looks like when it’s embodied.
Empowered Leadership: A New Standard
In 2025, ANA-Michigan is launching something entirely different. The Empowered Nurse Leadership Series (ELS) isn’t another leadership program. It’s a movement.
Developed by nurses for nurses, ELS redefines what leadership development looks like. Over seven weeks, nurses will engage in real conversations about real challenges—equity, burnout, innovation, policy, and navigating influence without a title. Led by Dr. Kari Szczechowski and powered by a diverse lineup of top nurse leaders and subject matter experts, this program isn’t about theory, it’s about transformation.
Whether you’re a bedside nurse, an educator, an administrator, or somewhere in between, ELS meets you where you are and equips you to lead from exactly where you stand. Because leadership doesn’t start when you’re promoted. It starts the moment you realize your voice matters.
Explore more or register at ana-michigan.org/ELS-2025.
Redefining Leadership—Together
As we elevate the Power of Nurses, let’s break the mold. Leadership isn’t about climbing a ladder, it’s about building bridges, amplifying voices, and creating lasting change. Nurses aren’t waiting to lead—we’re already doing it. ANA-Michigan is proud to champion that energy and help shape what comes next.
Because when one nurse steps into their power, the ripple effect can change everything.
Together, we are transforming the future of healthcare—one empowered nurse at a time
