Central Florida Chapter

Chartered: 1995 as Central Florida Chapter

Name remains: Central Florida Chapter
Although frequently referred to as the Orlando chapter our members are from diverse counties and cities/towns of Central Florida. Initial organization of the chapter included the assistance of Miami chapter members Craig Phillips RN and Sande Gracia Jones RN, as well as Rob Byrd RN who was then president of The Daytona Beach Chapter, and Gidget Ruscetta RN of the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women and Children. Paula Winston RN a transplant from New York and rounded out the founding members of the Central Florida Chapter.  Other current members and area physicians who assisted in this Chapter’s fledgling years include nurses Suellen Cirelli, Karen Volosin, Jeff Baldwin, Bill Emery, Neena Griffin and Doctors Jani, Sanchez, Goodgame and Hopkins.

1995 was celebrated as 7 members attended the Boston National Conference and became ACRN certified.  The Florida ANAC Consortium was initiated by the Florida ANAC chapters at the annual AETC Conference held in Orlando, Florida. All chapters sponsored the ANAC booth at the conference and the ad hoc committee came away with a mission statement and goals.

1995 Florida ANAC Consortium
Mission Statement
“The Florida ANAC Consortium will educate and inform the nurses within the state of ANAC’s existence and availability to them.”

Goals
1. Publish a statewide newsletter to be distributed to all national ANAC members dwelling in Florida.
2. Coordinate the Florida “AIDS Watch” Washington D.C. 1995
3. Develop a rapid communication system to disseminate AIDS related information throughout the state.

Results
1. The newsletter with articles from all chapters increased ANAC visibility and chapter rosters.  Production started July 1995 and stopped in 1997, the need being met through National ANAC.
2. 1995 AIDS Watch had more congressional appointments (17) than any other state.
3. The fax tree (which started with lead national organizations sending Action Alerts to ten regional offices [ANAC members] who then faxed the information through their fax trees) morphed through various changes until today it is a lobbying effort/advocacy organization of much prestige in Florida: The Florida AIDS Institute.

Chapter Presidents
1995 Gidget Ruscetta, RN
1996 Gidget Ruscetta, RN ACRN
1997 Karen Volosin RN ACRN
1998 Jeff Baldwin RN ACRN
1999 Debi Hunt, RN ACRN
2000 Kerry Mullen, ARNP ACRN
2001 Jan Curtis, ARNP
2001 Sue Cirelli ARNP ACRN
2002 Sue Cirelli ARNP ACRN
2003 Sue Cirelli ARNP ACRN
2004 Sue Cirelli ARNP ACRN
2005 Patti Herrera RN ACRN
2006 Caroline Gertz RN AACRN
2007 Marc Pierre-Louis RN

Significant Chapter Events:

• 1995-present: active advocacy and involvement in the HIV/AIDS community, participating on consortiums, planning councils, community planning partnerships, prevention initiatives, etc.
• 1996-2000: Bimonthly educational meetings
• 2001-present: Monthly educational dinner meetings 3rd Wedns.
• 2000     Abstract co-authored by Dr.Asim Jani, Caroline Gertz ARNP, Suellen Cirelli, ARNP et al presented at Durban
• 2001    Chapter Logo developed and approved
• 2001    Presenters at AMFAR: Kerry Mullen ARNP, Suellen Cirelli ARNP, Kathleen Frezza PharmD
• 2001    Anemia Scholarship awarded to Suellen Cirelli ARNP
• 2002    Abstract co-authored by Dr.Ann Miller (Chicago), Ana Rua Dobles RN presented at Barcelona
• 2002    Anemia Case Study Award: Suellen Cirelli ARNP
• 2002    Education Day: ACRN Review
• 2003     www.cfanac.org up and running
• 2003    Anemia Case Study Award: Suellen Cirelli ARNP
• 2003    DOH Florida HIV/AIDS Nurse of the Month Award: Kathy Fritz RN
• 2003    Presenter at AMFAR: Suellen Cirelli ARNP
• 2003    Unrestricted educational grant to assist members (3) attending national conference
• 2004    Unrestricted educational grant to assist members (7) attending national conference
• 2004    Anemia Case Study Award: Cindy Larsen RN
• 2004    Anemia Case Study Award: Kathy Huff ARNP