Executive Director

Executive Director at American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA)

The American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) invites applications and nominations for its next Executive Director.

Founded in 1981, AHNA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional specialty nursing membership organization dedicated to advancing holistic nursing. With approximately 5,000 members, multiple international chapters, established revenue streams, and a deeply resonant mission rooted in whole-person care, AHNA stands at a pivotal moment in its history and is poised for its next era of growth and relevance.

AHNA’s mission is to illuminate holism in nursing practice, community, advocacy, research, and education. Its vision is to provide a pathway to holistic nursing. The association holds a respected position within nursing and integrative health, and its core values align closely with the growing national and global interest in wellness, integrative care, and whole-person healthcare models.

The Board of Directors seeks an innovative, resilient, and mission-aligned executive leader to guide the association through a period of both stabilization and transformation. This is not a maintenance role. AHNA is seeking a leader who can honor the organization’s legacy while helping shape a sustainable and revitalized future.

Like many longstanding professional associations, AHNA faces meaningful structural and generational challenges, including the need to broaden membership across the lifespan, adapt to evolving expectations for professional engagement, and modernize operational infrastructure and digital presence. The next Executive Director will lead the association through this strategic inflection point with clarity, courage, and vision.

The Opportunity

The incoming Executive Director will lead a thoughtful organizational turnaround and strategic expansion, including:

• Rejuvenating member engagement and attracting the next generation of holistic nurses

• Expanding AHNA’s relevance within the broader wellness and integrative health marketplace

• Leading the imminent transition to a new Association Management System (AMS)

• Modernizing the association’s web presence and developing a comprehensive digital and social media strategy

• Strengthening integration with and engagement of both national and international chapters

• Enhancing programmatic offerings and diversifying revenue streams

• Aligning governance, operations, and staffing structures with long-term sustainability

• Cultivating staff excellence through education, empowerment, and professional development

The Board is particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated success leading innovation, collaboration, and organizational change within professional associations or similarly complex organizations, especially during periods of restructuring, digital modernization, and membership revitalization.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will bring a background in nursing, integrative health, or a related healthcare field and will demonstrate alignment with holistic nursing values, including the AHNA/ANA Holistic Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. 

The successful candidate will bring:

Executive leadership experience within a professional membership association; prior Executive Director experience is required

• A graduate degree; doctorate preferred

• National certification preferred

• Strong oral, written, electronic, and interpersonal communication skills

• Experience leading a medium-sized organization, with a proven ability to coach, manage, and develop diverse, high-performing teams

• Demonstrated success in organizational turnaround, team and membership growth, and implementation of innovative initiatives

• Experience leading dynamic teams in a virtual environment

• Experience implementing or overseeing AMS conversion and broader digital transformation efforts

• Financial stewardship experience, including budget development, fiscal management, and revenue diversification

• Experience using QuickBooks and other fiscal accounting tools appropriate to a 501(c)(3) organization

• Strong governance partnership skills and experience working effectively with committees and volunteer boards

• A clear understanding of professional credentialing environments and healthcare associations

• The ability to articulate and amplify AHNA’s mission within the evolving wellness and integrative healthcare landscape

• Experience overseeing conferences, publications, and related member-facing programs

• Legislative awareness as it pertains to organizational direction and strategic needs

• Marketing, public relations, advocacy, and fundraising experience, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders and cultures

• A demonstrated record of success in securing grants and cultivating, stewarding, and soliciting individual donors

Preferred certifications may include: 

• Holistic Nursing Certification (HN-BC, HNB-BC, AHN-BC, APHN-BC)

• Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC, NEA-BC)

• Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP)

Leadership Mandate 

The next Executive Director will be:

• A strategic systems thinker and planner

• Skilled at ensuring implementation of strategic goals in alignment with organizational mission and vision

• Operationally disciplined

• Digitally fluent

• Entrepreneurially minded

• Comfortable leading change in established organizations

• Committed to ensuring bylaw compliance

• Collaborative, respectful, and open to the perspectives of others

• Deeply aligned with whole-person, integrative models of care This role requires both respect for AHNA’s legacy and the courage to reimagine its future.

Position Details 

• Reports to: AHNA Board of Directors

• Employment Status: Full-time, salaried position

• Location: Hybrid remote, with travel required to the office in Topeka, Kansas, and to other national and international meetings as needed

• Compensation: Commensurate with experience

Application Process 

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following materials:

• A cover letter outlining their interest in the role and vision for AHNA’s next phase

• A curriculum vitae or resume

• Three professional references

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. AHNA is committed to inclusive leadership and encourages applications from individuals who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

• Applications and questions may be submitted via email to the AHNA Board of Directors at: ahnaleaders@gmail.com