2025-2026 Emerging Leaders Call For Applications
The call for applications to the 2025-26 Emerging Leaders Program is now closed. We are grateful for the many AWHONN members who applied to be part of such a transformative program! Candidates will go through an initial round of applications, the second round consisting of a 30-minute interview, with finalists to be notified by mid-November.
The Emerging Leaders Program is an intensive leadership development opportunity that offers individuals a chance to refine their leadership purpose, leadership acumen, and develop strategies to transform themselves, AWHONN and the nursing profession. AWHONN is focusing our Emerging Leaders Program on developing leaders to support our organizational commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity, and reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. This Program is partially sponsored by AWHONN’s Every Woman, Every Baby.
All are welcome to apply, and we strongly encourage nurses from under-represented communities to apply. The emerging leader cohorts represent diversity across race, age, gender, sexual orientation, geographical location, and nursing specialty. Strong applicants should show a commitment to the program; open-ness to leadership development and transformation; desire to build and nourish a community of support; and a hunger to make positive change.
Sponsorship from your organization is highly recommended to help share the cost of the tuition with AWHONN as the value of the Emerging Leader program is $15,000 per participant. If you have organizational support, please complete the Sponsorship Intent Form, indicating the amount of your organization’s intended support and upload this with your application. While employer sponsorship is highly recommended, it is not required to apply, nor would the lack of sponsorship factor into a member’s application for consideration into the program.
Important Application Dates
- Application Deadline: Friday, September 27
- Interview for Final Candidates: early-to-mid October
- Notification of Emerging Leader Cohort: mid-November
Program details
- In-Person Retreats
- Emerging Leader Pre-Convention Immersion: June 19 and June 20, 2025 (Orlando, FL)
- 2025 AWHONN Convention: June 21-25, 2025 (Orlando, FL)
- Emerging Leader Immersion at Leadership Development Conference: January/February 2026 (location to be determined, dates tentative)
- Leadership Development Conference: January/February 2026 (location to be determined, dates tentative)
- Emerging Leader Capitol Hill Day Immersion: April 2026 (Washington, DC – dates tentative)
- AWHONN Capitol Hill Program: April 2026 (Washington, DC – dates tentative)
- Emerging Leader Graduation: June 3, 2026 (Orlando, FL)
- AWHONN Convention 2025: June 6-10, 2026 (Orlando, FL)
***EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP ENCOURAGED***
Please reach out to Mark Arucan at emergingleaders@awhonn.org if you’d like to discuss this opportunity further.
