Eligibility of Leadership Positions

Only active certified TANA members are eligible for office; active status shall be based on the most currently available AANA membership list at the time of nomination. Those active members in Federal service who seek nomination must physically reside or work in Tennessee to hold office. Only active certified or active recertified members who have previously served one complete elected term in any position on the TANA Board shall be eligible for the office of President Elect or Secretary/Treasurer.

Duties of Leadership Positions

The TANA Board of Directors meet five times annually, as follows: January weekend planning retreat, April and June virtual meetings, and two in-person meetings at the TANA Annual meeting in October. Additional virtual meetings are added as needed if issues arise that need discussion. Specific duties and eligibility for these leadership positions include:

President-Elect:

The President-elect shall succeed to the office of President at the close of the annual meeting in the year following the date of election. In the case of a vacancy in the office of President, the President-Elect shall serve as President for the remainder of that term and shall also serve the term for which elected.

In the temporary absence of the President, the President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President and, when so acting, shall have the powers of the office.

Specific duties of the President-Elect shall include orientation of new board members, championing progress on the strategic plan, and special projects as assigned by the Board.

Secretary/Treasurer:

The Secretary-Treasurer plays a dual role with duties as follows:
In the treasurer function, he/she shall assure that TANA funds and financial assets are safe, secure and appropriately accounted for. The Secretary/Treasurer is responsible to:

• Provide accurate and timely accounting of all revenue, payables, and receivable.
• Develop for board approval an annual budget in consultation with TANA Committees and its strategic plan.
• Present accurate and transparent financial reports to membership at General Membership Meetings.
• Assure that TANA is properly insured, including liability insurance for directors and officers.
• Give guidance to the board on how potential decisions impact the long-term finances for TANA.
• Serve as a member of the finance committee.

In the secretary function, he/she is accountable for assuring that all corporate records are accurate, complete and appropriately archived, including the approved minutes of all Board, Executive Committee and General Membership meetings, the Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, board policy and a roster of Board and committee members and their terms of office. The Secretary shall assure proper notice of all meetings prescribed by these bylaws. The Secretary/Treasurer is accountable to produce a fair and professional elections process and inform the AANA of the results of the TANA annual election within 30 days of the Annual Meeting.

The Secretary/Treasurer may sign contracts as authorized by the Board of Directors and shall also perform such other duties and possess such powers as are incidental to the office or shall be assigned by the President or the Board.

In the absence, death, inability, or wrongful refusal to act of both the President and President-Elect, the Secretary-Treasurer shall perform the duties of the President and when so acting, shall have the powers of the President for the remainder of that term or until a successor can be elected.

Directors:

In addition to serving as full voting members of the Board of Directors, District Directors have responsibilities for fostering member relations within their districts, organizing and conducting membership meetings in their home districts, and achieving district goals set by the Board of Directors.

Leadership Identification Committee Members:

The Leadership Identification Committee shall communicate the desirable criteria to the membership, call for nominations, and actively seek candidates who possess the desirable criteria. The Leadership Identification Committee shall actively seek candidates to create a quality slate of contested elections. The committee shall inform candidates of the demands of the positions to assure understanding, availability and readiness for the position sought.

Characteristics of a Board Member

TANA (AANA) Membership
Candidates must be current TANA (AANA) members in good standing.

Proven Performance
Leadership requires knowledge, talent, skill, vitality and the ability to make a difference.  In the association environment, that translates into a solid track record of contributing to the success of programs, events or projects.

Commitment
Serving as a TANA leader is both an honor and a reward, but it requires a demonstrated commitment to the organization and its mission and goals.

Time to Serve
Participating fully in TANA activities requires extra time to prepare for travel and attend meetings (January Planning Retreat, TANA Fall Convention, and AANA meetings you choose to attend as well as virtual board meetings in April and June).

Understanding of Teamwork
Many people contribute their efforts toward the realization of an association’s goals and objectives – no one does it alone.  Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills are essential to effective teamwork.

Sound Judgment and Integrity
In many instances, popularity brings potential leaders into the limelight of an organization, but popularity must be tempered with good judgment and integrity. Decisions may need to be made that are not popular with the members.

Communication and Mentoring Skills
By virtue of their position, current leaders serve as mentors to future leaders.  Enthusiasm – a zest for serving TANA - is an important ingredient that leaders must be able to pass along to their successors. Current board members are also mentored by past board members.

Ability to Subordinate Special Interests
Leaders often emerge because of their special expertise or effective representation of a specific constituency.  Leadership, however, may require subordinating those interests for the greater good of TANA.

Ability to Be Strategic Thinkers
Intuitive and interpretive skills enable leaders to understand the people around them, internalize the data they receive, recognize the relationships that exist between the systems within their world, and integrate all these elements into a coherent whole.

Advantages of being a Board Member

• Networking opportunities across the state, the region, and nationally
• Expanding leadership development
• Advocating for the CRNA profession in Tennessee and nationally
• Growing professional opportunities
• Gain immediate insight to Legislative events
• Developing strategic planning abilities
• Providing mentorship to students and other CRNAs
• Receiving mentorship from established leaders
• Developing incredible life-long friendships with peers from across the state and nationally
• Expanding communication skills
• Gaining an understanding of the political side of healthcare and the policies that guide our practice in Tennessee
• Learning the importance of how legislation can affect a CRNAs daily practice

Are you curious about the time commitment required to serve as a TANA board member?

Typically, TANA board members are requested to attend:

• Five board of directors meetings per year
  • One or two at the three-day TANA Annual Meeting in October. This year’s meeting will be held in person October 16-18 in Franklin, TN. Expenses are paid by TANA.
  • One at the TANA Annual Planning Retreat – a Friday afternoon to Sunday morning stayover at a hotel in Middle TN. Expenses are paid by TANA.
  • Two Zoom board meetings in April and June. Please note the April meeting is typically a quick update.
• District Director positions are for a two-year term. Each director is asked to help plan a minimum of two district meetings per year with the help of an Education Chair that they can appoint, as well as with assistance from the TANA office staff.
• Optional travel to the AANA Mid-Year Assembly and the AANA Fall Leadership Conferences are also available. Expenses are paid by TANA.
• There are many emails circulated during the year between board members to make decisions and to keep association operations moving forward.
• TANA members who reside in a board member’s district are encouraged to reach out for assistance or advice on issues related to their practice.

Intent to Serve Form

This form is due no later than July 15, 2026, per TANA's bylaws. Click here to fill out the form.

Visit the Committees page to learn more.