“The gravity of the responsibility was realized when you walked into the boardroom and you’re there to make decisions, and the perspective you have to take shifts. Of course, I bring to the table my expertise and my perspective, but the decision-making and strategy behind it is really geared at sustaining the organization and moving us towards our mission, which is to advance excellence in oncology nursing and quality cancer care. Being able to reframe your perspective a little bit around those decisions is something that you don’t realize until you’re there to do that,” ONS director-at-large Ryne Wilson, DNP, RN, OCN^®, told Brenda Nevidjon, MSN, RN, FAAN, chief executive officer at ONS, during a conversation with the three new 2024–2027 directors-at-large on the ONS Board. Nevidjon spoke with Wilson, Heidi Haynes, MN, CRNP, OCN^®, and Susan Yackzan, PhD, APRN, AOCN^®, about their careers, paths to serving on the Board, and passions in oncology.

Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod

Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 

Earn 0.75 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by November 15, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to the key roles of the ONS Board of Directors.

Episode Notes 

• Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. 
• Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes:
  • Episode 270: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Brown, MacIntyre, and Woods
  • Episode 239: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Allen, Mathey, and Robison
  • Episode 224: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Nevidjon, Geddie, and Garner
  • Episode 213: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Brant, Burger, and Knoop
  • Episode 200: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Houlihan, Ferguson, and Polovich
• ONS Voice articles:
  • Climate Change Is Contributing to the Cancer Burden, and Nurses Must Take Action
  • Mentorships Open Opportunities for Oncology Nurses’ Career Growth and Wellness
  • Oncology Nurse Joins Panel to Discuss Solutions to Advance Equitable Cancer Care for the LGBTQ+ Community
  • Seeds Planted Today Nurture a Harvest of Future Generations of Oncology Nurses
  • Find Your Voice With ONS’s Leadership Development Committee
• ONS courses:
  • Advocacy 101: Making a Difference
  • A Guide to Chapter Leadership: Chapter President Training
  • A Guide to Chapter Finances: Chapter Treasurer Training
  • Board Leadership: Nurses in Governance
• ONS Leadership
• ONS Leadership Learning Library
• ONS Network and Advocacy Resources
• Joint Position Statement from APHON, CANO/ACIO, and ONS Regarding Fertility Preservation in Individuals with Cancer

To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.

To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing Podcast Club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library.

To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org.

Highlights From This Episode

Wilson: “After graduating and moving to Minnesota, I immediately joined the Southeast Minnesota chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society and served on the board and a few dif