NCANS Annual Convention 2026

Bloom into Your Nursing Potential:

Join nursing students and faculty from across North Carolina for a weekend of learning, leadership development, and professional connection at the NCANS 2026 Annual Convention.

Dates:

February 21–22, 2026

Location:

UNC Chapel Hill
Medical Biomolecular Research Building
111 Mason Farm Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Registration

Annual registration is now open!

Participants may register online or submit a mail-in registration form.

Online Registration

Mail In Registration

Registration Rates

Early Bird Pricing (available for a limited time)

NCANS/NSNA Member: $100
Faculty/Sustaining Member: $106
Non-Member/Guest: $148

Regular Pricing

NCANS/NSNA Member: $117
Faculty/Sustaining Member: $117
Non-Member/Guest: $169

Parking

Weekend parking is free on campus. Attendees may park in nearby decks, including:

Dogwood Parking Deck (approximately a 6-minute walk)
Bell Tower Parking (approximately an 11-minute walk)

Some parking areas may require taking a ticket upon entry, but no payment is required to exit.

Main Speakers (Keynote To Be Announced)

Join us for four featured sessions focused on professional growth, innovation, self-care, and success strategies in nursing.

Dr. Meg Zomorodi, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
Bloom and Blossom: Strategies for Lifelong Professional Growth

Dr. Brooke Kistler, PhD, RN, CNE
Blending Human Wisdom and AI Technologies on Your Journey from Novice to Expert

Bonnie Meadows, MSN, APRN, ACCNS-AG
The Bloom Blueprint: 21 Keys to Nursing Success

Natacha Simon-Christie, CRNA, CHSE, CNE
The A.R.T. of Nurse Self Care

Keynote Speaker: To be announced (confirmation pending)

Dress Code

Saturday: Business Professional
Sunday: School apparel or scrubs

Why Attend?

Engage in educational sessions led by nursing professionals
Network with nursing students and faculty from across the state
Build leadership skills and professional confidence
Celebrate the nursing profession in a collaborative, supportive environment

2026 NCANS Convention Agenda

February 21–22, 2026 | Chapel Hill, NC
NCANS reserves the right to make adjustments

Saturday, February 21

9:00–10:00 AM — Registration & Breakfast (MBRB Main Lobby)
10:30–10:45 AM — Welcome (MBRB Room 2204)
10:45–11:45 AM — Keynote Session (MBRB Room 2204)
11:50 AM–12:35 PM — Educational Session (MBRB Room 2204)
12:35–1:30 PM — Lunch Break
1:30–2:30 PM — Exhibit Hall & Networking (MBRB Main Lobby)
2:30–3:15 PM — Educational Session (MBRB Room 2204)
3:20–4:50 PM — Rotating Roundtables (MBRB Rooms G202 & 2204)
4:50–5:05 PM — BTN Project & Election Overview (MBRB Room 2204)
5:05–5:30 PM — Candidate Pitches (MBRB Room 2204)

Sunday, February 22

9:00–10:00 AM — Networking & Breakfast (MBRB Main Lobby)
10:00–10:45 AM — Educational Session (MBRB Room 2204)
10:45–11:30 AM — New Graduate Panel (MBRB Room 2204)
11:35 AM–12:45 PM — Bylaws Discussion (MBRB Room 2204)
12:45–1:45 PM — Lunch Break
1:45–2:30 PM — Educational Session (MBRB Room 2204)
2:30–2:45 PM — Closing Remarks (MBRB Room 2204)
2:45–5:00 PM — NCLEX Review (includes 10-minute break) (MBRB Room 2204)

Annual Archives!

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Annual Archives! 〰️

NCANS Annual Convention 2025

The NCANS 2025 Annual Convention was held in Wilmington, NC, where students had the opportunity to chart the course to a successful nursing career! Set along North Carolina’s scenic coast, this event brought together nursing students and professionals from across the state to dive into essential topics like new grad resilience, navigating burnout, and building confidence in clinical practice. This convention provided students the time to network with fellow students, exhibitors, and potential future employers. A half-day NCLEX Review was offered, a Pharmacology Made Easy session, as well as presentations on a variety of topics relevant to starting a new-grad career in nursing.

*Thank you Raising Arrow Photography for the pictures in the beginning of our 2025 convention slideshow featured below!*

301 N Water Street, Wilmington, NC 28401

Date: February 21 -23, 2025

Theme: Navigating the Shift from Classroom to Clinical Practice

View the Offical Convention Schedule

2025 Speakers

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2025 Speakers 〰️

Randy Hamm, DNP, RN, CCRN

Keynote Speaker
Dr. Randy Hamm is the Executive Director of Nursing and Practice at Barton College, bringing over 20 years of expertise in nursing and emergency care. A dedicated leader and educator, he has earned recognition for his scholarly contributions, clinical leadership, and commitment to mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals.
View a full bio of Dr. Hamm here
Dr. Hamm will speak on his experiences transitioning from classroom to practice and provide some insight as to what may be of benefit to new nurses
Bonnie Hamrick, MSH, BSN, RN, PMH-BC, CNML

Speaker
Bonnie Hamrick is a highly experienced nurse with over 21 years in healthcare, specializing in psychiatric mental health and certified in both Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and Nurse Management Leadership. She is passionate about fostering resilience in high-stress environments, with accomplishments including published research on aggression screening tools to reduce workplace violence.
View a full bio of Bonnie Hamrick here
Bonnie Hamrick will speak on “Resilence and the New Graduate Nurse”
Sara Griffith, PhD, MSN, RN, NE-BC

Speaker
Dr. Sara Griffith serves as the Chief Nursing Officer for the North Carolina Board of Nursing, leveraging 24 years of experience as a registered nurse with expertise in cardiac surgery and cardiology. As a leader in nursing regulation, she oversees departments such as Investigations, Education, and Strategic Planning, while also editing The Bulletin and managing the Board’s social media to advance patient safety and professional education.
View a full bio of Dr. Griffith here
Dr. Griffith will speak on “Friend, Foe, or Partner: Understanding the Role of the Board of Nursing”
Dr. Lisa M. Foster, DNP, RN, NPD-BC

Speaker
Dr. Lisa Foster is a distinguished registered nurse with over 38 years of experience in nursing and more than 20 years dedicated to nursing education. A board-certified Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPD-BC), she is passionate about lifelong learning, professional development, and fostering community involvement among nurses.
View a full bio of Dr. Foster here
Dr. Foster will speak on “Generational Diversity in the Workplace”
Jody Cherniak, MSN, MBA-HCM, RN, VHA-CM

Speaker
Ms. Cherniak has been the Durham VA RN Transition to Practice Program Coordinator since 2019 and brings over 30 years of experience in nurse professional development, acute care, and ICU nursing. She facilitates staff learning events, mentors nurses, coordinates programs, and speaks at national conferences on topics for nursing educators.
View a full bio of Ms. Cherniak here
Ms. Cherniak will speak on “Vital Signs of Success: Landing your first nursing job”
Madison Lane, RN

New Grad Panel Member— ER
Madison Lane, RN, began her nursing journey at Catawba Valley Community College, earning her ADN in 2024 and now pursuing her BSN at Appalachian State University, with graduation anticipated in July 2025. As the former President of CVCC's ANS chapter and current Vice President of NCANS, she is dedicated to fostering strong connections between NCANS and local chapters while making a meaningful impact in emergency medicine.
Julia Chan, BSN, RN

New Grad Panel Member— Research
Julia Chan, BSN, RN, graduated in May of 2024 from the Pennsylvania State University. During her nursing school career, she served on the nominations and elections committee for the student nurses association of Pennsylvania (SNAP); and served as the Breakthrough to Nursing Director for the National Student Nurses’ Association and was the first student representative to the ANA commission against racism. She is currently a special advisor to the NCANS board and works as a nurse on Duke’s Early Phase Research Unit. In the fall, she’ll be attending Duke for a Masters in Population Health Sciences.
Alexis Ross, BSN, RN

New Grad Panel Member— NICU
Alexis Ross graduated with her BSN from North Carolina Central University and served as SNA president for her nursing department. She was involved with SNA at both the state and national level, serving as NCANS breakthrough to nursing chair and NSNA resolutions committee member. She is currently a Neonatal ICU nurse at UNC Health and prospective PhD student, passionate about research and social determinants of health.
Caroline Roseman, BSN, RN

New Grad Panel Member— CICU
Caroline Roseman is a Registered Nurse in the Cardiac ICU at UNC Medical Center and a recent graduate of UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Nursing, where she held multiple leadership roles, including president of NCANS and her school's nursing chapter. Passionate about mentoring and advancing critical care, she plans to pursue CCRN certification, participate in unit committees, and precept future nurses.
View a full bio of Caroline Roseman here