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President (2024-2026): Keeley Harding

Keeley Harding, DNP, APRN, CNS, CPNP-AC/PC is a board certified as a pediatric nurse practitioner in primary care and acute care. She teaches in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in the College of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati. Her previous clinical experience as a nurse practitioner includes acute and chronic pain management, urgent care, and the emergency department. She obtained her DNP degree in 2015 from The Ohio State University.

While in the DNP program, she developed an educational website (www.OhioAPRN.com) for state legislators in Ohio. Keeley is passionate about health policy, and advocates on behalf of children and their families as well as the nursing profession. She has delivered numerous poster and podium presentations at the state, national, and international levels, including 1-hour (Category A) continuing education presentations pertaining to nursing laws and rules required for nursing licensure renewal in Ohio.

Keeley co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article about nurse advocacy and state legislator site visits. She also co-authored a book chapter, “Well-Child Visits During School-Age Years” (Kyle, 2021). She is a member of the manuscript review panel for two peer-reviewed nursing journals. Keeley served on the Ohio Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force. She also has served in various board member positions, including for the Ohio Chapter and Legislative Co-Chair for the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (OAAPN).

She has received several awards and honors, including two recent outstanding teaching awards and the Nurse Practitioner State Award for Excellence Award from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Throughout 2023, she was nationally recognized as an Emerging Leader for the Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP).

Ohio Chapter Award: Excellence in Corporate Partnership Award

The Ohio Chapter of NAPNAP was honored to receive the Excellence in Corporate Partnership Award in March 2025, during the 2024-2026 presidential term. This recognition was presented by CeraVe and La Roche Posay at the national NAPNAP conference in Chicago, highlighting the Chapter’s strong commitment to meaningful and impactful partnerships.

Chapter President’s Goals and Key Initiatives

In alignment with NAPNAP’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, Health Policy Agenda, and Research Agenda, the Ohio Chapter has focused – and will continue to focus – on initiatives that foster innovation, support ongoing growth, and expand our impact. These efforts are made possible through the collaboration and dedication of our board members, committee members, and, most importantly, our members. Together, we are strengthening the Chapter and advancing pediatric-focused care across Ohio.

The Chapter’s membership remained steady (~ 400 members) from 2024 to 2026. As the founding chapter of NAPNAP, Ohio continues to be the organization’s largest chapter excluding the e-Chapter. This stability aligns with Chapter goals focused on member retention, engagement, and sustained professional connection despite ongoing workforce and other challenges affecting the nursing profession. National trends, including nurse faculty shortages, limited pediatric clinical placement opportunities, workforce burnout, financial barriers to graduate education, and constrained pediatric nurse practitioner program capacity, likely contributed to relatively unchanged membership levels during this period.

Expanding Continuing Education and Networking Opportunities Across the State

Throughout the 2024-2026 presidential term, the Ohio Chapter has offered a diverse mix of virtual and in-person continuing education (CE) programs, along with social and networking events across the state. These opportunities promote accessibility, meaningful connection, and regional engagement, helping members stay informed, connected, and inspired regardless of where they practice.

Highlights From 2024-2026

  • ✅ 2024 Annual Statewide Conference (Columbus, OH): Partnered with the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (OAAPN) from October 24-26, 2024. The Ohio Chapter played a key role in sponsoring the conference poster session.
  • ✅ 2024 Annual Awards Ceremony & Educational Dinner Event (Columbus, OH): This in-person event, held on October 24, 2024, featured an educational dinner sponsored by CeraVe, followed by the Chapter’s Annual Awards Ceremony.
  • ✅ 2025 CE Accreditation Renewal (3-Year Term): Successfully renewed Agency Provider Accreditation, allowing the Chapter to continue offering NAPNAP CE contact hours. This ensures high-quality educational opportunities that support lifelong learning and professional development for pediatric-focused advanced practice nurses and professionals.
  • ✅ 2025 Ohio Social (Chicago, IL): Hosted a networking event during the national NAPNAP conference on March 19, 2025, at the conference hotel in Chicago.
  • ✅ 2025 Annual Statewide Conference & Awards Ceremony (Dublin, OH): Held August 28-29, 2025, featuring, for the first time, a dedicated space for exhibitors and poster presentations.
  • ✅ 2025 Ohio Social (Dublin, OH): A networking event held on August 28, 2025, during the Annual Statewide Conference.
  • ✅ 2025 Virtual Educational Event (Sponsored by Shot@Life – United Nations): A 1.0 CE event held in partnership with Shot@Life, a global vaccine campaign through the United Nations, on September 5, 2025, titled “Raising Your Voice in Support of Global Childhood Immunization Programs.”
  • ✅ 2025 Ohio Virtual Social: Cocoa Connect (Sponsored by Ohio NAPNAP): The Chapter hosted a virtual social and networking event live via Zoom on December 2, 2025, with Amy Provenzano’s leadership. Those who pre-registered were eligible to receive via mail a Christmas Grinch chocolate cocoa set. Also, during this event, member participants were randomly selected and received giveaways, such as Amazon gift cards.
  • Hosted on December 2, 2025, via Zoom, featuring interactive networking, mailed cocoa kits for pre-registered participants, and member giveaways, along with special guests My Village Ministries and the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), who presented the Ohio Pediatric Psychiatry Access Line (OPPAL).
  • ✅ 2025 Virtual Educational Events (Sponsored by Pelthos): Two educational sessions were held on December 4, 2025, focusing on the treatment of molluscum contagiosum using the FDA-approved medication Zelsuvmi (berdazimer).
  • ✅ 2025 Virtual Educational Event (Sponsored by Kyowa Kirin): Held on February 18, 2026, focusing on pediatric endocrinology and the use of Crysvita (burosumab-twza) for X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH).
  • ✅ 2026 Ohio Social (Pittsburgh, PA): Hosted a networking evet during the national NAPNAP conference on March 19, 2026.
  • ✅ 2026 Virtual Educational Event (Sponsored by Biocodex): This event is scheduled for June 10, 2026, focusing on the Impact of Dravet Syndrome, and an approved therapy for patients with Dravet syndrome.

The Ohio Chapter remains committed to providing high-quality education, fostering professional connections, and supporting pediatric-focused advanced practice nurses and professionals in delivering exceptional care to children and families.

Developing and Engaging Future Leaders Through Academic Partnerships

We have increased Chapter visibility and promoted membership among students in pediatric-focused nurse practitioner, DNP, PhD, and other graduate nursing programs.

  • ✅ 2025: Academic Partnership with The Ohio State University’s College of Nursing, Pediatric Primary Care and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Programs: Dr. Beth Heuer, former Continuing Education Co-Chair of the Ohio Chapter of NAPNAP, was instrumental in engaging her students who helped with conference registration.
  • ✅ 2025-2026: Academic Partnership with the University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing and Department of Marketing.
  • ✅ 2024-2026 Doctoral and Master’s Level Student Poster Presentations: Accepted graduate nursing student’s poster presentations, which were available for CE contact hours in 2025 at our Annual Statewide Conferences, allowing students to share their work and engage in the Chapter.
  • ✅ 2024-2025: Recognized graduate nursing students and promoted professional development through annual conference scholarships and grants.
  • ✅ 2025-2026 Student Membership Scholarships: Established the Chapter’s annual student membership giveaway in January 2025, which provided eight graduate nursing students enrolled in one of the eight pediatric nurse practitioner programs at colleges and universities across Ohio.

Strengthening Multi-Platform Communication

We kept members regularly informed through triannual newsletters and diverse media platforms that highlighted Chapter updates, advocacy alerts, member accomplishments, and opportunities for involvement.

  • ✅ 2025: Established Chapter’s LinkedIn Account: Established a LinkedIn account for the Ohio Chapter of NAPNAP.
  • ✅ 2024-2026: Newsletter Enhancements and Triannual Publications: Improved the Chapter’s e-newsletter, making it available as an electronic flip book.

Enhance Social Media and Website Engagement

With support from board and committee members, the Chapter continued to use social media, emails, and the Chapter’s website to share timely news, promote events, and celebrate our collective impact.

  • ✅ 2024-2026: Increased Social Media Posts (Facebook and Instagram): Sarah Seim, Communications Chair, was the board leader who regularly posted to the Chapter’s Facebook and Instagram social media accounts.
  • ✅ 2025: Established the Chapter’s LinkedIn Account (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohio-napnap/): The Chapter’s LinkedIn account is already integrated into our other online platforms, including the Chapter’s website, Facebook, and Instagram.
  • ✅ 2025: Established the Chapter’s Google Workspace Account: X
  • ✅ 2024-2026 Enhanced and Increased Use of the Chapter’s YouTube Channel: We began creating and sharing videos on the Chapter’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@OhioNAPNAP). Additionally, provided a link to the channel on the Chapter’s website.
  • ✅ 2024-2026 Enhanced Online Conference & Event Registrations: Shannon Mattern, the Chapter’s website, IT, and online platforms consultant and founding owner of Website Academy, was instrumental in helping the Chapter update its website to allow a user-friendly and seamless integration with our website to allow attendees to complete online conference registration on our website for the Annual Statewide Conference.
  • ✅ 2025-2026 Newly Created Online Conference Evaluations and CE Certificates: Again, with the help of Shannon Mattern, the Chapter
  • ✅ 2026: Canva Subscription: In February 2026, the Chapter purchased an annual subscription to Canva, allowing board and committee members to create engaging content for the Chapter’s newsletters, social media sites member emails, and website.

Promote Operational Transparency, Accessibility, and Continuity

  • ✅ 2024-2026: We developed a centralized, electronic system to enhance and streamline communication among board and committee members. We also established online record-keeping repositories to provide easy access to essential resources and maintain the Chapter’s records in an organized manner. This initiative will help promote accountability, support smooth transitions, and ensure that new board and committee members are well-prepared to succeed in their roles.
  • ✅ 2024-2026: Continued to maintain the Chapter’s historical archive through Wright State University.

Strengthening Role Clarity and Expectations for Board and Committee Members

Refining and documenting expectations for all board and committee positions to foster accountability, strengthen collaboration, and improve onboarding so new leaders are prepared to contribute effectively from day one.

  • ✅ 2026: Updated, revised, and refined expectations for all board and committee positions in accordance with Chapter Bylaws and national NAPNAP guidelines..

Conducting the 2025 Ohio Chapter Membership Survey

To ensure our efforts truly reflect the needs and priorities of our members, we are conducting the 2025 Ohio Chapter Membership Survey. (Members: Please see the Ohio Chapter’s 2025 Summer Newsletter for details and the survey link). This survey will help us better understand members’ experiences, satisfaction levels, and perspectives regarding the membership benefits and services we provide. Most importantly, the feedback will directly shape the Chapter’s future — informing our goals, initiatives, and continuing education (CE) programming, including ourAnnual Statewide Conference and other events.

  • ✅ 2025 Ohio Chapter Membership Survey: Under the leadership of Shannon White, our Membership Chair, we’re pleased to share a summary of results later in this newsletter. These insights are helping us strengthen how we grow, connect, and serve our members more effectively.