Board of Directors

David A. Wyatt, PhD, MA, MPH, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, is the Chief Nursing Officer of the University Hospitals at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. He is responsible for nursing leadership and care delivery including; inpatient, critical care, emergency, perioperative, procedural and other specialty nursing care. David is an experienced leader in the perioperative specialty and has held prior leadership roles in perioperative services at various medical centers. David has been involved in strategic development and physician relations for the surgery service lines, and information technology implementations in the perioperative setting, including scheduling, intraoperative documentation, and selection processes for hospital-wide systems. He has also worked on performance improvement, patient outcome management, and patient safety projects, designing methods of data collection based from computerized documentation. Wyatt has served on the AORN Board of Directors, 2008-2012, and is the recipient of the 2015 AORN Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing.

Holly S. Ervine, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CNOR, is a surgical services professional educator, nursing for Wellstar Health System in Atlanta, Georgia. Holly joined AORN and became an involved member of the Northwest Georgia Chapter and has held various positions in the chapter, including committees, board of directors, and president. She has been selected as the Perioperative Nurse of the Year five times. Holly has been a member of the Georgia Council of PeriOperative Nurses serving as a member of the board, chair-elect, and chair, and is currently serving as chair. She has served on numerous national committees and is a member of the Leadership Specialty Assembly and Clinical Nurse Educator Specialty Assembly. Holly received her CNOR certification in 2004 and her Board Certification by ANCC in Nursing Professional Development in 2018. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau ~ Pi Nu Chapter and the Golden Key International Honour Society ~ Walden University Chapter. Holly is currently serving as the AORN President-Elect.

Elizabeth S. Pincus, MSN, MBA, RN, ACNS-BC, CNS-CP, CNOR, is a Clinical Nurse at Regional Medical Center, San Jose, California. She earned her bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Hartford, West Hartford, Connecticut; her bachelor of science in nursing from Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York; her master of science in nursing as an adult health clinical nurse specialist and her post-master’s certificate in nursing education from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; and her master of business administration in health care administration from City University of New York, Baruch College, New York.

Lizz has worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Educator, Team Leader, Circulator and Scrub Nurse. She is currently serving as the AORN Vice President and is the co-chair of the New York State Council. Previously, Lizz has served as Secretary and as a member of the Board of Directors. She is a peer reviewer for the AORN Journal and has been a mentor to AORN Foundation scholarship winners. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau and the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. Lizz serves as a volunteer on the NACNS Legislative/Regulatory Committee and was a member on the NACNS Education Committee for several years. Lizz is a medical volunteer for NY Road Runners and has served as a medical volunteer for Global Smile Foundation. She has volunteered with CCI for both the CNOR and CNS-CP examinations.

Darlene B. Murdock, BSN, BA, RN, CNOR, CSSM, TNCC is a certified perioperative nurse with over 25 years of experience specializing in caring for trauma patients. She is employed as a clinical staff RN IV at Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center. Darlene has served on AORN national committees and specialty assemblies and locally as a large chapter president. Darlene is presently serving as AORN National Secretary. Prior to serving as Secretary, she served two years as a member of AORN’s Board of Directors. Murdock presently serves on the Nurse Peer Review Council at her facility and provides leadership for two Magnet committees functioning as an effective change agent throughout her facility. In 2018, she received AORN’s Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Clinical Practice and was recognized as one of the Federation of Houston Professional Women’s ‘Woman of Excellence’ in 2014. Murdock is an AORN Journal writer, AORN National Convention podium and poster presenter, and editor-in-chief of two newsletters. She speaks nationally on the emergent care of trauma patients. She serves her community as a volunteer for Project Cure, Medical Bridges, Stop the Bleed, and Live Your Dreams.

Vangie Dennis is the Executive Director of WellStar Atlanta Medical Center and Atlanta Medical Center South located in the metropolitan area of Atlanta. Professional organizations include the Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN), Laser Institute of America, AORN Specialty Assemblies, Laser Institute of America, American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopist, and the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery.

She is on the editorial board for the Journal for Clinical Laser Medicine and Surgery, Outpatient Surgery and for OR Nurse. Vangie has been published and cited in publications such as “OR Nurse, American Health, Laparoscopic Update, Surgical Services Management, Infection Control Today, OR Manager, Today’s OR, Outpatient Surgery, and Same Day Surgery. She is also the author for the “Medcom Module: Laparoscopic Approach for Treatment of Urinary Stress Incontinence", referenced in “The Joint Commission's 2003 National Patient Safety Goals”, co-published the nursing Chapter 9, “The Team-Nursing’s Perspective” in the book Principles of Laparoscopic Surgery, Chapter 20 Laser Risks and Perioperative Safety: Donna Watson's Perioperative Safety, Author of the 2011 AORN Recommended Practices for Lasers, author for the AORN Laser Study Guide, Module, and video. Published Chapter 14 Lasers in Radiology Nursing: Advanced Practice and Leadership in Radiology Nursing. Vangie sits on the Clinical Advisory Boards for the Gwinnett Technical School.

Ms. Dennis is an independent consultant, lectures on lasers and nursing practice. Vangie has lectured nationally and internationally for AORN, AORN Chapters, Advanced Technology Specialty Assembly, American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery, The International Laser Safety Conference, Canadian Nurses Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, American Association Gynecological Laparoscopists, MedSun CODA Conference, and Medical Societies and facilities. Vangie is on the Board of Directors for Laser Institute of America, the chair for the National Certification on Lasers, Board of Directors for AORN National, Past President of the NW AORN Chapter, Past Treasurer for the Georgia Council of Nurses and committee representative for the American National Standards Institute. She is a recipient named in Strathmore’s WHO’s WHO, the recipient of the 1996 Nursing Excellence Award from the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery, awarded the 2011 R. James Rockwell Jr. Educational Achievement Award, and the 2011 AORN Award for Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Clinical Nursing Education. She is the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Nurse of the Year for the Georgia March of Dimes and 2019 Manager of the year for OR Manager. Vangie was also awarded Perioperative nurse of the year for the Georgia Council of Perioperative Nurses and for the AORN Northwest Chapter. Vangie is a member of Emory Alpha Epsilon Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Nakeisha Archer has over 15 years of formal leadership experience in various progressive roles, and has led several teams successfully. She has a Masters in Business and Healthcare Management, is in the process of obtaining her DNP, as well as has attended many conferences, and Quality training courses to master this concept. She is currently in an organization that has many change initiatives underway at which she is leading teams to integrate Perioperative services policies, procedures, and standards in everyday practice. She is past President of the Greater Houston chapter of AORN, and she is always on the cusp of change and innovation in her chapter and her organization.

J. Stephen Balog, MSN, RN, CNOR, has been involved in a variety of local, state, and national activities. He has served as the chair of VCORN and on the Board of Directors of his local AORN chapter in South Carolina. Nationally, he has served on a variety of committees and task forces. He was a member of the Nominating Committee and helped to develop a tool to evaluate potential national candidates for office. He currently serves on the AORN Board of Directors.

Vicki J. Barnett, MSN, RN, CNOR, has 35 years of nursing proficiency in a career punctuated by progressive clinical experience, challenging leadership projects and fulfilling management roles in complex perioperative settings. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and is on the Board Chapter Visits Committee, liaison for the National Legislative and Membership Forums, and the Leadership Specialty Assembly. Vicki is a candidate on the current ballot for a second term on the Board. Recognized for her professional contributions by the March of Dimes, she received the “Georgia Nurse of the Year” award in 2015, the award for Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Management and Georgia Council Outstanding Perioperative Nurse of the Year in 2005. Having held numerous chapter offices, she is currently on the Board of Directors for AORN Peach State Chapter #1116.

Vicki speaks at conferences nationally and internationally on perioperative topics including transformational leadership, surgical facility design, and patient safety. She advocates for women’s healthcare and education on the Advisory Board for the Ovarian Cancer Institute (OCI), and as an active member of P.E.O., a philanthropic educational organization supporting the international advancement of women’s education.

William "Bill" J. Duffy, RN, MJ, CNOR, FAAN, is the program director for the Nursing and Healthcare Administration masters of science in nursing at Loyola University of Chicago. Bill was the 2004-2005 National President of the AORN, where he led the Association's initiative for National Time Out Day to eliminate wrong site surgery. He has spoken nationally and internationally on health law and nursing leadership topics in addition to being an accomplished author of many articles in nursing journals and publications. Mr. Duffy has received numerous recognitions including the Nursing Spectrum's National Award for Excellence in Leading the Profession, the Loyola University's School of Nursing Distinguished Alumnae Award, AORN's Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing, and, in 2011, he was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. Bill is a firm believer in the power of nurses to touch the lives of their patients and to shape the future of healthcare.

Brenda G. Larkin, MS, RN, CNOR, ACNS-BC, is a Clinical Nurse Specialist for perioperative services at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center and Aurora Memorial Hospital Burlington. She has been a member of AORN Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter 5001 since 2002. Brenda has been a lead facilitator for the OR Clinical Nurse Specialist Specialty Workgroup since 2003. This group provides educational programs for orientation and clinical development to the nursing staff at participating hospitals in our hospital corporation. Brenda supports the nursing staff at both hospitals to perform quality improvement initiatives either as part of the shared governance council work, or in support of their formal educational programs. Brenda has presented several educational sessions at national professional organization meetings on perioperative nursing topics.

Brandy Miller, MHA, MSN, RN, CNOR, is the Director of Surgical Services for Southwest Surgical Suites in Fort Wayne, IN. She has been a perioperative nurse for 22 years and a member of AORN for 20 years. She was a member of AORN Twin Cities, Illinois Chapter 1416 (1999-2006) and over the last 14 years, she has served the AORN of Greater Fort Wayne, Indiana Chapter 1503 in roles as Treasurer, Board Member, and President numerous times. Brandy served on the AORN National Leadership Task Force and is a member of the AORN the Ambulatory Surgery Specialty Assembly (2010-present), the Pediatric Specialty Assembly (2010-present), the Leadership Specialty Assembly (2010-present), and the Sterile Processing/Supply Chain Management Specialty Assembly (2011-present). Brandy developed and presented “AORN Membership: What’s it All About?” to her local chapter in 2010 and completed the research project “Understanding the Value of and Perceived Barriers for Earning Specialty Certification in Perioperative Nurses” for her master of science in nursing degree (2008-2009). In other leadership roles, she has served as a CCI Champion for the promotion of CNOR certification, a nurse mentor for both baccalaureate and master in nursing degree students, and served on the University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne, IN Nurse Advisory Council (2013-2014). In her community, Brandy is active in the 100+ Women Who Care, NeighborLink, and enjoys attending and supporting area non-profit fundraisers.

Kristy Simmons, MSN, RN, CNOR, is a clinical nurse III specializing in neonatal surgery. She's a pediatric team leader and the ANCC Magnet nurse ambassador chair for Woman's Hospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She received diploma in Nursing from Our Lady of Lake School of Nursing, her BSN from Loyola University New Orleans, and Masters of Science in Nursing from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Kristy has been a perioperative nurse for over 38 years and a member of AORN for over 30 years, serving as chapter president, vice-president, and treasurer, of the Baton Rouge Chapter if AORN 1904 and chair of the Louisiana State Council of AORN Chapters. Kristy is currently serving her second term as a member of the national AORN Board of Directors. Kristy is a former member of the Nominating and Leadership and Development committee. Kristy has coauthored several AORN Pulseline, Connections and Journal articles, and spoken at both national and international conferences on perioperative research, disaster nursing, pediatric and neonatal surgery, Leadership, ANCC Magnet process, fetal surgery EXIT procedure, Nursing Storytelling and the Future Nurse Club she established in her community. Kristy has presented numerous research and clinical posters at numerous nursing organizations at the local, state and national level.

Kristy has served on numerous AORN task-forces and committees at the local, state and national level including the membership committee, nominating committee, award committee, Policy and By-Laws, Ambulatory Surgery Specialty Assembly, and served on the coordinating council of the Pediatric Specialty Assembly. Other professional memberships include, Baton Rouge District Nursing Association, Louisiana State Nurses Association, ANA, and Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing.

Kristy has been honored to receive the very first ANCC National Magnet Nurse of the Year for Exemplary Professional Practice and the AORN National Researcher of the Year and AORN Outstanding Volunteer of the Year, along with being honored in her state by receiving the Louisiana Nightingale Award. She has participated in numerous medical missions trips in Mexico and Honduras.