Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

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Emerging Leaders2025-06-23T16:03:14+00:00

AWHONN Emerging Leaders Program

The call for applications to the 2025-26 Emerging Leaders Program is now closed. We are grateful for the many AWHONN members who applied to be part of such a transformative program! Candidates will go through an initial round of applications, the second round consisting of a 30-minute interview, with finalists to be notified by mid-November.

The Emerging Leaders Program is an intensive leadership development opportunity that offers individuals a chance to refine their leadership purpose, leadership acumen, and develop strategies to transform themselves, AWHONN and the nursing profession. AWHONN is focusing our Emerging Leaders Program on developing leaders to support our organizational commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity, and reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. This Program is partially sponsored by AWHONN’s Every Woman, Every Baby.

All are welcome to apply, and we strongly encourage nurses from under-represented communities to apply. The emerging leader cohorts represent diversity across race, age, gender, sexual orientation, geographical location, and nursing specialty. Strong applicants should show a commitment to the program; open-ness to leadership development and transformation; desire to build and nourish a community of support; and a hunger to make positive change.

Sponsorship from your organization is highly recommended to help share the cost of the tuition with AWHONN as the value of the Emerging Leader program is $15,000 per participant. If you have organizational support, please complete the Sponsorship Intent Form, indicating the amount of your organization’s intended support and upload this with your application. While employer sponsorship is highly recommended, it is not required to apply, nor would the lack of sponsorship factor into a member’s application for consideration into the program.

Program details

  • In-Person Retreats
  • Emerging Leader Pre-Convention Immersion: June 19 and June 20, 2025 (Orlando, FL)
  • 2025 AWHONN Convention: June 21-25, 2025 (Orlando, FL)
  • Emerging Leader Immersion at Leadership Development Conference: January/February 2026 (location to be determined, dates tentative)
  • Leadership Development Conference: January/February 2026 (location to be determined, dates tentative)
  • Emerging Leader Capitol Hill Day Immersion: April 2026 (Washington, DC – dates tentative)
  • AWHONN Capitol Hill Program: April 2026 (Washington, DC – dates tentative)
  • Emerging Leader Graduation: June 3, 2026 (Orlando, FL)
  • AWHONN Convention 2025: June 6-10, 2026 (Orlando, FL)

***EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP ENCOURAGED***

Please reach out to Mark Arucan at emergingleaders@awhonn.org if you’d like to discuss this opportunity further.


Meet the 2025 – 2026 AWHONN Emerging Leaders

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Alexandra Abbate Harmon, BSN, RN, is a nurse leader at Pomelo Care, a virtual maternity care practice delivering high-touch, comprehensive care from preconception through postpartum and into an infant’s first year. At Pomelo, Alex coaches nursing team members, drives clinical quality assurance, and leads initiatives to improve team performance and operational efficiency. She’s at the forefront of designing and rolling out new workflows and technologies that make care delivery smarter and more effective.

A strong advocate for health equity, Alex is committed to improving access to quality care for birthing families—especially those historically underserved. She fosters a culture of accountability and solution-based collaboration, ensuring the nursing team operates with purpose, clarity, and a shared drive for impact.

Named a 2025–2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader, Alex is focused on learning from peers and shaping bold, practical solutions to the maternal health crisis. Drawing from her years of hands-on experience delivering care to birthing families, she is uniquely positioned to define the future of nursing care through innovation. She’s passionate about changing the system—not just working within it—and is driven to ensure better, more equitable outcomes for all birthing people and their babies.

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Juliette Bauer, DNO, RN, C-EFM, C-ONQS, SANE-A, began her career 25 years ago as a nursing assistant. Progressive roles included medical interpreter, bedside LDRP nurse, didactic instructor, clinical educator, and nursing practice leader. She currently oversees the four Women’s & Children’s residency tracks at PHSU Health Hillsboro Medical Center in Oregon. The first generation college graduate recently completed the Washington State University’s DNP-Population Health program with certificates in Leadership and Nursing Education.

As an active AWHONN member, Dr. Bauer participates in section and national committees and is a Fetal Monitoring Instructor. Through Emerging Leaders, she is excited to develop as a leader with AWHONN to give everything that the organization has given her. She is eager to take her passion for quality improvement and policy to Washington D.C. on behalf of women, birthing people, and babies.

2025 – 2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

I’m a master’s prepared registered nurse with 10 years of experience in labor and delivery. I’m certified and Inpatient Obstetrics, Electronic Fetal Monitoring, and recently became an IBCLC. I received a Daisy Award in 2018 and a Team Daisy Award in 2024. I strive to empower OB patients during their most vulnerable moments. In the past 10 years, I’ve grown my love of clinical and simulation nursing education and supporting new nurses in my field. As a leader, I am proud of my team and continue to educate, support, and develop their professional growth.

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Taylor Delahoussaye BSN, RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, a new nurse leader who works in Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire located in California as a Labor and Delivery Nurse. With three years of experience in Women’s Health, she is passionate about providing respectful and equitable care to her patients and striving to find solutions to decrease the Black maternal morbidity and mortality rates within our country. Taylor has also been acknowledged for providing compassionate care by colleagues, her efforts in establishing a mentorship program at one of her hospitals, and potential of being a nurse leader in the perinatal setting. 

Taylor is preparing to pursue her Master of Science in Nursing, in hopes of learning how to expand her scope of practice as a nurse leader. She aspires to learn innovative ways to advocate, provide maternal and neonatal care, and establish a community with other Perinatal Nurses. 

 

 

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

LeTishia “Tish” Hill, MSN, RN, CNML, C-FMC
System Nursing  Director-Women’s and Children’s Services and The Milk Bank, Bronson Methodist and Battle Creek Hospital

Tish is an accomplished Nursing Director specializing in Women and Children’s Services with over two decades of experience. Currently positioned at Bronson Methodist and Battle Creek Hospitals, she also manages the Milk Bank, demonstrating her versatility and leadership in the field. In her current role, Tish manages various critical aspects of department operations, including financial budgets, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, employee development, and quality metrics.

She has a collaborative leadership style focusing

on process improvement, quality initiative outcomes, and partnerships with diverse professional teams. Tish passionately drives efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.

Tish received her Master’s Degree of Science in Nursing Administration from Fort Hayes State University. She is a certified nurse manager leader through the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).

Tish cherishes her marriage and is a devoted mother to an adult daughter. She is hopeful for grandchildren in the future, showcasing her family-oriented values.

Tracie Kincel, MSN-RN

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Jessica Phillips BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CCE

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Dr. Lauren Johnson is a nurse educator and researcher that is dedicated to equitable care and outcomes in women’s health. She has 10 years of experience as a registered nurse caring for patients dealing with antepartum, postpartum, and gynecologic oncology concerns. She received her PhD in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, and her early research focused on cervical cancer prevention in South Africa. Dr. Johnson has now shifted her research to addressing bias and racism in obstetrical care. As an Assistant Professor at Temple University, she strives to best prepare the next generation of nurses to tackle the complexities of patient care and advocate for positive changes within our health care system. Beginning in Summer 2025, she will be leading a summer program that will train nursing students to become birth companions and provide perinatal support to families in need. Furthermore, Dr. Johnson leads several educational and programmatic initiatives to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within academia.

Tracie Kincel, MSN-RN

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Samantha Kenning has been in the healthcare industry since she was fifteen, with her most current role being the Perinatal Quality Improvement Coordinator at Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln, NE. She spends much of her time being a change agent for perinatal safety, evaluating, developing and implementing projects, and investigating severe maternal and neonatal morbidity cases. She previously worked in the PICU, with a majority of her nursing career being in Labor and Delivery.

Samantha received her BSN from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas and her MSN in Leadership from Bryan College of Health Sciences. She currently holds certifications in Electronic Fetal Monitoring and Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety. Her favorite part of her career is watching her teams and patients flourish because of the continuous quality improvement projects she’s assisted in implementing.

Samantha’s favorite pastimes are watching her children grow up, going on family vacations, bike rides, and flower gardening when time allows.

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Sharlene Alisa Maynor is a dedicated Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) with 13 years of experience in this role and 27 years in nursing, all within Women’s Services. She is passionate about providing culturally integrated care and focuses on improving healthcare experiences for birthing families by addressing cultural and social determinants of health.

Having recently completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Sharlene now teaches and mentors students in the WHNP program at Emory University. She prepares future clinicians to deliver equitable, patient-centered care in her role. Committed to fostering critical thinking, cultural humility, and patient advocacy, Sharlene ensures that her graduates can effectively serve diverse populations.

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Rovianne C. Pasicaran, BSN, MSN, C-EFM, RNC-OB is the Family Birth Center Director at a critical access hospital in the Pacific Northwest. With 27 years in obstetrics, she began her career in a small community hospital in the Philippines before emigrating to the U.S. in the early 2000s. She holds a Master’s in Nursing Leadership and certifications in Electronic Fetal Monitoring and Inpatient OB. A Neonatal Resuscitation Program Instructor, she has experience in hospitals delivering 200 to 3,000 babies annually. Passionate about maternal and newborn care for underserved populations, she prioritizes training and education to equip nurses with evidence-based resources. Transitioning from bedside nursing to leadership, she aims to support nurses in providing safe, high-quality care while addressing burnout and fatigue. She subscribes to the idea that happy and satisfied nurses give the best and safest care to their patients.

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Dr. Tabitha Poole has dedicated her career to Obstetrics and Neonatal care.  With extensive experience in these areas, she is currently serving as the director of Women’s Services at a hospital in central Texas as well as a clinical instructor for obstetrics in a BSN program.  Dr. Poole serves on multiple AWHONN committees, is an AWHONN SIG co-chair and a co-leader of her local AWHONN chapter.   

Driven by a deep passion for human rights and health equity, Dr. Poole actively contributes to this cause through her clinical practice, leadership, advocacy work, and education provision.  As a forever student herself, she continuously seeks to expand her knowledge and skills in order to better serve and advocate for her patients and the community

2025-2026 AWHONN Emerging Leader

Andra Wilke, DNP, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CHSE, is a certified Obstetric Nurse and Healthcare Simulation Educator with a doctorate in Executive Leadership. A retired Navy nurse, she brings extensive experience in labor and delivery, education, and leadership. She currently serves as Clinical Education Specialist at UF Health Downtown Jacksonville, where she advances nursing practice and maternal outcomes. Andra contributes to statewide initiatives through the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, including PROMPT and emergency response work. An active AWHONN member, she has presented nationally and received an Evidence-Based Practice Scholarship, which helped launch a donor milk program that reduced NICU transfers. She has spoken on simulation, clinical judgment, and communication in nursing education. A sought-after speaker on obstetric emergency response, Andra provides OB EMS education across Northeast Florida, a region facing maternal health access challenges. Her passion for advocacy, education, and equity drives her commitment to safe, evidence-based care for birthing people.

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