Board of Trustees

Dr. Michael Anderson is a highly experienced Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. With over 16 years in the field of anesthesia, he has built a reputation for clinical excellence, leadership, and dedication to advancing anesthesia care. A graduate of Case Western Reserve/Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Anderson has worked in diverse healthcare settings, providing anesthesia services across a range of surgical specialties. In addition to his professional achievements, Dr. Anderson is known for his dedication to community service and his commitment to enhancing access to high-quality anesthesia care. He continues to inspire future generations of nurse anesthetists through his leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence in anesthesia care.

I have been a practicing clinical CRNA for 32 years. Most recently, I’ve switched course and became the Clinical Director for Mount Marty University’s Graduate Program in Nurse Anesthesiology, and enrolled in their Master’s to DNAP cohort. Over my career, I’ve had the privilege to serve our anesthesia community in a variety of roles. I served my first term on the AANA Foundation Board of Trustees from 2016 -2023, and I quickly realized that serving on the Foundation Board was one of the most enjoyable and personally rewarding volunteer opportunities I’ve ever undertaken. Giving back to the profession that has afforded me such amazing opportunities is only a small token of my gratitude. I truly stand on the shoulders of giants, and can’t wait to see where my second term on the Foundation Board will take me.

Shaneisha’s career in advocacy and fundraising began during her residency in nurse anesthesia as a resident advocate. She subsequently served as the Resident representative to the Foundation Board of Trustees. She is pleased to continue her service on the Board of Trustees in the role of Fundraising Chair. Shaneisha’s professional experience encompasses both hospital and outpatient surgical center environments. She enjoys guest lecturing and teaching skills lab for local anesthesia programs. She is dedicated to advancing the profession, mentoring future generations, and securing financial support for nurse anesthesia research.

Elizabeth Bamgbose has greater than 15 years of experience as a nurse anesthesiologist, she is an associate professor at the USC Doctoral Program of Nurse Anesthesia and CEO of an independent anesthesia group. With a passion for advancing the profession through advocacy and education, Dr. Bamgbose feels great pride in serving at both the state level national level on influential boards and committees.

Ian Hewer has 30 years of experience as a CRNA over diverse settings, though his more recent clinical focus is cardiac anesthesia. He is currently Associate Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program, & his research interests focus on differences in practice & outcomes between varied models of the anesthesia care team. He is President Elect of the North Carolina Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

Dr. Bimpe “Bebe” Adenusi is the Chair and Program Administrator of the Nurse Anesthesia Program at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and the Founder of the Nigerian American Nurse Anesthetists Association (NANAA). With a background in clinical chemistry, she transitioned to nursing to better serve her community. A dedicated mentor and leader, she has supported CRNAs, SRNAs, and students nationally. Dr. Adenusi is a member of several academic honor societies and actively contributes to professional organizations, including the AANA, where she serves in leadership roles. She is also engaged in initiatives such as the Faculty Fellowship Program to enhance faculty diversity and serves on various organizations and committees, including National Academies of Practice (NAP), Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), and Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA). Her work extends globally through medical missions and advocacy for equitable healthcare access.

Jennifer Banek, CRNA, graduated from the NorthShore School of Nurse Anesthesia in 2012. She has been an advocate for the CRNA profession since 2017 and later served in various leadership roles at the state-level, including as the President of the Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthesiology. Jennifer currently serves as President-Elect on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology. In 2024, she earned a Master of Healthcare Administration from George Washington University.

A Major in the United States Army Reserves, Jennifer has over 17 years of military service.

Since 2020, she has also served as the elected Lake County Coroner, where she is committed to advancing public health through collaboration, education, and prevention initiatives. Jennifer lives in Libertyville with her partner, a fellow service member and CRNA. Together, they have four grown children.

Paula Belson has been a CRNA for over 25 years. She is currently the CRNA Manager at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Clinical Instructor of Anesthesiology in the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. As a previous grant recipient, she is honored to serve on the AANA Foundation and support research and education efforts in the nurse anesthesiology profession. Dr. Belson’s research focuses on pediatric anesthesia and long-term outcomes in retinoblastoma survivors.

Bill is a seasoned association executive with over two decades of experience in organizational leadership. He excels at developing strong relationships with volunteer leaders, staff, and constituents in complex national healthcare associations, having previously served as the CEO of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, CTO at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and CIO at the American Psychiatric Association. Bill leads a staff of over 130 professionals at AANA who work to advance, support, and protect nurse anesthesiology. His formal education includes a bachelor’s degree in information systems management and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland.

Paul Fehrenbacher is a Board Member, President, and CEO of Airway Innovations, Inc., a medical device company redefining airway management to help anesthesia providers deliver safer, simpler, more cost-effective patient care. With deep experience building medtech ventures, he has secured multi-million-dollar equity and non-dilutive capital and guided products through commercialization and regulatory milestones. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Paul also mentors and judges Notre Dame’s McCloskey New Venture Competition, supporting the next generation of healthcare entrepreneurs. He brings this entrepreneurial, patient-safety-driven perspective, along with firsthand board governance experience, to his service on behalf of CRNAs and the anesthesia community.

Dianna Heikkila, an expert in obstetric anesthesiology, is a highly respected figure in the nurse anesthesia community. She is known for her dedication and compassion as a practitioner, educator, leader, mentor, and advocate. Dr. Heikkila’s achievements include serving as Idaho State President, receiving the Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award at Samuel Merritt University in 2018 and 2019, and being honored as the first AANA Foundation State Advocate of the Year in 2006. Dianna Heikkila served as the student representative to the AANA Education Committee from 2000 to 2001.

Micah is a Partner at CRNA Tax Associates, where he works closely with CRNAs providing tax and financial guidance. He is grateful for the opportunity to support the Foundation’s mission and is deeply committed to helping strengthen and uplift the CRNA community through education, advocacy, and responsible financial stewardship.

Mikayla Sabinash is a nurse anesthesiologist in North Carolina with expertise in pediatric anesthesia and a passion for mentoring future nurse anesthesiologists.  Dr. Sabinash is committed to advancing the profession through leadership and advocacy, and is honored to continue representing nurse anesthesia residents and early career nurse anesthesiologists on the AANA Foundation Board of Trustees.

As an SRNA, Dr. Toyin Orunja-White began her journey with the AANA Foundation as a Student Representative on the Board of Trustees. She works full-time clinically as an independent contractor, is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore Nurse Anesthesia Program, and is involved in several organizations, including the NBCRNA and the Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

Robyn C. Ward, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, is a Professor of Professional Practice and Director of the School of Nurse Anesthesia at Texas Christian University. She recently served as Interim Dean of the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences. Dr. Ward is an accomplished nurse anesthesia educator, clinician, researcher, and academic leader with extensive experience in professional service, certification, assessment, and healthcare education. A Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, she has contributed to the nurse anesthesia profession through national service, research, and scholarly publication. Dr. Ward is also a retired Commander in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, where her military career included serving as the sole anesthesia provider aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during deployment in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Her scholarship focuses on assessment, professional certification, and lifelong learning in healthcare professionals.

Dr. Young (John) Yauger is the current Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology Foundation. He recently retired from the US Army after almost 25 years of active military service. His assignments in the military included Executive Director of TriService Nursing Research Program, Assistant Professor and Deputy Research Director in the US Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, critical care nurse, and medical surgical nurse. He deployed 3 times to combat, most recently in 2018, where he conducted golden hour surgical team operations for the Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan. Academically, Dr. Yauger earned his neuroscience PhD and Masters in Nursing from the Department of Defense’s, Uniformed Services University. As an assistant professor and researcher, Dr. Yauger taught biochemistry, leadership, and principles of nurse anesthesia. His research interests include combat nursing, resuscitation, anesthesia, traumatic brain injury, innovative technology, and neuro-inflammation.