Maryland Nursing Workforce Center

The State of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Symposium: Data Trends and Future Readiness

Friday, Oct. 24, 2025
9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Registration: FREE
Continuing Nursing Professional Development CE credits: $40

Registration is required.

Register now

University of Maryland School of Nursing
655 W. Lombard St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

• Overview
• Objectives and Learning Outcomes
• Agenda
• Keynote Speakers
• Speaker Bios

Overview

The Maryland Nursing Workforce Symposium brings together nursing professionals, educators, policymakers, and health care leaders to explore opportunities and strategies for strengthening the Maryland nursing workforce. This year’s theme, “Data Trends and Future Readiness,” underscores the critical role of data-driven decision-making in shaping a resilient and sustainable nursing workforce.

As the health care landscape evolves, nursing leaders must be equipped to address growing challenges such as faculty shortages, nurse retention, and the integration of emerging health care technologies. Through presentations, discussions, and interactive sessions, this symposium will provide attendees with actionable strategies to strengthen nursing education, enhance workforce stability, and drive meaningful change in health care policy.

Objectives

1. Examine the intersection of faculty development, clinical education, and workforce demands to enhance student preparedness, optimize faculty workload, and align nursing education with evolving health care needs.
2. Equip nursing professionals with the knowledge and skills to engage effectively in public advocacy, collaborate with policymakers, and navigate legal and regulatory frameworks to influence policies that support the nursing workforce and the health care system.
3. Provide nurse leaders, managers, and frontline staff with data strategies to enhance nurse retention, optimize patient care, and develop a sustainable nursing workforce through advocacy, leadership, and workforce pathway initiatives.
4. Equip nursing academic and clinical leaders with strategic, adaptive approaches to mitigate the impact of federal policy changes, ensuring workforce stability, financial resilience, and sustainable nursing education and practice models.

Agenda

Keynote Speaker Bios

Keynote

Lead, Don’t Lag: Why Data Must Guide Workforce Strategy, Organizational Health, and Policy Engagement

Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN
President and Chief Executive Officer, American Association of Colleges of Nursing

This keynote session will explore the importance and value of data-driven decision-making and the benefits of integrating data into workforce planning, strengthening organizational effectiveness, and informing advocacy to shape public policy

Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN, has expertise and scholarship that encompass health policy, leadership, nursing practice, and nursing education. 

Trautman previously served as executive director of the Center for Health Policy and Healthcare Transformation at Johns Hopkins Hospital and in other leadership roles at Johns Hopkins Medicine and at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She is a member of several professional societies and serves on many high-profile boards and advisory groups, including the Joint Commission Chief Nurse Executive Council, the AMHIC Board of Directors (current chair), the Interprofessional Education Collaborative Executive Board (past chair and treasurer), and the Future of Nursing 2020 - 2030 Evaluation Advisory Committee. She has served on Research!America’s Board of Directors and has contributed as a member of the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Special Medical Advisory Group (advisor to the secretary of veterans affairs), and of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as program director of the New Careers in Nursing project.

Trautman is a 2007 - 08 Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow who worked for The Hon. Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. She is also a Distinguished Nursing Fellow in the National Academies of Practice.

Trautman earned a BSN from West Virginia Wesleyan College, an MSN from the University of Pittsburgh, and a PhD in Health Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Endnote
From the Front Lines to the Legislature: Using Data to Drive Policy for Nursing’s Future

The Honorable Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk, Esq.
Maryland State Delegate and Chair, Health and Government Operations Committee

This culminating session is intended to serve as a call to action, highlighting the critical responsibility of nurses to inform lawmakers, stakeholders, and the public using data-driven insights. Grounded in evidence and real-world experience, the presentation will underscore how nursing can lead policy change by elevating issues central to the evolving health care environment.

Maryland Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk, Esq., has dedicated her career to advancing equity, justice, and accessible health care for all Marylanders. She proudly represents legislative District 21, encompassing Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, and serves as chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee, making her the highest-ranking Latina in the Maryland General Assembly.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Peña-Melnyk immigrated to the United States as a child with her single mother and sister. She became the first in her family to graduate from college and went on to earn her J.D. degree. Driven by a lifelong commitment to justice, she began her legal career advocating for death row inmates in Alabama and migrant farm workers in Ohio, later serving as a public defender and then as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Her public service journey began on the College Park City Council before she successfully ran a grassroots campaign for the Maryland House of Delegates. Since then, she has passed more than 100 bills into law, leading landmark efforts to establish the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, the Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance Program, the State Reinsurance Program, and the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission, initiatives that set a national precedent.

A tireless champion for health care access, public safety, and economic fairness, Peña-Melnyk continues to shape bold, transformative policies that uplift Maryland’s most vulnerable communities and build a stronger, more just state for all.

Speaker Bios

Amy Alsante, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CHEP, LSSGB
Chief Nursing Officer, Sunburst Workforce Advisors, and MONL President Elect

Amy Alsante, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CHEP, LSSGB, is a seasoned nursing executive with a diverse clinical and leadership background. She began her career in critical care and has more than 15 years of progressive leadership experience across acute care and ambulatory settings. With more than 18 years of service in the MedStar Health system — including as interim chief nursing officer at MedStar Harbor Hospital — Alsante now serves as the chief nursing officer at Sunburst Workforce Advisors.

Alsante is passionate about mentoring emerging nurse leaders and equipping them with the tools to drive innovation, improve care delivery, and enhance patient outcomes. Her work focuses on developing fiscally sustainable workforce solutions, advancing care delivery models, and integrating technology to improve efficiency and readiness across the health care continuum.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Towson University, a Master of Science in Health Services Leadership and Management from the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Outside of her professional work, Alsante breeds and shows top-winning golden retrievers under the kennel name Charm City Goldens.

Urwah Faisal, BS
Labor Market Information Specialist, Maryland Department of Labor

Urwah Faisal, BS, has held her current position since 2023, working on the Labor Market Information (LMI) team with economists and Maryland’s Bureau of Labor Statistics staff. Aside from her work on the LMI team, she also works in collaboration with the department’s Unemployment Insurance division as well as the upcoming Family and Medical Leave Insurance program. Faisal earned her bachelor’s degree in actuarial science from Temple University’s Fox School of Business in Philadelphia.

Ann Kellogg, PhD
Director of Reporting Services, Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center and Maryland Higher Education Commission

At the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center, Ann Kellogg, PhD, uses linked longitudinal data from all levels of education, child and youth services, and the state’s workforce to generate timely and accurate information that can be used by policymakers to improve the state’s education system. At the Maryland Higher Education Commission, she develops unit record data collections to support state policy research and completes research studies or other special projects for the assistant secretary of academic affairs. Prior to joining the state, Kellogg focused her career in postsecondary education, holding both instructional and administrative positions. She earned a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and currently serves as an adjunct professor in UMBC’s Public Policy graduate program.

Jane Krienke, BS
Assistant Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy Team, Maryland Hospital Association

Jane Krienke, BS, has a portfolio that includes workforce development, workplace violence prevention, sexual assault and human trafficking, pediatric hospital overstays, and the Hospital Bond Program. She also supports two Maryland Hospital Association work groups: the Chief Nursing Officer Engagement Committee and the Task Force on Maryland’s Future Health Workforce, a group established in 2022 to identify barriers and opportunities to support Maryland’s health care workforce. Krienke works closely with the Maryland health occupations boards, including the Board of Nursing and Board of Physicians, on a number of health workforce issues.

Danielle McCamey, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, FAAN, FCCP, FAANP, FADLN
Assistant Professor and Associate Dean for Clinical Partnerships and Innovation, University of Maryland School of Nursing

Danielle McCamey, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, FAAN, FCCP, FAANP, FADLN, is a board-certified acute care nurse practitioner with more than 20 years of nursing experience and more than a decade of advanced practice expertise. Her clinical background spans perianesthesia and palliative and critical care, and she currently serves as associate dean for clinical partnerships and innovation and an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

A builder of communities that create opportunities, McCamey's scholarly and professional pursuits focus on advancing diversity and development within the nursing workforce. She is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Academy of Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing.

McCamey is reshaping the landscape of nursing through her nonprofit organization, DNPs of Color, which she founded to foster a thriving global community of DNP-prepared nurses of color. Her work continues to catalyze greater representation, leadership, and impact across the profession.

Jeanette Ortiz, Esq.
Director of Government Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Jeanette Ortiz, Esq. brings more than 20 years of experience in law, policy, and public service to her role as director of government affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. An established attorney and public policy strategist, she has built a career at the intersection of government and law, serving in key roles across Maryland’s executive and legislative branches.

Ortiz has advised on some of the state’s most complex legislative and regulatory challenges, ranging from education and health policy to constitutional law and public agency governance. Her work has shaped statewide initiatives through hands-on collaboration with lawmakers, agencies, and advocacy groups. Whether navigating budget strategy or drafting legislation, she’s known for her practical insight, extensive legislative expertise, legal acumen, and ability to bring diverse voices to the table.

Beyond her legislative and policy work, Ortiz stays grounded in service, volunteering with local nonprofits and providing pro bono legal support to underserved communities. Her commitment to equity and impact runs deep, both in and outside of her professional work.

Ortiz earned her JD from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and a BA from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Ajani Pierce, BS
Economist, Maryland Department of Labor

Ajani Pierce, BS, is an economist at the Maryland Department of Labor. He specializes in labor market information, which includes teaching and analyzing employment, unemployment, gross domestic product, occupation, industry, and wage data, and more. Other areas of expertise include geospatial analysis and data visualization.

Nursing Continuing Professional Development

Nurses may receive 4.75 contact hours for attending the entire educational activity and completing the evaluation. Partial credit is not provided. Participants paying for CE will receive a certificate via email within 2 - 4 weeks. All requests must be received within 30 days of the event.

The University of Maryland School of Nursing is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Organized by the 2025 The State of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Symposium Planning Committee

Crystal DeVance-Wilson, PhD, MBA, PHCNS-BC
Director, Maryland Nursing Workforce Center 
Assistant Professor and Vice Chair, University of Maryland School of Nursing at the Universities at Shady Grove
Chair, State of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Symposium 2025

Savannah Babino, BS
Events Coordinator
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Lynn Marie Bullock, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Assistant Professor and Director, Office of Professional Education
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Adaugo Ejezie, MS
Student
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Renee Franquiz, DNP, RN, CNE
Assistant Professor and Director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Post-Master’s Option
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Giordana Segneri, MA
Assistant Dean for Marketing and Communications
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Sonia Smith, BS
Manager, Professional Development and Education
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Enjoli Sonnier, MBA, MS
Associate Director of Events
University of Maryland School of Nursing

Take a look at last year's event: State of the Maryland Nursing Workforce Symposium 2024