Secretary (One to be Elected)

Read Candidate Q&A

Brenda G. Larkin, APRN, MS, ACNS-BC, CNS-CP, CSSM, CNOR, FAORN, is a perioperative clinical nurse specialist at St. Charles Health System, Bend, Oregon. She earned a Bachelor of Science in physiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana; a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Illinois Health Sciences Center, Chicago; and a Master of Science in nursing from Rush University, Chicago, Illinois.

Larkin has been a perioperative nurse for 32 years and a member of AORN for 30 years. She is a member of

• Treasure Valley (2022-present),
• AORN Columbia River Chapter (2020-present),
• AORN Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter (2014-present),
• eChapter (2020-present),
• the Oregon State Council of Perioperative Nurses (2021-present),
• the Georgia State Council (2020-present),
• the Advanced Practice Nursing Specialty Assembly (2014-present),
• the Clinical Nurse Educator Specialty Assembly (2014-present), and
• the Leadership Specialty Assembly (2014-present).

Larkin has attended Congress 10 times in the past 10 years, each time as a delegate.

Larkin has received

• an AORN Outstanding Achievement in Evidence-Based Practice Award (2022).

Highlights of Larkin’s service to AORN include that she is

• co-chair of the Advanced Practice Nursing Specialty Assembly (2021-present) and
• a member of the AORN Columbia River Chapter Board of Directors (2023-present).

She has been

• a member of the AORN Board of Directors (2017-2021),
• Board liaison to the Advanced Practice Specialty Assembly (2017, 2019-2020),
• Board liaison to the Research Committee (2017-2018),
• Board liaison to the Guidelines Advisory Board (2018-2019, 2020-2021),
• chair of the AORN Board of Directors Policy Manual Review Committee (2018-2019, 2020-2021),
• chair of the Advanced Practice Nursing Specialty Assembly (2016-2018),
• co-education chair of the Advanced Practice Nursing Specialty Assembly (2015-2016), and
• a member of the Continuing Education Approval Committee (2014-2017).

In other leadership roles, Larkin has been

• a member of the Wisconsin Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists Steering Committee (2014-2020) and
• co-chair of the Wisconsin State Chief Nursing Officer-Clinical Nurse Specialists Shared Governance Breakfast (2016-2017).

In her community, Larkin is

• a home Bible study group leader (2014-present).

Election Statement

Our association has survived several years of disruption. It is only now that we are beginning to see the fruit of our perseverance through the pandemic. Our Mission, Vision and Values have held true throughout that storm, as did our members. Now it is the time to turn our focus on thriving as an association. My commitment to our members has been unwavering and I am dedicated to ensuring that you continue to have the support of our association’s strength in this new era.

The disruption of the pandemic and the drastic change of the world economy affects every aspect of our lives, including our profession. AORN can no longer afford to do business as usual. It is time to rethink our strategies to serve our members with both digital and in-person modalities that will allow us to reach and engage more perioperative nurses than ever before. We must work inventively with our industry partners, interdisciplinary colleagues, and health care organizations to continue to promote patient and nurse safety in the 21st century.

The position of Secretary is more than mere notetaking and communication. As an officer on the Board, the Secretary is a critical member who chronicles the direction of the Association while charged with its safekeeping and promotion. My experience on the Board during good and chaotic times gives me an advantage that will allow our association to evolve as the future unfolds. It would be my great honor to serve you as a transformative Secretary.