Logo Image
|Articles|May 11, 2000

Command Changes at AORN

2000-2001 Officers Elected

DENVER, CO-New 2000-2001 officers of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) were elected at the recent AORN Congress in New Orleans. Brenda C. Ulmer, RN, MN, CNOR, will be the new President; Sheila L. Allen, RN, BSN, CNOR, CRNFA, President-elect; and Betty J. Shultz, RN, CNOR, Vice President. Each officer will occupy her position for a one-year term.

Ulmer is currently a clinical nurse educator for the education department of Valleylab, Inc. (Stone Mountain, Ga). She has 23 years of experience as a perioperative nurse and has been a member of AORN for 21 years. As a registered nurse working in the industry sector, Ulmer says she is able to practice in a role that supports her values by educating nurses and surgeons on the safe use of electrosurgical and ultrasonic devices. She says, "It is my strong belief that if even one patient is prevented from being injured because of what I do, then it's worth all my effort."

Allen, currently a staff nurse at Baton Rouge General Medical Center, will serve as President-elect and then become President. She has been a perioperative nurse and member of AORN for 31 years.

Shultz, president/educator of Surgical Services Specialists (Westlake, Ohio) and a per diem staff nurse and RN first assistant at University Health Systems of Cleveland, will serve as Vice President. She has been a perioperative nurse for 33 years and a member of AORN for 27 years.

Related to this article

View more
Water (Adobe Stock 456102510 by stockphoto-graf)
Where to Begin With ST108: Water Testing and Implementation Readiness
Understanding current water quality is a starting point for ST108 implementation. John Kimsey, vice president of processing optimization and customer success for STERIS, spoke about his HSPA presentation on assessing readiness, distinguishing system qualification from routine testing, and understanding where water samples should be collected.
Read more
Image of Pathogens flying (Adobe Stock weerasak)
How 3 Decades of SHEA Presidents Shaped the Science and Soul of Infection Prevention
Behind every landmark in infection prevention, from antimicrobial stewardship guidelines to the COVID-19 town halls that reached flight attendants and teachers, is a generation of physician-scientists who led SHEA through crises, organizational change, and scientific breakthroughs. Infection Control Today traces 30 years of SHEA presidents and the lasting mark they left on the field.
Read more
AORN26 New Orleans 2026 (Adobe Stock)
How Can OR and Sterile Processing Teams Improve Collaboration and Instrument Readiness?
Missing instruments and processing delays can strain OR–SPD relationships. At AORN 2026, John Kimsey, vice president of processing optimization and customer success for STERIS, discusses understanding root causes, exploring off-site reprocessing for ambulatory surgical centers, and using hands-on simulation to help surgical teams see sterile processing from a different perspective.
Read more
A brightly lit Hospital operating room, a surgical team wearing gowns and masks. (Adobe Stock 1790696595 by Damian)
How Can OR Teams Improve Environmental Cleaning Between Surgical Cases?
Turnover pressure can leave critical OR cleaning steps unfinished. Karen deKay, MSN, RN, EBP-C, CNOR, CIC, FAPIC, examines common gaps in environmental hygiene and how shared responsibilities, attention to disinfectant contact time, and ongoing education can help teams strengthen practices between cases.
Read more