Board of Directors (Three to be Elected)

Read Candidate Q&A

Leslie A. Petruzzelli, DNP, MBA, RN, CNOR, NE-BC, is a director and nurse consultant providing perioperative consulting services and interim leadership for the past five years. She has held many senior executive perioperative leadership roles in academic institutions. She earned an associate degree in nursing from the Community College of Allegheny County, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania; a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Carlow University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, Arizona; and a Doctor of Nursing practice from the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Petruzzelli has been a perioperative nurse for 35 years and a member of AORN for 25 years. She has been a member of

• the Georgia State Council (2018-2020).

Petruzzelli has attended Congress 10 times in the past 10 years.

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

• a member of the Continuing Education Approval Committee (2021-present) and
• a member of the AORN Executive Round Table (2018-present).

She has been

• a member of the Task Force to Define the Role of DNPs in Perioperative Services (2020-2021) and
• a member of the Cardinal Health Advisory Board (2015-2018).

In other leadership roles, Petruzzelli is

• a combat veteran of the US Air Force serving as a squadron Chief Flight Nurse (retired 2013).

In her community, Petruzzelli is

• a volunteer for the Sophia’s Kitchen, Peoria, Illinois (2022-present); and
• a volunteer for the Peoria Humane Society (2023-present).

Election Statement

I am honored to have a place on the AORN national ballot for the Board of Directors. The purpose of AORN is to provide evidence-based recommendations to deliver safe perioperative patient care and workplace safety. It does not matter where you practice; or how many surgical cases you perform; what matters is that you are using evidence-based safe practices and the environment that you are working in does not pose any threats of harm to staff or patients. This mission takes a significant amount of support, infrastructure, and sound financial projections to be successful. It is our AORN Board that is responsible for the strategic vision and financial sustainability for the Association that influences perioperative practice across the globe. This is an important role, and it is one that my background and experience will support me to execute as I collaborate with other members of the Board and the executive team to plan for what is to come over the next three to five years for AORN as part of our strategy. Strategies are just dreams without wings until a team proposes how to financially support that strategy. My experience as a Perioperative Executive Director, Clinical Business Director, and Industry Consultant will assist me to operationalize a proposed strategy as part of the Board. My name is Dr Leslie Petruzzelli, and I would be honored to serve as a member of the AORN Board of Directors.