AANA Honors Excellence in Nurse Anesthesiology: Ohio State Representative Kellie Deeter to Receive Special Recognition Award for Her Exceptional Legislative Leadership

Rosemont, Ill.  – The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) will recognize Ohio State Representative and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Kellie Deeter, DNP, CRNA, CNP, with a Special Recognition Award for extraordinary legislative leadership that advanced CRNA practice, strengthened patient access to anesthesia care, and elevated the nurse anesthesiology profession. Rep. Deeter will be honored during the AANA 2026 Annual Congress, August 21-25, in Boston.

Rep. Deeter has leveraged her unique perspective as both a practicing CRNA and elected state legislator to champion reforms addressing outdated statutory and regulatory barriers affecting nurse anesthesiology practice and reimbursement. Her efforts culminated in transformative policy changes that modernized Ohio law, improved access to care across the state, and enforced payer parity for CRNAs.

“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition and proud of all of the work we have done to demonstrate the value of nurse anesthesiology and how we serve our communities, both in Ohio and across the nation,” said Deeter. “AANA and the Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists (OSANA) have been instrumental in our efforts to build bipartisan support and stakeholder consensus to achieve these legislative victories. Together, we will continue an unwavering commitment to improving access to high-quality, cost-effective healthcare for all patients.”

Among her key accomplishments, Rep. Deeter helped secure a monumental policy win protecting reimbursement equality for all CRNAs across Ohio. In 2025, House Bill 96 was enacted to protect all CRNA-physician anesthesiologist team models from targeted payment cuts ensuring fair and transparent reimbursement practices. In 2026, she sponsored and championed House Bill 52, which modernized Ohio anesthesia practice statutes. The modernization of Ohio law allows healthcare organizations greater flexibility in deploying highly trained and educated CRNAs to meet patient care needs. These reforms support timely access to surgical, obstetrical, trauma, and procedural anesthesia services while maintaining patient safety and collaborative care models.

Beyond her success in modernizing Ohio’s CRNA practice laws, Rep. Deeter helped create the necessary statutory framework that enabled Ohio to pursue and obtain an opt-out from federal CMS physician supervision requirements in July 2026. This legislative momentum helps ensure patients throughout Ohio, particularly in rural and underserved communities, can continue to receive timely care close to home.

Current AANA Board of Directors member Michelle Canale, DNP, CRNA, APRN, FAANA stated in her nomination, “Representative Deeter’s work represents a significant state-level CRNA advocacy achievement. Her success provides a model for legislative modernization efforts nationwide and demonstrates the value of nurse anesthesiology representation in public office. Her work has strengthened the ability of CRNAs to practice to the full extent of their education and training while advancing patient access to anesthesia care across Ohio. Her achievements reflect exceptional dedication to the profession of nurse anesthesiology, and a clear understanding of the critical role CRNAs play in meeting the healthcare needs of communities throughout the state.”

Rep. Deeter is serving her first term in the Ohio House of Representatives. She represents the 54^th Ohio House District, which encompasses all of Huron County with the exception of Lyme and Wakeman townships, and all of western and the southern half of Lorain County. The district also includes New London, Wellington, La Grange, Grafton, and Columbia Station in Lorain County.

Rep. Deeter holds a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) from Marysville University of St. Louis, a master’s degree from the University of Akron, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bowling Green State University in consortium with the Medical College of Ohio, which is now the University of Toledo Medical Center.  A dedicated leader in organized nurse anesthesiology, she has served on the OSANA Board of Directors for eight years, including terms as President and Treasurer, while leading the association’s state government relations efforts for nearly a decade. Nationally, she also served a term on the AANA Finance Committee.

To learn more about AANA Member Recognition awards, visit https://www.aana.com/membership/recognition/aana-awards/.