Alabama ENA State Board Officer Election Vote

With over 17 years of combined experience as an emergency nurse, paramedic, and clinical education specialist, I have dedicated my career to advancing the practice of emergency nursing through education, leadership, and service. My work has included serving on trauma teams, developing innovative onboarding and preceptorship pathways, assisting with the creation of an emergency department critical response team, and piloting Alabama’s first ENA Emergency Nurse Residency Program. These initiatives reflect my commitment to clinical excellence, evidence-based practice, and building systems that strengthen both patient outcomes and the emergency nursing workforce.My service to the Emergency Nurses Association has been a cornerstone of my professional growth and advocacy. I currently serve as State Secretary and Membership Chair for Alabama ENA, and have represented our state as a Delegate to the ENA General Assembly. Nationally, I have served as Chair of the ENA EMS Advisory Committee, ENA Liaison to the Prehospital Guideline Consortium, and as a presenter at the ENA Leadership Conference. Additionally, my leadership roles within the Alabama State Nurses Association and involvement in DEI, policy, and professional development committees further demonstrate my dedication to ENA’s vision of being the premier resource for emergency nursing worldwide.As President-Elect, I will build on ENA’s mission, vision, and values—advocacy, compassion, inclusivity, and leadership—to advance emergency nursing across Alabama. My goals include:· Expanding educational opportunities for emergency nurses through statewide initiatives and innovative training programs.· Strengthening membership engagement and outreach, ensuring nurses in every corner of Alabama feel connected and supported.· Fostering collaboration with healthcare, academic, and community partners to promote patient safety and nursing excellence.· Advocating at the state and national levels for policies that protect and empower emergency nurses while enhancing patient care.I am honored to serve, and I believe my clinical expertise, educational leadership, and proven commitment to ENA uniquely position me to continue advancing the work of emergency nurses across our state. Together, we will ensure that Alabama ENA remains a strong, innovative, and inclusive voice for emergency nursing.

I am an ED Clinical Educator for Auburn University. I have been an ED Nurse since 1997 and have been very active with the Emergency Nurses Association and Alabama Emergency Nurses Association since 2001. I am a current Alabama ENA Government Affairs Chair and have represented our state at both state and national Day on the Hill since 2009. I am a nurse advocate against violence in the emergency department and violence against emergency nurses since 2001 at a state and national level. My biggest platform is safety for Emergency Nurses and stopping violence in Emergency Departments, along with making violence against ED nurses a Federal crime and prosecuting perpetrators to the maximum level as a felony.  I am vigilant about making the ED accessible to all who are in need, with children being of utmost importance and advocating for ED accessibility to veterans, along with advocating for appropriate access for psychiatric patients. I have worked in the emergency department for several years before becoming a nurse, as a paramedic. My professional affiliations include:Emergency Nurses Association, Alabama Emergency Nurses Association, Government Affairs Chair for Alabama Emergency Nurses Association, Awards Committee person for Emergency Nurses Association at the National level, Alabama Nurses Association. I have served as a delegate in Emergency Nurses Association General Assembly many times since 2006. I am involved in numerous research programs through ENA. I am interested in taking my involvement with ALENA to a higher level as a candidate for the Secretary position. I believe I could execute the secretary role's duties well, as I have been actively involved in our state charter and national ENA for more than 25 years. I want to take on more responsibilities in our state charter, ALENA, as the 2026-2027 Secretary. I would excel in this position with the knowledge and experience I have as an ED Nurse, ALENA member, and ENA member for more than 25 years. My visions and goals are to progress forward in our charter and to add and encourage new membership. In my career I have held many leadership roles, such as manager of a large level 1 trauma center, charge nurse in numerous EDs, house supervisor in 4 different hospitals, Lead Flight Nurse, Preceptor, GA Chair, Advocacy and Lobbyist in DC as the Government Affairs Chair for ALENA.

My name is Audra Ford and I have been an ENA member since 2001. I became active within the state council a short time later and served on various committees and have attended General Assembly as a delegate for many years. In 2013-2014, I served as AL ENA president and have served as treasurer during other terms since then. I have been an ED nurse since 2000 and pursued graduate education in Nursing Administration (MSN). My academic and professional experience has been emergency nursing leadership and management. In my professional role, I am responsible for the oversight of departmental operations. Within the AL ENA, I am familiar with operational budgeting and financial management of the council as well as association requirements by National ENA, the IRS and other agencies. Being a member of ENA and active at the state level has remained a top priority for me as I truly love this profession and organization. It is very important to me that our council remain strong so that we can influence and have positive impact for all emergency nurses.