The following individuals are candidates for leadership positions with the National Association of Hispanic Nurses. Voting by NAHN membership will take place online from June 2 - June 9, with the elected candidates beginning in their new seats in July 2023.
NAHN National Board of Directors - 2023 Candidates
3 Open Seats
Mari Alcala
MHA, BSN, RN
Houston, TX
Personal Background Statement: It is a great pleasure and opportunity to nominate myself, Mari Alcala, as Director at Large Nominee for one of the seats starting July 2023 for a two-year term. As a member of the NAHN National Board of Directors, it ywill be a great honor to attend the board and committee meetings and establish an advocacy for the NAHN’s mission, goals, purposes, and high priorities.
I have been a bilingual healthcare professional with fifteen years of outstanding clinical leadership in the hospital setting and seven years of award-winning pharmaceutical expertise in clinical research best practices, scientifically complex information delivery, integration, education, system redesign, and quality improvement in patient-focused. I possess solid scientific and clinical acumen, a strong interest in emerging treatment modalities, and a passion for helping Spanish-speaking patients/ families with innovative best practices.
I will be a solid asset to the Director at Large; I have integrity, dedication, proactive communication, and collaboration skillset to network to expand scientific knowledge. I have more than ten years of experience in effective territory leadership, currently oversee four significant states: Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, and a vital resource person for the Nation for Spanish-speaking patients.
Cristina Dominguez De Quezada
PhD, MSN, RN, CNE
El Paso, TX
Personal Background Statement: My name is Cristina Dominguez De Quezada; I am seeking election to serve as a national board of directors’ member. As a first-generation Mexican Hispanic, I am driven to improve the healthcare outcomes of the Hispanic community and inspire others to pursue their goals. I came to this country when I was 18 years old. Spanish is my first language, and I had to overcome many obstacles in my career. I earned my Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler. I wanted to obtain a doctoral degree to help and inspire others. When young nursing students see others who look like them, they feel inspired to continue their education. I have been a nurse for the past 14 years, 11 of which I have had the opportunity to educate future generations of nurses. I am blessed and humbled that I get to help others. I am inspired by NAHN’s mission to advance the health of our Hispanic communities. I believe we can achieve better health outcomes in our Hispanic communities by educating and advocating for our future Hispanic nurses. I became a NAHN member in 2018. I currently serve as the El Paso, Texas, chapter president. I am also an active diversity, equity, and inclusion committee member nationally. I believe in equal opportunities because, many times, I have not been given this opportunity. We, as Hispanic nurses, have a lot to bring to the table, and we need to let our voices be heard. I look forward to serving as a board member if given the opportunity to help advance the nursing profession.
Ivonne Hernandez
PhD, RN, IBCLC
Tampa, FL
Personal Background Statement: I am the Chief Officer of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing at the University of South Florida (USF). Serving in multiple roles to support representation as a member of the USF Status of Latinos (SOL) Presidential Advisory Committee and Council on Racial Justice and chair the Diversity Committee at the College of Nursing. I led the designation of our College as a Hispanic Serving Health Professions School as the institutional representative. I am a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) DEI Group and a fellow of the 2022 AACN Diversity Leadership Institute.
Actively engaged in community service as the President of the NAHN WestFL chapter to champion providing culturally sensitive health care for the Hispanic/Latinx community and mentorship and networking opportunities for nurses and nursing students. The nursing profession in academic, leadership, and workforce sectors must reflect the nation's changing demographic profile. I look forward to leading across differences and working to create change to impact DEI in the nursing profession to improve health outcomes for our nation. Experiences as a first-generation Latina ground me, and I am committed to serving on the NAHN National Board of Directors.
Crystal Loucel
MPH, MS, RN, PHN, HWNC-BC, CDCES
San Francisco, CA
Personal Background Statement: For over a decade Crystal Loucel has been a National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) member and public health nurse in San Francisco. Crystal obtained her Masters of Science in Nursing from UCSF and a Masters in Public Health from Loma Linda University with a Global Health Major. Since 2019 she has been working as a Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist (CDCES) and a Health & Wellness Nurse Coach (HWNC-BC). As a CDCES for the City & County of San Francisco she doubled the number of diabetes education classes in English, started group classes in Spanish, created a virtual telehealth curriculum during COVID-19, and implemented an insulin start shared medical visit. She previously served as NAHN's San Francisco chapter president for two years where she increased membership by 50%, increased the budget by 100%, and successfully led two Muevete Program Grants reaching over 200 Latinx families. Crystal currently serves as the Membership Committee Chair where she runs the social media presence and member recruitment. She volunteers as a career coach and mentor for dozens of nurses and students in the Bay Area. As a board member candidate, Crystal has the skills and dedication to implement NAHN’s mission by increasing visibility and membership.
Rosalia Molina
PHD, MSN, RN, CBPR
Leawood, KS
Personal Background Statement: I was raised in a tiny rural Mexican town. I always felt the desire to help others, but would have no opportunities if I remained in my town. I moved to Kansas City in 1995 and started my educational journey by first learning English and gaining a GED diploma. In 2006 I obtained my Associate Degree in Nursing and practiced at Research Medical Center as a bedside nurse from 2007 to 2022. While practicing as bedside nurse, I obtained a Master of Science in Nursing and started my new career as a nursing instructor at Research College of Nursing. In May 2022 I obtained a Doctorate in Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing from the University of Missouri and completed a Graduate Certificate in Participatory Health Research all of which enhanced my ability to conduct research to serve vulnerable populations.
My experience in service includes being a MRSA active member and participation in several committees at Research College of Nursing and Research Medical Center. I have been also a NANH member since November 2021. I believe that my leadership in NAHN will facilitate my active health research in marginalized and financially challenge populations.
Jamie Najera
BSN, RN
Berwyn, IL
Personal Background Statement: Allow me to introduce myself, I am Jamie Najera, registered nurse and graduate student from Illinois. I currently work as a Clinical Nurse Educator at Esperanza Health Center where I also serve on the DEI committee. Most recently, I ran a grassroots campaign for public office for my local school board. This fall, I will complete my MSN program from Chamberlain University. Through NAHN I have connected with incredible role models and found inspiration to go the extra mile in everything I do. My passion and experience would be a valuable asset to the Board of Directors.
I am humbly asking for your vote to serve on the NAHN National Board of Directors. I currently serve on the Executive Board of the Illinois Chapter. I stepped up to leadership when there was a lot of uncertainty at chapter level. Despite the challenges, our chapter remained strong and today we are thriving and growing. Throughout my time in local leadership, I've found an immense passion for becoming a nurse leader: promoting the nursing profession, helping increase opportunities for our Hispanic nurses, and promoting public health. I hope to continue that journey with you all.
NAHN National Nominating Committee Candidates
2 Open Seats
Luis Farfan
MSN, AGACNP-BC, CCRN
New York, NY
Personal Background Statement: I have worked as a Nurse for almost 15 years in different acute settings. I pursued my studies in Colombia in Critical care during my professional path. In the United States, I got my Master's degree as an acute care nurse practitioner for New York University; since then, I have been working at Columbia University Medical Center as part of the Nurse practitioner Cardiology team that covers CCU, heart failure, transplant and the STEMI coverage in hospital and route that comes to the emergency department. Now I am pursuing my studies as Doctor in nursing practice at Georgetown University; I decided to continue my journey to the DNP program because of my desire to get involved in academia and leadership. I want to be part of the Nominee Committee because I want to serve the nurse community from my experience and Hispanic background to improve healthcare.
NAHN National Board Secretary - 2023 Candidate
1 Open Seat
Blanca Martir
MSN, APRN-BC
Holland, PA
Personal Background Statement: My name is Blanca Martir. I have been a member of NAHN for over 20 years. I have serves in my local Chapter, Philadelphia as President, President Elect, Secretary and Treasurer. I am currently serving as Interim Secretary for National after being elected as a Board of Director. My commitment to NAHN stems from my own experience as a nurse for 50 years. I want to see the Nursing Profession serve our Hispanic Communities with Hispanic Nurses. I want to continue to support and encourage Hispanic Nurses in obtaining their education and growing in their profession. This is why I want to continue to serve in this organization and help make an impact to support our Nursing leaders. I am currently retired but teaching our future Hispanic Nurses and Health Professional at Esperanza College in Philadelphia. I enjoy sharing my experiences and challenges in my Nursing Career so that the students can be encouraged to continue their education and be prepared for their future in Nursing. It had been and honor to serve in the Board for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses and hope that I can continue this with your vote and support. Thank You so much for your support and membership in NAHN.
NAHN National Board Treasurer - 2023 Candidate
1 Open Seat
Rocio Sanchez
BSN, RN
Round Lake, IL
Personal Background Statement: I am Rocio Sanchez, and it is with the utmost enthusiasm that I would like to express my interest in the Treasurer position. My commitment to the organization has taken me from a student member to a Chapter Treasurer and NAHN finance committee co-chair. My passion for nursing, solid commitment to the Hispanic community, and interest in developing as a nurse leader make me an ideal candidate for Treasurer. There are several skills I'd immediately bring to the table as I am an effective project manager: In my role as Treasurer-Elect, I spearheaded the planning and execution of successful fundraising events. A consistent and meticulous eye for detail: I have always diligently followed my duties within NAHN's finance committee. I want to apply this same critical and detailed eye to my work as NAHN Treasurer, which is a role that requires careful attention to detail. As a passionate critical-care nurse leader, everything I have engaged in has been driven by the desire to advance, promote, and advocate for the Hispanic community and lead as an exemplary Hispanic nurse, as others within our NAHN familia have inspired me to do. I would be honored to serve you as Treasurer of NAHN.