Governance & Board Leadership
Role‑specific content for presidents, presidents‑elect, board members, and chief staff
officers focused on decision‑making, board dynamics, and strategic alignment.
SAVE THE DATE
NOA Annual Meeting & Leadership Academy
Louisville, Kentucky
AUGUST 13-15, 2026
Join the most influential minds in nursing for three days of strategy, networking, and leadership development.
The Countdown Begins
NOA Annual Meeting & Leadership Academy
One Flagship Experience, Built for Nursing Leaders.
NOA hosts one educational event each year, the Annual Meeting & Leadership Academy, designed specifically for elected volunteer board leaders and staff leaders from national nursing organizations.
Across three days, participants move through governance, strategy, and leadership development content that you simply cannot find at generic conferences. Presidents, presidents‑elect, board officers, and chief staff officers learn together, compare experiences, and leave with practical tools they can apply immediately.
The program blends large‑group sessions and intentionally designed networking that makes it easy to build relationships with peers from more than 40 national nursing organizations.
Expect a focused, high‑trust learning environment. Every element of the
meeting is built around strengthening governance, advancing nursing organizations, and equipping
today’s and tomorrow’s leaders.
2026 Program
Nine sessions. Three days. Built for nursing leaders.
The 2026 program brings together structured sessions, hands-on workshops, and facilitated peer dialogue — all designed for the elected board leaders and staff executives of national nursing organizations. Every topic reflects the governance, workforce, and leadership challenges the field is navigating right now.
View the Full Schedule & Presenters- Building Organizational Resilience
- Legal & Governance: Nonprofit Board Behavior
- AI Ethics in Nursing Organizations
- World Café — Facilitated Peer Dialogue
- Keynote: Harmony Over Hustle — Sustainable Leadership, Well-Being & Impact
- Workshop: Diagnose. Design. Deliver.
- Workshop: Healing the Healers — From Insight to Action
- Critical Roles of Successful Board Members
- AI in Healthcare: Applications, Emerging Technologies & Leadership Considerations
What Leaders Experience at the NOA Annual Meeting.
The Annual Meeting & Leadership Academy is built around the realities of leading a national nursing organization today, from board governance and strategy to membership, workforce, and partnership conversations.
Strategy, Workforce & Innovation
Sessions that surface emerging issues across member organizations, with space to compare
approaches to workforce, membership models, partnerships, and advocacy priorities.
Curated Networking & Community
Structured opportunities to connect with leaders facing similar challenges, plus
informal gatherings that make it easy to build a trusted national peer network.
What to Expect in Louisville
Three days, one location, the leadership of the profession.
01
Strategy
Sessions and frameworks built for the leaders of national nursing organizations.
02
Connection
Cross-specialty conversation across the leadership tier of the profession.
03
Leadership
Programming designed for elected volunteer boards and senior staff leaders.
Plan Your Travel
Program Begins
Thursday, August 13
9:00 AM ET
Program Concludes
Saturday, August 15
11:00 AM ET
Friday Evening
Offsite reception hosted by the city of Louisville. Always a highlight. Details to follow.
Suggested Attire
Business casual throughout.
Program Schedule
Full session details, speakers, and program information.
9:00 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Lisa Nguyen, MS, CAE · Alphonzo Baker Sr., DNP, MSN, RN, CAPA
9:15 AM
Building Organizational Resilience
Renee Thompson
10:45 AM
Morning Break
11:00 AM
Legal & Governance: Nonprofit Board Behavior, Part 1
Nisha Thakker, Tenebond Law Group
12:00 PM
Lunch
1:15 PM
Legal & Governance: Nonprofit Board Behavior, Part 2
Nisha Thakker, Tenebond Law Group
2:15 PM
AI Ethics in Nursing Organizations: A Panel Discussion
Nursing Organization CEOs & Executive Directors
3:00 PM
Break
3:15 PM
World Café
Facilitated peer dialogue
4:30 PM
Networking
Open networking before the evening reception
5:30 PM
Opening Reception with Exhibitors
Hosted bar and light bites
8:00 AM
Breakfast with Exhibitors
9:00 AM
Keynote: Harmony Over Hustle — Designing Sustainable Leadership, Well-Being, and Impact in Nursing
Sharon Weinstein, MS, RN, CRNI-R, CSP, FACW, FAAN & Dina Readinger
10:00 AM
Workshop: Diagnose. Design. Deliver.
Sharon Weinstein, MS, RN, CRNI-R, CSP, FACW, FAAN & Dina Readinger
10:45 AM
Break with Exhibitors
11:15 AM
Workshop: Healing the Healers — From Insight to Action
Sharon Weinstein, MS, RN, CRNI-R, CSP, FACW, FAAN & Dina Readinger
12:15 PM
Lunch
1:45 PM
Critical Roles of Successful Board Members, Part 1
Donna Godfrey, Godfrey Training Associates
2:45 PM
Break
3:00 PM
Critical Roles of Successful Board Members, Part 2
Donna Godfrey, Godfrey Training Associates
5:30 PM
Exhibit Hall Reception
Light appetizers · Hosted bar · Exhibitor giveaways
7:30 PM
Evening Offsite Reception — Kentucky Derby Museum
Dinner · Entertainment · Transportation from hotel provided
8:00 AM
Breakfast
8:30 AM
Annual Business Meeting
Presided by Alphonzo Baker Sr., DNP, MSN, RN, CAPA, NOA President
9:30 AM
Break
9:45 AM
AI in Healthcare: Current Applications, Emerging Technologies, and Leadership Considerations
Matthew Byrne, RN · Speaker confirmation pending
10:45 AM
Closing Remarks
Lisa Nguyen, MS, CAE · Alphonzo Baker Sr., DNP, MSN, RN, CAPA
11:00 AM
Program Concludes
Schedule subject to change. CE details available in the Program & CE section below.
Louisville: A Walkable River City for Meetings.
Downtown Louisville blends waterfront views, historic architecture, and a nationally recognized food and bourbon scene, all within a compact, walkable district around the meeting venues and hotels.
From Museum Row and Whiskey Row to the riverfront and nearby entertainment districts, attendees can easily explore iconic attractions and local spots before and after sessions, without needing a rental car.
The NOA Annual Meeting leverages this setting by keeping education, networking, and the best of Louisville just steps away from the hotel.
Everything You Need for the 2026 Annual Meeting.
As details are finalized, this page will be your hub for the full program, registration, sponsor information, housing & travel, and general policies.
Program & Continuing Education
The 2026 NOA Annual Meeting & Leadership Academy will offer continuing education opportunities across all three days of programming. CE details, including contact hour totals and session-level approval information, will be published as approvals are finalized.
Continuing Education Notice
Sessions are planned for submission to an ANCC-accredited approver for continuing education approval. NOA will also be submitting for CAE credit recognition through ASAE. Confirmed CE and CAE award information will be published as approvals are finalized.
Registration
Registration for the 2026 NOA Annual Meeting and Leadership Academy is now open. Register yourself, your team, or on behalf of attendees from your organization.
Early bird pricing: Save $50 per registration when you use code EARLYBIRD2026
at checkout. Offer expires May 15, 2026.
| Registration Tier | Standard | Early Bird |
|---|---|---|
| Member Organization | $475 | $425 |
| Non-Member Organization | $575 | $525 |
| Group Registration (3+) | $425 | $375 |
Group rate applies automatically when registering 3 or more attendees. You may register attendees now and provide their individual details later.
Sponsors & Exhibitors
The NOA Annual Meeting & Leadership Academy offers a limited number of sponsorship and exhibit opportunities aligned with the needs of national nursing organizations.
If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at the 2026 meeting, please complete the brief interest form, and a member of the NOA team will follow up with details as they are finalized.
General Information & Event Policies
NOA is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for all participants. The Annual Meeting & Leadership Academy is governed by NOA’s anti‑discrimination and anti‑harassment policies, as well as its event code of conduct.
- Anti‑discrimination and anti‑harassment expectations.
- Dress code guidance for educational sessions and evening events.
- Affiliate group and committee meeting schedules.
- Exhibit hours and dedicated time in the program for sponsor engagement.
- Cancellation and substitution policies for registrations and housing.
As specific policy language and schedules for 2026 are confirmed, this section will link to detailed documents and forms, including waivers, privacy notices, and related disclaimers.
Trusted by the world's leading nursing organizations
40+
National Organizations
800k+
Nurses Represented
1
Unified Voice
NOA is the collaborative hub for elected volunteer leaders and staff executives from national nursing organizations, advancing the future of the profession together.