eNews Leadership Update | Aug. 21, 2026
Dear AONL Members:
This weekly leadership column, for which I will have one each month, is an opportunity for me to share valuable information about your professional nursing leadership organization. Much like your own work, AONL is transactional (operational) and transformational (strategic). And we recognize you cannot be transformational without transactions.
The AONL operational model is designed to deliver consistent value to members while advancing the mission. That model centers us on listening to, engaging and convening members while allowing us to advocate for you as nurse leaders. At AONL we seek to accomplish this work with a team of 32 people, supporting more than 13,000 members.
AONL is structured by function – Education, Advocacy, Community (Membership), the Foundation, Professional Practice, Marketing, Operations, Governance and Strategy. Within each of the functions are processes that support the work, rooted in partnership. Between the AONL staff, the AONL and AONL Foundation Board members, member-led group leadership and volunteers, AONL Chapter and AONL members, we collaborate to identify priorities, test ideas, elevate best practices and scale what works for the field. This creates a cycle of learning and improvement - one that helps members respond to immediate pressures while also preparing for the future of nursing leadership.
Recently, some of the functions in our operational model have been elevated to support organizational maturity. This includes splitting the roles of membership and marketing, elevating the governance position and adding a strategy role. In addition, we’ve added some support positions within the functions. As good stewards of our resources, we’ve done this without adding cost.
Much like you, we are attuned to ensuring our business processes support our mission; and much like you, we have our challenges in accomplishing that. We strive to be transparent about those challenges – and opportunities – because we are here to serve you. Ultimately, serving you serves those you support – your teams and communities you care for.
Ensuring you are well-informed and connected to AONL is important to me, as the AONL CEO and to our team and our board. As I often say, we can’t be everything to everyone, but we can be something to somebody. But we need your help with that.
If you haven’t done so recently, please go into the AONL database and make sure your information is updated. Things change – jobs, addresses, emails, phone numbers. Updating this information will support and strengthen our connection with and to you.
I look forward to having this monthly opportunity to share AONL operations with you and while I already have plans for future columns, I value your voice as an AONL member and a nurse leader. I welcome you reaching out with questions or comments. Email me at czangerle@aha.org and I’ll do my best to respond either in an email or the column.
In the meantime, know this - your continued dedication to the work is driving the field forward and you are making an impact and shaping the future of healthcare. And for that, I say, thank you!
Claire M. Zangerle, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FAAN
Chief Executive Officer, American Organization for Nursing Leadership
Chief Nurse Executive, American Hospital Association