Upcoming Events
Leading Change: Health Policy Advocacy as an Ethical Responsibility for Nurses
July 1 | 8PM
Nurses are uniquely positioned to influence health policy at the local, state, and national levels. Grounded in the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, this webinar frames health policy advocacy not as an optional activity, but as an ethical responsibility integral to professional nursing practice.
Participants will examine how ethical principles and the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics extend beyond the bedside to inform nurses’ advocacy related to laws, regulations, and organizational policies that shape patient and population health. The session highlights nurses’ ethical responsibility to address health inequities and advance evidence-informed policy.
This webinar is designed for nurses across practice settings who seek to deepen their understanding of ethical obligations in health policy advocacy and to identify practical, values-based strategies for engaging in policy-related efforts aligned with professional standards and ethical commitments.
Presented by: NAHN Policy and Advocacy Committee
Speaker: Dr. Cristian Mendoza Ruvalcaba, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CPNP-PC, CNE
Dr. Cristian Mendoza Ruvalcaba is a board-certified Nurse Educator, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner residing in Southern Oregon. His professional interests include health policy advocacy, evidence-based teaching and learning practices, and improving healthcare for monolingual Spanish-speaking populations. He is an active member of the NAHN Education Committee and the NAHN Portland Chapter, serves on the Oregon Nurses Association Cabinet on Health Policy, and is a Board Member of the Jackson County Public Health Advisory Board. In 2026, Dr. Mendoza Ruvalcaba was a candidate for the Oregon State Senate, reflecting his commitment to public service and advancing policies that support the health and well-being of Oregonians.
RWJF Health Policy Fellows Info Session: Bring Your Expertise to Federal Health Policy
July 29 | 8PM
The RWJF Health Policy Fellows program is a nonpartisan fellowship that offers mid-career health and health care professionals a hands-on experience in federal health policy. Our Washington, DC-based program begins with a 3.5-month immersive policy orientation, followed by a full-time placement as a senior advisor to a federal legislative or executive branch official or committee. After the year in DC, fellows join a lifelong network of 300+ alumni.
This session is a great way for potential applicants and organization leaders to learn about the fellowship, hear directly from program staff and alumni, and get your questions answered.
Speakers to include:
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Marissa Gioffre, M.Ed., Outreach and Engagement Specialist, RWJF Health Policy Fellows at the National Academy of Medicine
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Marissa Gioffre is the Outreach and Engagement Specialist for the RWJF Health Policy Fellows program. Her main focus is on program recruitment, communications, and alumni engagement.
Marissa has a background in education, community engagement, and nonprofit activism. She most recently served as a museum educator at the International Spy Museum and Director of Projects & Programming for America250PA. Her previous experience also includes community organizing positions on various youth advocacy, public health, and presidential campaigns, as well as teaching middle school social studies and theology in Philadelphia.
Marissa holds an M.Ed. in secondary education from St. Joseph’s University and a BA in Global Studies and History from Saint Elizabeth University.
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Mona Rahman, M.A., Deputy Director, RWJF Health Policy Fellows at the National Academy of Medicine
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Mona Rahman is the Deputy Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows Program at the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). In this role, she oversees strategy, recruitment, partnerships, and the program’s unique 3.5-month intensive health policy orientation. She is deeply committed to expanding who sees themselves in policy spaces—ensuring that leaders from all backgrounds not only can access these opportunities, but feel a true sense of belonging within them.
Mona’s approach to leadership is shaped by a defining moment when a fellow told her, “Without you, I would not be here.” That experience continues to anchor her work—affirming her belief that representation, mentorship, and intentional outreach can transform not only individual trajectories, but the systems those individuals go on to influence.
Before joining NAM, Mona built a career in public health education focused on tobacco prevention and cessation. At Truth Initiative, she led nationally recognized campaigns such as Truth and Become An EX, helping to shift both individual behaviors and broader cultural narratives around tobacco use. She later served as an NAM/FDA Tobacco Regulatory Science Fellow, embedded in the Office of Health Communication and Education at FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products where she served as a creative and strategic advisor on major public health campaigns including The Real Cost, This Free Life, and Fresh Empire.
Across her career, Mona has worked at the intersection of policy, communications, and equity—guided by a belief that lasting change requires not just evidence and strategy, but courageous leadership and investment in people. She has led multidisciplinary teams through growth and change, fostering environments where varied perspectives are not only welcomed, but essential.
Mona holds a B.A. in Government from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in Culture and Communication from New York University.
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NAHN Hispanic Health Policy Summit
Save the Date - January 26-27, 2027 | Washington, DC
The annual NAHN Hispanic Health Policy Summit unites the Latino healthcare community to advocate for the healthcare issues affecting the Hispanic population and proposes potential solutions. The National Association of Hispanic Nurses is excited to lead this joint summit for a fifth year in partnership with other Latino-focused medical associations.
At the NAHN 51st Annual Conference, hundreds of nurses, students, researchers, and healthcare experts will gather in Denver, Colorado, to learn, connect, and grow in the nursing profession.
