Wallena Gould

Wallena Gould, CRNA, MSN is the founder of the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program, whose mission is to inform, empower and mentor underserved diverse populations with information to prepare for a successful career in Nurse Anesthesia. The all volunteer organization participants are CRNA’s, Student CRNA’s Critical Care Nurses, Nursing Students, and High School Students, fulfill their mission by providing annual information sessions/luncheon programs, anesthesia airway workshops, sponsorships for minority nurse anesthesia students to the Annual AANA Conference, participating in area high school career day, visit Historically Black Colleges and Universities and provide annual graduating celebratory dinner for minority students completing the nurse anesthesia programs. The Program has mentored nurses for the past six years.

Wallena Gould who is the former Chief Nurse Anesthetist, works full time during the day and plans in the evening and weekends for events throughout the year. She has family with two daughters, but is dedicated on her quest to educate and mentor the minority population about the nurse anesthesia profession.

In 2008, Wallena Gould facilitated an Annual Information session/ luncheon with a panel of CRNA’s Directors of Nurse Anesthesia Programs, and Student CRNA’s. She also hosted an Anesthesia Airway Workshop at South Jersey Healthcare, where nurses got to have hands- on experience learning about airway equipment, and the tools-of-the-trade in nurse anesthesia. Wallena’s continued dedication and support to minority nurses, students, and professionals is exemplified, as she is currently preparing for the third Information Session this year, to be held in October in Miami. The former were in Camden, New Jersey, and Los Angeles earlier this year. Additionally, Wallena travels around the country visiting Historically Black Colleges, as well as high schools, providing education about the profession of which she is so passionate about.

Wallena’s ultimate goal is to diminish the disparity of minority nurse anesthetist in the profession. Personally, I can say that she is always open and available for mentoring, questions, and genuine encouragement. To know her, is simply to be inspired!

Finally, I’ll add, that she works so hard to help others, that she deserves a must needed vacation prize.