State Grassroots Liaison Program 3/19/08 Since 2004, State Grassroots Liaisons have worked with AACN staff and the Government Affairs Committee (GAC) to a) coordinate AACN member visits to their Senators during the AACN Fall and Spring annual meetings; b) mentor less experienced Deans/Directors/Chairs in Capitol Hill visits; c) keep the GAC and AACN staff informed of state legislative issues related to nursing education and research; d) monitor their state for new or reopened nursing programs; e) advise the GAC on educational needs of the AACN membership; and f) serve in the role for 2 years with the possibility of reappointment. The following are confirmed State Grassroots Liaisons: Alabama Sara Barger-The University of Alabama Barbara Witt-Auburn University Alaska Jean Ballantyne-University of Alaska Anchorage Arizona Marjorie Isenberg-University of Arizona Bernadette Melnyk-Arizona State University Arkansas Rebecca Burris-Arkansas Tech University Thomas Kippenbrock-University of Arkandsas-Fayetteville California Ellen Olshansky-University of California-Irvine Aja Tulleners-Lesh-Azusa Pacific University Colorado Pat Moritz-University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Connecticut Jeanne Novotny-Fairfield University Delaware Kenneth Miller-University of Delaware Florida Nilda Peragallo-University of Miami Jean Wortock-St. Petersburg College Georgia Lucy Marion-Medical College of Georgia Lisa Eichelberger-Clayton State University Hawaii Mary Boland-University of Hawaii at Manoa Idaho Carol Ashton-Idaho State University Illinois Linda Samson-Governors State University Maria Connolly-University of Saint Francis Indiana Julie Novak-Purdue University Carol Sternberger-Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Iowa Contact AACN GA staff at gthrowe@aacn.nche.edu Kansas Juanita Tate-Wichita State University Cynthia Hornberger-Washburn University Kentucky Jane Kirschling-University of Kentucky Marilyn Musacchio-Spalding University Louisiana Norann Planchock-Northwestern State University of Louisiana Maine Barbara Higgins-Husson College Maryland Judith Feustle-Villa Julie College Massachusetts Kathleen Scoble-Elms College Michigan Linda Thompson Adams-Oakland University Suzanne Mellon-University of Detroit Mercy Minnesota Ruth Lindquist-University of Minnesota Marti Witrak-The College of Saint Scholastica Mississippi Kaye Bender-University of Mississippi Medical Center Lizabeth Carlson-Delta State University Missouri Nancy DeBasio-Research College of Nursing Susan Fetsch-Avila University Montana Elizabeth Nichols-Montana State University-Bozeman Nebraska Virginia Tilden-University of Nebraska Medical Center Eleanor Howell-Creighton University Nevada Connie Carpenter-Nevada State College Patsy Ruchala-University of Nevada-Reno New Hampshire Lynette Hamlin-University of New Hampshire Paula Williams-Rivier College New Jersey Phyllis Hansell-Seton Hall University Felissa Lashley-Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey New Mexico Karen Carlson-University of New Mexico Esperanza Villaneuva Joyce-New Mexico State University New York Glenda Kelman-The Sage Colleges Verna Kieffer-D'Youville College North Carolina Virginia Adams-University of North Carolina-Wilmington North Dakota Chandice Covington-University of North Dakota Ohio Jeri Milstead-The University of Toledo Patricia Martin-Wright State University Oklahoma Carole Kenner-University of Oklahoma Oregon Saundra Theis-Oregon Health and Science University Pennsylvania Christine Alichnie-Bloomsburg University Rhode Island Jane Williams-Rhode Island College South Carolina Peggy Hewlett-University of South Carolina Rosanne Pruitt -Clemson University South Dakota Roberta Olson-South Dakota State University Tennessee Patty Kraft-Carson-Newman College Texas Josephine Kahler-Texas A&M University-Texarkana Utah Maureen Keefe-University of Utah Vermont Gregg Newschwander-University of Vermont Virginia Richardean Benjamin-Old Dominion University Washington Nancy Fugate Woods-University of Washington West Virginia Rose Kutlenios-Wheeling Jesuit University Wisconsin Sally Lundeen-University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee Rosemary Smith - University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh Wyoming Mary Burman-University of Wyoming   Government Affairs | AACN Home Copyright © 2007 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. All rights reserved.