News Releases

The Center for Health Affairs Announces NEONI Redesign

 The Center for Health Affairs is rolling out a redesign of NEONI, its regional healthcare workforce collaborative. At a June 14 meeting of NEONI members, leadership presented plans for a new governance structure as well as a new approach for determining and pursuing the work of NEONI. The NEONI redesign is the culmination of a year-long process to evaluate the initiative’s effectiveness and member satisfaction and to develop a new structure that will allow it to be more nimble and responsive to member needs and interests.

Among the most significant changes to take place will be the establishment of a member-driven Advisory Board that will spearhead an issues-based agenda. The Advisory Board will be led by the NEONI chair and vice chair and will be composed of up to 15 members, with balanced representation of practice, academia and individual members. The primary function of the Advisory Board will be to advise the Executive Committee regarding current and future deliverables and to direct projects and initiatives.

The make-up of the Executive Committee remains unchanged. It includes the chair, vice chair and outgoing chair as well as The Center for Health Affairs’ Senior Vice President of Member Services, Lisa Anderson, and Director of Healthcare Workforce/NEONI Operations, Pam Waite.

In support of NEONI’s goal of adapting quickly to membership needs and establishing an issues-oriented agenda, a new workgroup structure is also being established. The three standing groups, detailed below, will be supplemented by ad hoc groups as needed.

1. THE ISSUES WORKGROUP will focus on exploring and vetting issues of importance from the general NEONI membership through surveys, interviews and focus groups. This workgroup will focus on short-term projects that result in rapid and practical outcomes for the membership as directed by the Advisory Board.
2. THE INITIATIVES WORKGROUP receives long-term project assignments from the Advisory Board that are more complex and more time and resource intensive. The workgroup will evaluate projects and devise and execute a plan, with deliverables and actionable output.
3. THE COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT WORKGROUP will focus on ensuring effective communication from and about NEONI; reach out to new types of members as indicated; and assist staff with website content and applicability.

Each workgroup will be co-chaired by an Advisory Board member along with a member of the general membership. 

The NEONI redesign emerged from an extensive process that began in 2017 to thoroughly evaluate its programming. A series of interviews was conducted, inclusive of both active and inactive NEONI members. Through the interview process, valuable insights were gleaned about the optimal path forward for NEONI and how best to drive membership value. The new structure will allow NEONI to focus on emerging issues that are important to members as well as on efforts to expand the diversity of the NEONI membership, including drawing in a cadre of younger nurses.

The Governance Committee did yeoman’s work in leading the restructuring process. A special thank you goes out to:

• Marti Bauschka, Southwest General Health Center
• Jean Blake, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
• Barbara Brunt, Independent Consultant
• Ellen Brzytwa, Independent Consultant
• Nancy Cichra, Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System
• Kimberly Dillon-Bleich, Ursuline College
• Dawn Gubanc-Anderson, Chamberlain College of Nursing – Cleveland
• Pattie Mandula, Cuyahoga Valley Career Center
• Tracey Motter, Kent State University
• Cheryl O'Malley, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
• Sandra Ranck, Auburn Career Center
• Anita Sanford, Lake Health-TriPoint Admin
• Inette Sarduy, Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System
• Mary Sauer, Cleveland Clinic - Avon Hospital
• Patricia Schrull, Lorain County Community College
• Patricia Sharpnack, Ursuline College

Applications are currently being accepted from those wishing to serve on the Advisory Board or one of the workgroups. To apply, or to learn more about the NEONI redesign, contact us.