Events

2025 Annual Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders Conference

The power of storytelling in leadership

Join nursing leader colleagues for this annual event focusing on leading and developing nurses. Throughout the conference, you will learn how leadership is changing, ways to affect that change, and principles that leaders can use to empower, energize and inspire themselves and those they lead.

DATE

Sep. 17 - Sep. 19, 2025
1:00 PM - 12:00 PM

LOCATION

Ingleside Hotel

Pewaukee, WI

Sep. 17, 2025

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

WONL Board Meeting
Sep. 17, 2025

3:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Pre-conference Activities
- Poster Showcase
- Exhibitor Set-up (Lake Country Ballroom)
- Conference Registration (Hallway - Lake Country Ballroom)
Sep. 17, 2025

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Welcome Reception

Heavy Appetizers, Cash Bar
Sep. 18, 2025

6:00 AM - 7:30 AM

Exhibitor Set-up, con't
Sep. 18, 2025

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

Conference Registration/Visit Exhibitors and Posters
Sep. 18, 2025

8:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Welcome

Dennise Lavrenz, MBA, RN, CENP
WONL President
Sep. 18, 2025

8:45 AM - 10:15 AM

Criminalizing Errors

RaDonda Vaught will share her profoundly personal story. Ms. Vaught’s case made headlines in March 2022 when a jury found her guilty of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect of an impaired adult in the death of a patient to whom she accidentally gave the wrong medication. She will speak firsthand on the impact this sentinel event has had on her life and her profession, along with the implications of the legal actions that followed. A passionate advocate for safety and improvement, her story will be one that is not easily forgotten.

RaDonda Vaught
Sep. 18, 2025

10:15 AM - 10:45 AM

Break/Visit Exhibitors and Posters
Sep. 18, 2025

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

TBD

Deb Zimmerman, RN
AONL President, CEO Daisy Award
Sep. 18, 2025

11:45 AM - 1:15 PM

Luncheon and Business Meeting

Busniess Meeting: 12:00 - 1:00PM
Visit Exhibitors and Posters
Sep. 18, 2025

1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Wisconsin Legislative Update

Hear up-to-date information on workforce trends and policy challenges facing Wisconsin hospitals, health systems and health care organizations. Attendees will come away with a better understanding of workforce, regulatory and legislative issues that impact nurses, nursing practice and nurse leaders; and recommendations to improve our state’s health care workforce.

Ann Zenk, RN, BSN, MHA
Sr. Vice President Workforce and Clinical Practice, WHA
Sep. 18, 2025

2:15 PM - 2:30 PM

Break/Visit Exhibitors and Posters
Sep. 18, 2025

2:30 PM - 3:45 PM

Empowering Change: How Nurse Leaders Drive Innovation Through Strategic Storytelling

The healthcare industry is rich with innovative solutions and presents exciting opportunities to enhance implementation and adoption approaches. Often the key to success isn’t related to technology, but to compelling narratives that inspire nursing teams to act. This presentation provides a roadmap for leveraging nursing leadership to drive meaningful change through strategic storytelling to implement and scale nurse-driven programs across multiple hospital settings and foster sustainable improvements through proven change management principles.

Christine Gall, DrPH, MS, BSN
Chief Nursing Officer, Collette Health
Sep. 18, 2025

3:45 PM - 5:00 PM

TBD

Jackie Gaines
Huron Group
Sep. 18, 2025

5:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Adjourn/Visit Exhibitors and Posters
Sep. 18, 2025

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Awards Dinner

Presentation of the WONL Nurse Leader of the Year awards
Sep. 19, 2025

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

Breakfast/Visit Exhibitors and Posters
Sep. 19, 2025

8:30 AM - 9:45 AM

TBD

April Hansen, MSN,RN
Sep. 19, 2025

9:45 AM - 10:15 AM

Break/Visit Exhibitors and Posters
Sep. 19, 2025

10:15 AM - 11:30 AM

We All Have A Story

Through time, different generations have experienced traumatic national events as well as personal stories that shaped them. Today is no different. This talk enlightens the audience on how these unique stories, both those experienced publicly as well as privately, shape individuals of all generations. This knowledge and understanding helps individuals in the organization gain sympathy and empathy for each other, which helps create a healthier culture, a greater sense of teamwork, and ultimately a more successful and resilient organization.

Amelie Karam
Sep. 19, 2025

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Prize Drawings

Raffles and Silent Auction
Sep. 19, 2025

12:00 PM - 12:00 PM

Conference Closing

Nurse executives, nurse managers and anyone else with responsibility for leading nurses. You do not need to be a nurse or a member of WONL to attend this event.

Member: $400
Non-member: $450
Student: $350
Member Poster Presenter: $250
Non-member Poster Presenter: $300

Location
The 2025 Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders (WONL) Conference will be held at:

The Ingleside Hotel
2810 Golf Road
Pewaukee, WI 53072

Lodging
To make a hotel reservation, please call 262-547-0201 and identify self as being a part of the Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders Conference OR use link here Ingleside Hotel Reservation Link for WONL Conference

Room rate is $149/night plus taxes and fees. Room block will be released at the end of the day 8/24/2025.

Overflow Lodging
In the event that the hotel room block sells out, we also have a room block at the following property:

Avid hotel Milwaukee West - Waukesha
2101 Meadow Lane
Pewaukee, WI 53072

To make a reservation, WONL Conference

Room rate is $99/night, plus taxes and fees. Room block will be released at the end of the day on 8/18/2025.

Special Needs
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, WONL seeks to make this conference accessible to all. If you require any special accommodations please email your needs to the WHA Education department at education@wha.org

Prize Drawings and Silent Auction
The WONL Marketing and Communication Committee is sponsoring giveaways and a silent auction during the conference. Please remember to bring your hospital logo items for the giveaways and any non-logo items (valued at $40 or more) to include in the silent auction. If you have questions about this, please contact Annye Graff, WONL Marketing and Communication Chair, at Annye Graff

Registration Options
WONL Member: $400
Non-WONL member: $450
Student: $350 (Including Masters and Doctoral Students. Proof of student status may be requested)
WONL Member Poster Presenter: $250
Non-WONL Poster Presenter: $300

Online registration deadline is: September 10. To register, click here.

Payment Information
WONL accepts the following payment types:

Credit Card (On-line registration): Visa or MasterCard are accepted. Please note: There is a 3.5% service charge for all credit card payments.

Check: Checks should be made out to Wisconsin Hospital Association. If paying by check, please include a copy of your registration generated invoice and send to:

Wisconsin Hospital Association
Attn: 25WONL
5510 Research Park Drive, Suite 200
Fitchburg, WI 53711-5380

Cancellation Policy
Cancellations received in writing up to fifteen (15) business days prior to the conference will be given a full refund less a $50 processing fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations received less than fifteen (15) business days prior and day-of-program no-shows. Substitutions are accepted.

This activity will be submitted to WNA CEAP for approval to award contact hours. Wisconsin Nurses Association is an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

A BIG THANK YOU to our 2025 Annual WONL Conference Sponsors and Exhibitors. We appreciate your committment to the advancement of nurse leadership.

Sponsors
Mayo Health System
Qualivis
Stryker Medical

Exhibitors
Amergis Staffing
Carroll University
Collette Health
EasyShifts
EBSCO
Herzing University
Mayo Health System
MSSI
Psychiatric Medical Care
Qualivis
SpaceLabs
Stryker Medical
VM Staffing
Western Governors University
WHA Quality Department
WisPan

Updated: 6/9

Amelie Karam

Speaker

After studying at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Richmond University in London, and finishing her See more

Christine Gall, DrPH, MS, BSN

Collette Health, Chief Nursing Officer

Dr. Christine Gall DrPH, MS, BSN is a distinguished healthcare visionary with over three decades of See more

April Hansen, MSN, RN

Speaker

RaDonda Vaught

Keynote Speaker

RaDonda Vaught was the subject of one of the highest profile healthcare criminal cases in recent years. See more

Dennise Lavrenz, MBA, RN, CENP

WONL President

Dennise Lavrenz has been an active member of AONL/WONL for the past 15 years and a board member for the See more

Deb Zimmerman

AONL President, CEO Daisy Award

Ann Zenk, RN, BSN, MHA

Sr. Vice President of Workforce and Clinical Practice, Wisconsin Hospital Association

Ann has served the Wisconsin Hospital Association as Vice President of Workforce and Clinical Practice since June 2017. As a member of See more

Events

2025 Annual Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders Conference

The power of storytelling in leadership

DATE

LOCATION

Sep. 17, 2025

WONL Board Meeting

Sep. 17, 2025

Pre-conference Activities

Sep. 17, 2025

Welcome Reception

Sep. 18, 2025

Exhibitor Set-up, con't

Sep. 18, 2025

Conference Registration/Visit Exhibitors and Posters

Sep. 18, 2025

Welcome

Sep. 18, 2025

Criminalizing Errors

Sep. 18, 2025

Break/Visit Exhibitors and Posters

Sep. 18, 2025

TBD

Sep. 18, 2025

Luncheon and Business Meeting

Sep. 18, 2025

Wisconsin Legislative Update

Sep. 18, 2025

Break/Visit Exhibitors and Posters

Sep. 18, 2025

Empowering Change: How Nurse Leaders Drive Innovation Through Strategic Storytelling

Sep. 18, 2025

TBD

Sep. 18, 2025

Adjourn/Visit Exhibitors and Posters

Sep. 18, 2025

Awards Dinner

Sep. 19, 2025

Breakfast/Visit Exhibitors and Posters

Sep. 19, 2025

TBD

Sep. 19, 2025

Break/Visit Exhibitors and Posters

Sep. 19, 2025

We All Have A Story

Sep. 19, 2025

Prize Drawings

Sep. 19, 2025

Conference Closing

Intended Audience

Cost

Conference Information and Lodging

Registration Information

Continuing Education

Sponsors and Exhibitors

Amelie Karam

Christine Gall, DrPH, MS, BSN

April Hansen, MSN, RN

RaDonda Vaught

Dennise Lavrenz, MBA, RN, CENP

Deb Zimmerman

Ann Zenk, RN, BSN, MHA