Plenary Session Speakers

Tim Porter-O’Grady has been involved in health care leadership for over 40 years and is nationally known for expertise in the professional governance practice.

Andrew Knight is the Vice Dean for Education & Globalization and Professor of Organizational Behavior in the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. Knight’s research and teaching address leadership, teamwork, and people analytics, with attention specifically on the contexts of entrepreneurship and health care. 

Sharon Pappas is the Chief Nurse Executive for Emory Healthcare. She is a member of Emory Healthcare and the Woodruff Health Science Center’s senior leadership teams and is responsible for nursing practice across Emory’s hospitals, ambulatory care, and post-acute agencies.

Williams serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), the 1541-bed three-time ANCC Magnet ® designated, level I trauma, Academic medical center. YNHH serves as the flagship for the Yale New Haven Health System. Dr. Williams has responsibilities for planning, overseeing, and coordinating nursing, clinical practice, nursing research, and education to ensure the delivery of quality care. Dr. Williams is the President-Elect of AONL.

Shanna recently moved to Colorado after graduating nursing school in 2023. She is currently working at Children’s Hospital Colorado on their Level 8 Medical Unit and will graduate their New Graduate RN Residency Program in August. She was inspired to obtain her nursing degree after working with AONL, first as their administrative assistant, and then as the Education Coordinator for 5 years. Her theatre experience and training include Second City, improv Olympic (iO) Theater, and MINT music improv in Chicago, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, as well as many others.