Dr. Vivienne E. Friday is an accomplished nursing education leader and Dean at Goodwin University with over 20 years of experience. She has developed programs like the LPN and CNA pathways to meet workforce needs and recently launched a school-to-career pipeline with local magnet schools. Dr. Friday led the redesign of BSN and MSN programs to align with AACN Essentials and champions inclusive, student-centered practices such as Universal Design for Learning and Open Educational Resources. She has secured scholarship funding and implemented initiatives like holistic admissions, peer mentoring, and student boot camps to support retention and academic success. A published scholar and active board member, Dr. Friday has received multiple honors, including the Josephine Dolan, Ubuntu, and NLN Hearst Foundations Awards, for her lasting impact on nursing education and workforce development.

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Phil is an experienced acute care nurse practitioner, educator, and leader with over 25 years in critical care nursing. A graduate of Yale School of Nursing (MSN, 2006) and Southern Connecticut State University (EdD, 2015), he has held faculty and program director roles at Yale and Quinnipiac, teaching across BSN, MSN, and doctoral programs. Clinically, Phil spent 19 years as an acute care NP with Middlesex Hospital’s Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, where he was recognized for innovation and excellence in advanced practice. Nationally, he has served in leadership roles with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and contributed to accreditation and policy initiatives with multiple professional nursing organizations.

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Susanne Yeakel, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL is an experienced nurse leader currently serving as Nurse Director at Hartford Hospital, where she oversees eight diverse medical units and IV Therapy. Known for her collaborative leadership and dedication to elevating the nursing voice, Susanne is deeply committed to advocacy, professional development, and unifying nurses across all practice areas.

She has held leadership roles with the Connecticut Nurses’ Association, Organization of Nurse Leaders–New England, and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, gaining invaluable experience in advancing the profession. A passionate mentor, Susanne is devoted to guiding the next generation of nurse leaders and is honored to serve as Secretary of the Connecticut Nurses’ Association Board, where she continues to champion engagement, unity, and positive change for nurses across the state.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Immacula Cann, DNP, RN-BC, is the Chief Nursing Officer for Silver Hill Hospital (SHH). She is a Board Certified Psychiatric and Mental Health Registered Nurse, with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree from Northeastern University.  Dr. Cann has also served as Lecturer/Preceptor for Yale University’s Psychiatric Mental-Health Nursing Graduate Entry Specialty in Nursing (GEPN) program. She has extensive nursing experience in leadership roles with a focus on improving the mental and physical well-being of staff, leading to higher quality patient care. Dr. Cann’s responsibilities at SHH include building trust among all nursing staff and fostering a cohesive team committed to delivering exceptional, seamless, high-quality patient experience. She is attuned to organizational dynamics and has partnered with academic institutions, colleagues, and industry leaders to elevate nursing standards. Her doctoral study focused on presenteeism, recognizing that employees’ mental and physical health are key factors in workplace quality, productivity, and patient engagement in optimized clinical outcomes. Her goal at SHH is to foster an environment that supports shared governance.  Dr. Cann is a member of several nursing associations and currently serves on two committees at the Connecticut Nurses Association: The Government Relations Committee and Nominations Committee.  She is the mother of four children and has six grandchildren. Dr. Cann has a high degree of involvement in her community—she currently serves on several boards and commissions. She is a lifelong advocate for social justice for families and children and has both local and international experience developing and implementing education-focused policies and programs.  In 2021, Dr. Cann was both the endorsed Democratic Candidate and nominee for Mayor of Stratford, CT, and is currently serving her fourth term as an elected member of the Connecticut State Democratic Party Committee. Dr. Cann was honored as the 2024 Grand Marshal for Juneteenth of Fairfield County, Inc.

April McGrath DNP, BA, RN, NPD-BC, CENP is currently the Director of Clinical Education and Student Nurse Programs, and Program Director for the Graduate Nurse Residency Program at Waterbury Hospital. In addition, she works as an adjunct professor at Charter Oak State College and is contracted as an appraiser team lead for ANCC’s Practice Transition Accreditation Program. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce (CCNW) as Board Secretary and Chair of the CCNW Programming Committee and is an active member on multiple academic advisory boards throughout Connecticut. April has worked in nursing education and professional development since 2015 and is a strong believer in lifelong learning. She is a second-career nurse with a BA in Visual and Performing Arts from Fairfield University, an ADN from Gateway Community College, and an MSN in Education from Sacred Heart University. She earned her DNP from Salve Regina University in 2023 with a dissertation focused on enhanced leadership development in a graduate nurse residency program. April is passionate about the need for a strong, sustainable nursing workforce in Connecticut and enjoys collaborating with organizations who support this need.​​​​​​​​​​​

Chris currently works for Community Health Center of Connecticut, which represents federally qualified health centers in the state, and was previously a clinical nurse on an adult acute care unit at Yale New Haven Hospital. During this time, he was heavily involved in nursing professional governance, leading 17 councils and over 200 nurses in 2022-23. Chris recognizes that nurses have critical insight into patient care and systems opportunities, yet are not always present for important policy discussions, and views joining the Nominations Committee as an important step in improving that presence.​​​​​​​​​​

Peggy brings over 44 years of diverse experience spanning international management consulting with Big Four firms, academic teaching roles at Yale and UCONN Schools of Nursing, and leadership in psychiatric nursing at Yale New Haven Health. She has held CNO roles in NY, CT, and MA and served as a hospital surveyor for The Joint Commission. Peggy holds degrees in Biology, Nursing, an MSN from Vanderbilt, and an MBA from NYU. A former Commonwealth Fund Fellow, she studied under W. Edwards Deming and applies his quality improvement principles along with Six Sigma and LEAN methodologies to enhance clinical and administrative processes. Peggy currently serves on the Nominations Committee.​

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Dr. Goncalves is a dedicated nurse leader with over 40 years of experience in clinical practice, academia, and professional service. She has held key leadership roles in the Connecticut Nurses Association, including past president, and contributes to national efforts through ANA committees.

She serves as an Associate Professor at Sacred Heart University, a per-diem acute care supervisor, and a Faith Community Nurse. Dr. Goncalves is ANCC-certified in medical-surgical and gerontological nursing and a 2023 AACN Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellow.

A strong advocate for DEIB, she has led initiatives to promote inclusive excellence in academic and professional settings. Known as a “change agent,” she is committed to mentoring, collaboration, and advancing nursing through equity-focused leadership.