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During her time as President of the Oncology Nursing Society, Northern Virginia Chapter (NOVA-ONS Chapter), Assistant Professor of Nursing in the College of Public Health Dr. Susan O. Koduah was determined to improve engagement among chapter members.
Koduah was inspired to increase member participation while serving as President-elect in 2022. Chapter members voted and officially elected Koduah as president at the beginning of 2023. Now that her term has come to an end, Koduah proudly shares that she was able to successfully increase member participation and celebrate a milestone anniversary.
“As a leader, listening to the people you serve can help the organization reach their potential goals and improve participation in what needs to be done,” Koduah said. “Humility is one of the keys to being a successful president or leader because it allows members to feel comfortable in sharing ideas with you to make the organization excel.”
Koduah’s presidency coincided with the chapter’s 40th anniversary and she was thrilled about the opportunity to help organize the celebration, in addition to the role’s traditional duties.
As the president, Koduah was the liaison to the national office. Her duties included acting as the chair for quarterly board meetings, coordinating monthly dinner meetings, and disseminating information from the national chapter to board and chapter members. Koduah was also responsible for writing the end of year report, which gets submitted to the national office.
Under her leadership, attendance at monthly dinner meetings significantly increased and the Gala boasted over 150 people in attendance including members, their guests, and partner representatives.
Koduah credits a great deal of her accomplishments to the collaborations she facilitated.
“Collaborative effort pays off because working in silos may not yield as many results,” said Koduah.
The Oncology Nursing Society is a nonprofit membership organization committed to promoting excellence in oncology nursing and the transformation of cancer care.