AONL’s Begley to retire at end of 2024

Robyn Begley, CEO of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, AONL Foundation president and AHA’s chief nursing officer, announced her plans to retire at the end of this year.

Begley, who has served in her current roles for seven years, is widely respected throughout the hospital field and the nursing community, and she has accomplished a great deal during her tenure. When she started in her role, Begley refocused the mission of the then-American Organization of Nurse Executives on nursing leadership development and excellence and rebranded it to become AONL. Through these efforts, AONL increased its membership from 9,000 to 12,000 members.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Begley brought her more than four decades as a front-line caregiver and nursing leader to bear to help lead and support hospitals navigate that unprecedented time. Among other accomplishments, Begley has overseen the development of the AHA’s and AONL’s pivotal work on workforce advanced key initiatives on quality and patient safety and future care delivery models, as well as promoted diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in nursing leadership and within AONL.

In her announcement, Begley said, “It has been my honor to serve this incredible membership. You are truly dedicated to making health care better for the patients we serve and I am in awe of your positivity and sense of camaraderie and collaboration.”

A search for Begley’s successor will begin next month.