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CHICAGO – The American ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ for Nursing Leadership membership elected Stuart Downs, DNP, RN, as the 2026 president-elect of the AONL Board of Directors. Downs will assume the presidency Jan. 1, 2028, leading the national membership organization whose strategic focus is excellence in nursing leadership.

As the System Chief Nurse Executive at Northeast Georgia Health System in Gainesville, Ga., Downs provides strategic direction for nearly 4,500 nurses, ensuring optimum patient care through effective planning and clinical operations management. 

In addition to his role at NGHS, Downs serves as the lead facilitator of the Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive Fellowship at Case Western Reserve University's Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy, where he was among the program’s inaugural fellows. During his fellowship, he developed a framework for ethical leadership and translated research findings into practical guidance for nurse leaders navigating unprecedented ethical challenges during the pandemic. His work, shared with more than 15,000 leaders worldwide, has offered solutions to strengthen ethical reasoning and foster moral resilience.

Downs is committed to advancing nursing leadership through his service on various boards and organizations. He currently serves on the DAISY Foundation Board of Directors and previously served on the AONL Board of Directors. He is a fellow of the American ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ for Nursing Leadership and is certified in executive nursing practice with AONL.

Downs holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Science in Administration degree from Central Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Also elected to the AONL Board of Directors, serving three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2026, are the following:

• Kim Landers, MS, RN, vice president of patient care services and chief nurse executive, Morris Hospital, Ill.
• Brennan Lewis, DNP, APRN, senior vice president, nursing excellence, innovation, & patient experience, Children’s Health, Dallas
• Dale Beatty, DNP, RN, chief nurse executive and senior vice president, Stanford Health Care, Calif.

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ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ the American ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ for Nursing Leadership

As the national professional organization of more than 12,000 nurse leaders, the American ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ for Nursing Leadership is the voice of nursing leadership. Our membership encompasses nurse leaders working in hospitals, health systems, academia and other care settings across the care continuum. Since 1967, the organization has led the field of nursing leadership through professional development, advocacy and research that advances nursing leadership practice and patient care. AONL is a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association. For more information, visit .