Board of Directors
NCANS Board of Directors (meeting times)
click on the board members below for their bios.
If you’d like to serve as a member of an NCANS committee this year, please contact any member of the Board.
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Bethany French, President
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Greetings North Carolina Nursing Students!As President, I want to ensure that NCANS has a well-represented presence at National Conventions and Conferences. Representing NCANS and NC nursing students is one of the most important aspects of being President. I want to maintain current involvement and encourage more involvement from all local chapters. My hope is that all NC nursing students stay informed and become involved in all that NCANS has to offer. I plan to maintain good communication between NCANS and schools in all five Districts. District Directors are the most important link in this communication and I want to empower and support them as they promote NCANS to their district. During my time as President, I want to see the newly created NCANS Foundation continue to grow. I would love to help lay the groundwork for the creation of an NCANS scholarship for NC nursing students.I will graduate in May of 2010 with my BSN degree from Gardner-Webb University. I want to specialize in my passion area of nursing or possibly become an NP. I also plan to take part in medical missions throughout my nursing career. Besides nursing, I love drawing, painting, taking pictures, kickboxing, listening to music and being creative.It is my honor to serve all of North Carolina’s nursing students and I look forward to an exciting year with NCANS!Feel free to contact me at: NCANSPresident@gmail.com |
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Dana Dawkins, Vice President
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My name is Dana Dawkins and I am excited to be the NCANS Vice President for 2009-2010. I am currently enrolled in the LPN to ADN program at Johnston Community College in Smithfield, NC. My goals while in office include increased NCANS membership across the state, enhanced vendor participation at conferences, positive national recognition for our state chapter and to serve as an overall support to my fellow board members. I enjoy being involved at the administrative level where change happens. I am currently a senator for the Student Government Association at JCC. I also served as class Vice President at Johnston School of Practical Nursing (Baltimore, MD), graduating in 1996. After I graduate in May 2010 with my ADN, I plan to continue my studies to attain a BSN, MSN, and ultimately Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. I love nursing! There are so many avenues to explore with a career in nursing and I intend to travel many of them…come take a trip with me friends. NCANSVicePresident@gmail.com |
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Jessica Outlaw, Secretary
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I am currently enrolled in the Nash Community College Associate Degree nursing program. I plan to serve in maternity nursing or on a critical care unit when I graduate in May 2010. My long term goals include serving as a medical missionary to impoverished countries. I am proud to serve as a nurse and encourage holistic care to a variety of people. As your 2009-2010 NCANS Secretary I hope to encourage organized communication between the national and local levels. I look forward to working with the Board of Directors to plan two exciting state conferences and promoting NCANS in local chapters. Please feel free to contact me with any questions that you may have at NCANSSecretary@gmail.com. |
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Danica Rowe, Treasurer
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Currently I am a second degree nursing student in the BSN program at UNC- Chapel Hill, graduating in December 2010. I am native of Atlanta, GA, residing in Chapel Hill, NC. I’m an active member in UNCs chapter and currently hold office as their treasurer as well. While in office as NCANS treasurer, I hope to contribute the planning of NCANS conferences, while maintaining an accurate and organized budget. My goals are to promote constructive spending, as well as principled decision making, and to increase attendance at our conferences from members across the state. I look forward to contributing to board in any way necessary and am excited to work with the NCANS team. I have a strong interest in professional development and I also want to play a role in continuing the legacy of NCANS. Professionally, after graduation I plan to work in acute care and eventually, after gaining some experience, become an emergency nurse practitioner. When I have free time, I love to travel, spend time with my family and friends, and watch movies. Please contact me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. I look forward to meeting you all!NCANStreasurer@gmail.com |
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Tammy Lewis, Publication Director |
My name is Tammy Lewis and I am currently enrolled in the nursing program at Johnston Community College in Smithfield, NC. I will be graduating in May 2010. I have been a nursing for more than nine years. I love geriatric care. After graduation, I plan to further my education at Vanderbilt University. My hometown is Nashville, TN. I currently have my own business, Ideal Healthcare in Raleigh, NC started in January 2007. I plan to use my education to expand my business. My goal as Publication Director is to expand the readers of the Hypodermic. NCANSPublicationDirector@gmail.com |
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Dana Johnson, Legislative Director |
My name is Dana K. Johnson and I am a second year nursing student at Johnston Community College. I am currently also serving as President of JCCANS, our local chapter of NCANS. I am also owner of Insurance Concepts located in Dunn, N.C. I have two daughters, one a senior in High School the other started Kindergarten this year. I enjoy music, a good movie and being with my friends and family. I am so excited about this position, as I am a firm believer in not complaining. I believe we must be involved and try to make a difference. We have a duty, in more ways than one, to use our voice. I am eager to learn about the influence nurses can make involving our laws. Health care will always have issues to arise that need resolutions. To me, the key is to find those resolutions that benefit all of us, as a whole. I feel strongly about using our position in the medical field of nursing to advocate for our patients and sometimes that happens outside of the hospital and outside of the scrubs. I hope to pull from the community, nursing staff and nursing educators to develop a platform that will make a difference. I am always excited to meet new people and hear new ideas so please feel free to contact me with any concerns or ideas that might concern the By-laws or the 2009-2010 resolution for our state. NCANSLegislativeDirector@gmail.com
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Elizabeth Henderson, Breakthrough to Nursing |
I currently attend Coastal Carolina Community College. My goal as the new BTN Director is to continue the vision of reaching out to underrepresented groups and to educate them about the many opportunities in nursing. I plan to achieve this through outreach in high schools in my community and schools across the state. My career goal is to become a diabetes educator. When I am not studying, I am busy keeping track of my four children. As a military wife I have had the opportunity to travel and meet many different people. I enjoy camping, hiking, concerts, and anything that involves my family. Please feel free to contact me at ncansbtn@gmail.com.
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Meghan Lowrance, District I Director
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I am Meghan Lowrance and I am a first year nursing student at Gardner-Webb University. I will graduate in May, 2011 with my ADN degree, and then will complete my BSN degree in nursing the year after. I have wanted to have a career in the medical field since I was four years old. After my Grandmother was diagnosed with Liver Cancer, I attended each of her chemo treatments and watched the nurses take care of her and comfort her. Just a couple of days before she passed away, I remember telling her that someday I would be a nurse so I could “help other little girls’ grandmothers”. I always looked up to my Grandmother, and even now, I want to demonstrate just a fraction of the compassion she was given by her doctors and nurses while she was sick. To fulfill my role in this office for the upcoming year, my main goal is to further promote NCANS, while continuing the huge increase in participation of the SNA chapter at Gardner-Webb, as well as the SNA chapters in District I. Also, I would like to get some of the schools involved that have been unrepresented in NCANS in the past to obtain a more extensive outlook of North Carolina Nursing Students. As we all know, nursing students are constantly studying and working hard, and we sometimes get overwhelmed. In general, NCANS and SNA chapters provide an outlet for all nursing students to encourage and support each other, making professional networks for the future, and just having fun! NCANSDistrict1@gmail.com |
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Daniel Brewer, District II Director
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I currently attend Gardner-Webb University and serve as the vice president at the school’s local chapter. I have goals of helping new chapters be instituted throughout district II as well as offering tips and advice for those chapters already established. I’m excited to be a liaison between NCANS and District II schools providing educational information of upcoming conferences, events, and opportunities. My personal goal is to start my career in NICU, L&D, or Maternal/Newborn and eventually become a neonatal nurse practitioner or CNM. NCANSDistrict2@gmail.com |
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Comfort Ogidi, District III Director |
Hello Everyone, I am a senior in nursing school at North Carolina Central University, home of the Eagles. I am originally from Charlotte, NC. I am truly exicited to be District III Director this year. One of my priorities while in office is the promote unity amongst all the schools within district III as well as reaching out to schools that have been typically under represented within NCANS in the past. There is strength in numbers and united we are one, one big organization that is striving to improve the health of mankind. I truly believe that the nursing industry chose me, as a child I grew up wanting to be a neurosurgeon but as I grew older, I recognized that titles do not mean much or make a person special. What matters are tge qualities that a person brings to make that title mean something. Nursing is the celebration of life, having a desire to deliver focused care for individuals, families, and communities, that they may attain and maintain optimal health and quality of life from the begining to the end of life. Nursing allows so much flexibility, being the front line of healthcare, dealing with the technicality of modern medicine and having the necessary soft skills for dealing with people on a day to day basis. The rigors of the field provide ample challenges but the rewards are the richly satisfying. My future career goals after graduating include working as pediatric intensive care nurse and obtaining a specialized education within the realm of nursing. Outside of school my hobbies are having fun, laughing, and spending time with friends and family. I like to shop, travel and attend church. These are my favorite pasttimes. NCANSDistrict3Director@gmail.com |
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Carla Neusmeyer, District IV Director |
I am a second-level nursing student at Johnston Community College. While in office , my goals are to establish contacts within my district and encourage more participation in the local chapters and state level. I am really exited about the upcoming year and look forward to serving as District IV Director. Upon graduation in May 2010, I plan to continue my education in the nursing field. Outside of nursing I enjoy spending time with my family, shopping, scrapbooking and traveling. NCANSDistrict4Director@gmail.com |
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Amanda Mullins, District V Director |
I attend Coastal Carolina Community College and expect to graduate the ADN program in May 2010. While in office I plan to get more people involved in the Association of Nursing Students. My goal is to increase participation not only at a local level in the schools, but also at the state level. This is a great opportunity for me to keep everyone in the District V schools in contact so an open line of communication can be maintained. My career plans include working in a NICU while continuing on to the BSN program after graduation. Outside of nursing my hobbies include spending time with my husband and two children. I am a very involved student, wife and mother and I love to volunteer what little free time I do have. I have a HUGE heart for helping others and Nursing is my Passion!Please feel free to contact me with any questions that you may have. Ncansdistrict5director@gmail.com |
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Kati Bloedau, Executive Consultant I |
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Lynn Tran, Executive ConsultaLnt II |
I served as NCANS Treasurer 2008-2009 and am excited about the skills and experiences the new Board of Directors has to offer. As an executive consultant, I look forward to being a resource to my colleagues and supporting the many projects of goals of NCANS. I received my RN, BSN from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and am currently working at Duke University Medical Center as a nurse in Medical Surgical Services. My interests include traveling, cooking, home improvement, and pursuing higher education. I am a member of the NC Nurses Association and the ANA. |
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Sharon Cooney, NCNA Consultant & Parliamentarian |
My name is Sharon Cooney. I am on faculty at Brunswick Community College; I am the clinical nursing laboratory coordinator working with students in the ADN and PN programs. I also am an educational consultant teaching review classes in pharmacology and medical-surgical certification. I obtained my BSN from East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, and my MSN with a clinical specialty in cardiovascular nursing from Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO. I am a Certified Orthopedic Nurse and licensed in North Carolina as a Registered Nurse. I am active in my professional associations, serving as treasurer of the Triangle Chapter of National Association of Orthopedic Nurses. I am a member of North Carolina Nurses Association and a sustaining member of the North Carolina Association of Nursing Students and the National Association of Nursing Students. In the past, I have served on different committees of NCNA and the Triangle Region.email the NCNA Consultant II |









