Candidate to fill the vacancy created by Danya Garner:
President
Name: Goley Richardson
Bio: I have served on the Board of HCONS for three years as a voting member while serving in the Secretary, Treasurer-elect, and Treasurer positions. For the last year I have been a non-voting member working with the archive project; creating a digital space to store the work and documents of the Board for current Board members to access readily and future members to have available as a resource.
While Treasurer in 2019 -2020, I worked with Valerie Stiner and LanAnh Nguyen in navigating the unusual circumstances during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the annual vendor fair. Having to communicate with our vendors and make difficult decisions on the Board regarding how to proceed the upcoming year. We must be creative in how we bring learning opportunities to our chapter members. I think I may be more tech-savvy than my teenagers…probably not, but close! During this experience, I learned the role of the president is to serve as the support person to all the different committee chairs to ensure that they have the necessary resources to provide our members the many wonderful opportunities for professional growth.
I have the experience to continue this practice through my work experience at MD Anderson. I lead our program for shared governance and collaborate with nurses from all different areas and our interprofessional partners to assist them on projects and initiatives to provide our patients the best care possible. I believe HCONS does this same type of work by providing its chapter members the necessary tools and experiences to develop into leaders in the community, supporting and advocating for our cancer patients in all areas whether it’s at the bedside, at the Capitol in Austin and/or Washington D.C. I hope you will give me the opportunity to continue serving HCONS and its members by electing me to lead our Board in their great work.
President Elect
#1
Name: Joaquin Buitrago
Bio: My professional background includes continuous ONS membership since 2005 and active involvement in HCONS for eight years, more recently as chairman of the education committee. I served in the US Army as a military nurse for seven years participating in active and reserve roles and in numerous collateral assignments that included planning, education, and leadership.
Currently, I am a Nurse Educator at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center involved in a variety of educational activities and nursing professional development. In addition, I am involved in other institutional committees that include policy review, peer review, and nursing informatics, among others. My interest in the HCONS leadership derives from my passion to serve such a welcoming organization with a common interest for the oncology nursing community. With this background, I am well versed in Oncology Nursing issues and familiar with HCONS processes and vision.
#2
Name: Cassandra Green MSN, RN, OCN
Bio: I began my nursing career 6 years ago in radiation oncology. I learned and enjoyed it so much and recently transitioned to the Oncology Nurse Navigator role for Houston Methodist Clear Lake. I joined HCONS in 2015 shortly after becoming a nurse at the advice of my colleague who felt it would help me grow as a nurse and I just fell in love with the organization. I love meeting everyone and all the wonderful education opportunities. The camaraderie is just phenomenal. I have served as treasurer which has been interesting during this pandemic. I look forward to serving HCONS in the future as it has served me!
Secretary
Name: Kristin Johnson
Bio: My name is Kristin Johnson, and I am currently the HCONS Secretary for 2021. I have been an oncology nurse for 13 years, OCN certified since 2009, and recently completed my MSN in Nursing Administration. I have enjoyed being a part of the HCONS Board over the past year, networking with the other board members, learning about our involvement with the nursing community, and slowly easing back into in-person education events. I would like to run for the position of Secretary again for 2022, where I can continue to put my organizational skills to use by transcribing the meeting minutes, keeping track of decisions made, questions raised, and topics discussed at each meeting. This past year has been a fascinating learning experience, and I look forward to serving our Houston Chapter members for another year as Secretary. Thank you.
Treasurer-Elect
Name: Rose Moore
Bio: I am a highly motivated, oncology nursing professional with over 20 years of diverse industry experience. With a strong track record in identifying opportunities, I excel in improving processes and increasing financial returns. Specifically, I love and have had great success in strategic use of data to assess, discover, and pivot plans to manage and even improve fiscal responsibilities among projects and programs. I am confident that my experience and drive will be a good fit to be the next Treasurer of the HCONS.
Thank you for your consideration