Class of 2027 - Advocacy Institute Fellowship
Updated: Sep 29
We’re proud to introduce the Advocacy Institute Fellowship class — the Class of 2027. Now in its sixth year, the Fellowship is a testament to the impact of our past cohorts and the growing demand for nurse-led advocacy in California.
The Fellowship is built on one simple idea: nurses deserve platforms to turn frustration into action. Each year, our Fellows step into that space — learning to use their voices in media, policy, and community arenas to drive meaningful change. This newest class continues that legacy, carrying forward the work of past Fellows while carving new paths of their own.
Meet the Class of 2027 below and join us in celebrating the next generation of nurse advocates.
Fellowship Deliverables
Support analysis of assessment results (structured themes, implications, and priority findings)
Draft assigned report sections (e.g., findings, implications, recommendations support content as directed)
Coordinate input cycles with reviewers and editors (briefings, feedback capture, revisions)
Support external opportunities to share recommendations (talking points, audience-specific highlights, speaker prep)
Fellow: Dr. Ayomidamope Adebiyi Fletcher DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CEN, COHN-S
Bio: Dr. Ayomidamope Adebiyi is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Occupational Health Nurse Specialist whose career bridges frontline clinical care, academic nursing education, and public health advocacy. She currently leads occupational health services at the University of California, Merced, overseeing medical surveillance, workers' compensation, and safety protocol programs for research and campus personnel, while also serving as clinical faculty via an academic-practice partnership precepting Family Nurse Practitioner students.
Dr. Adebiyi earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice, and a Post Master's Certificate in Nursing Education from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with a specialization in Family Practice and Occupational and Environmental Health. Her scholarly work centers on work as a social determinant of health and occupational health equity, including peer-reviewed publication on expanding clinical awareness and early diagnostic screening of Valley Fever, and quality improvement research on addressing work-related musculoskeletal injuries and ergonomic injury prevention.
She is the founder of Care for the Unreached, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advancing maternal and child health equity in underserved communities in Nigeria, and is active with the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) and the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN). Her honors include the American Nurses Foundation's Jeannine Rivet National Leadership Award in 2022, and two United States Presidential Volunteer Service Awards. As a member of the ANA-California Advocacy Fellows Class of 2027, Dr. Adebiyi is building on this foundation to advance anti-racism in nursing and health policy, with a continued focus on equity at the intersection of occupational health and community health.
Fellow: Daniela Vargas MSN, MPH, MA-Bioethics, RN, PHN, FADLN
Bio: Daniela Vargas, MSN, MPH, MA-Bioethics, RN, PHN, FADLN, is a public health nurse and her academic work focuses on addressing racism in nursing, creating anti-racist nursing practices and creating workforce support programs for Black, Brown and Indigenous nursing students to successfully matriculate, graduate and post-graduation opportunities. Daniela is also an inaugural member of the Society of Latinx Nurses (SOLN), which is a new Latinx nursing organization focused on serving and advocating for the Latinx community as well as addressing racism within nursing and the Latinx community with the common goal to support Latinx nurses especially those from Black, Brown and Indigenous backgrounds.
Daniela graduated from the University of San Francisco where she received her MSN and MPH in 2017 as well as Loyola University Chicago’s M.A. in Bioethics and Health Policy in 2019 where her capstone focused on the ethical implications of the nursing profession acknowledging DACA and undocumented nursing students and nurses in clinical settings. Daniela currently works as a public health nurse (PHN) in the clinical setting in the Bay Area within the birthing community providing education and support through care rooted in reproductive justice primarily to Black, Brown and Indigenous women in the prenatal and postpartum periods as well as their children in the first two years of life. Daniela is the PHN Representative for the San Francisco Community RN chapter of SEIU 1021 and is currently working on issues including a city-wide safety campaign and protecting and advocating for public healthcare services in San Francisco, CA. Daniela served as a co-chair for the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing and a co-chair for the 2025 Code of Ethics for Nurses Revision Panel.
Fellow: Dr. DaJanae Gresham-Ryder DNP, MSN, RN.PHN, CMSRN, FADLN
Bio: DaJanae Gresham-Ryder, DNP, MSN, RN, PHN, CMSRN, is a nurse leader, educator, researcher, and health equity advocate committed to advancing nursing practice, education, and professional development. She serves as a Clinical Nurse III at UC Davis Medical Center and as nursing faculty, bringing together bedside expertise, academic leadership, and community service.
Her scholarly work focuses on workplace civility and belonging, nursing leadership, sickle cell disease education, and initiatives that strengthen the transition of nursing students into professional practice. Dr. Gresham-Ryder’s work has been published and presented nationally and internationally, reflecting her commitment to translating evidence into meaningful change. A dedicated mentor and lifetime member of the National Black Nurses Association, she has held leadership roles within the Capitol City Black Nurses Association and continues to champion mentorship, health equity, student success, and the development of the next generation of nurse leaders.
Fellowship Deliverables
Support the development of a policy guidance document for healthcare and nursing leaders focused on ethical, effective integration of AI in clinical documentation and nursing workflows.
Host a panel discussion with nursing and healthcare leaders to explore implications, opportunities, and risks related to AI-enabled documentation
workflows.
Fellow: Dr. Ann Bindra DNP, RN, CCRN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC
Bio: Dr. Ann Bindra, is a Regional Magnet Program Director and Senior Clinical Practice Nurse II for Kaiser Permanente Northern California's Nurse Scholars Academy. With more than a decade of nursing leadership experience, she partners with nurse leaders, professional governance councils, and clinical teams to advance nursing excellence, professional practice, workforce engagement, scholarly inquiry, and Magnet® principles across a large integrated healthcare system.
Throughout her career, Dr. Bindra has served in leadership roles spanning clinical practice, nursing professional development, quality improvement, accreditation readiness, and professional practice advancement. She is deeply committed to creating environments where nurses can thrive, lead, innovate, and deliver exceptional patient-centered care. Her work focuses on strengthening the structures and processes that support evidence-based practice, shared governance, professional autonomy, and nursing excellence.
Dr. Bindra earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and is board-certified as a Nurse Executive Advanced (NEA-BC). Her professional interests include leadership development, transformational leadership, nursing professional governance, workforce well-being, Magnet designation, and the advancement of professional nursing practice. She is particularly passionate about empowering nurses to engage in decision-making, influence healthcare systems, and amplify the voice of nursing at organizational and policy levels.
As a Kaiser Permanente Caring Science Certified Educator Program (KP-CCEP) Faculty member, Dr. Bindra advances the principles of Caring Science through education, mentoring, and leadership development. She promotes caring-healing practices that foster authentic relationships, human connection, compassionate leadership, and healthy work environments for patients, families, colleagues, and communities. Dr. Bindra is passionate about helping nurses discover their voice, strengthen their leadership capabilities, and recognize their collective influence in shaping the future of healthcare. Through the ANA California Advocacy Fellow Program, she hopes to further develop her advocacy skills and contribute to advancing policies that support the nursing profession, improve healthcare outcomes, and promote equitable, patient-centered care.
Fellowship Deliverables
Contribute to the campaign report (drafting sections, integrating evidence and findings)
Contribute to a framework and policy recommendations that address AI in equitable staffing models, grounded in organizational justice and fairness
Support or help launch an Advisory Council (outreach coordination, agenda support, notes synthesis as needed)
Support external opportunities to share recommendations (panels, education sessions, media opportunities, partner briefings)
Fellow: Dr. Sunitha Dharman DNP, RN
Bio: Dr. Sunitha Dharman is a distinguished healthcare executive and clinical leader with extensive experience advancing operational excellence, clinical practice, patient safety, and organizational transformation across complex healthcare environments. As a senior leader overseeing Eye Care Services and clinical practice, she brings a strategic, systems-level perspective to improving access, quality, workforce performance, and patient outcomes.
Dr. Dharman is recognized for translating organizational strategy into measurable results. Her leadership spans healthcare operations, clinical governance, performance improvement, risk management, workforce development, health equity, and cross-functional transformation. She has led initiatives focused on optimizing care delivery, improving access, strengthening accountability, and building high-performing teams while navigating the operational and clinical complexities of large academic and integrated healthcare systems.
A champion of innovation, Dr. Dharman is particularly interested in the intersection of healthcare, technology, and emerging models of care delivery. She has led efforts leveraging data, workflow redesign, digital tools, and innovative operational models to address capacity, access, and patient experience challenges. Her leadership philosophy centers on creating sustainable systems that empower teams, improve the patient experience, and deliver meaningful outcomes.
Dr. Dharman’s healthcare career began in critical care, where she developed a strong foundation in clinical practice, complex decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Her experience across Level I trauma centers, teaching hospitals, and community healthcare settings shaped her understanding of healthcare delivery from both the bedside and enterprise perspectives. She subsequently earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Healthcare Leadership from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, where she was recognized for excellence in interprofessional collaboration. Her leadership also includes public health emergency response during COVID 19 and MPOX, with a focus on advancing health equity, strengthening community-centered care, and ensuring equitable access to prevention and healthcare resources.
Throughout her career, Dr. Dharman has demonstrated a unique ability to bridge clinical expertise with executive strategy. She is committed to advancing clinical excellence, developing future-ready healthcare leaders, and fostering cultures grounded in safety, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement. She is also a Fellow of the Shaughnessy Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive Fellowship, reflecting her continued commitment to advancing nursing and healthcare leadership. Her professional interests include healthcare transformation, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in healthcare, clinical governance, workforce innovation, health equity, and the future of healthcare delivery. Through engagement with national professional organizations and leadership forums, Dr. Dharman continues to contribute to the advancement of healthcare leadership and the evolution of innovative, equitable, and high performing healthcare systems.
Artificial Intelligence + Governance Campaign
Fellowship Deliverables
Contribute to campaign materials focused on AI governance, accountability, transparency, and nurse-informed oversight
Support development of recommendations that help nursing and healthcare leaders evaluate AI tools before, during, and after implementation
Support or help convene advisory input from nurses, leaders, SMEs, and decision-makers
Support external opportunities to share recommendations through education, briefings, panels, or written materials
Fellow: Aldijana Avdic, MBA, BSN, RN, FACHE
Bio: Aldijana Avdic, MBA, BSN, RN, FACHE, is a healthcare executive, nurse leader, and Founder and President of Stratix Advisory LLC, where she advises health systems on clinical performance, governance, and enterprise execution. Her career spans more than 20 years across frontline nursing, hospital operations, quality, patient safety, regulatory readiness, and health system leadership. Beginning her career as an intensive care nurse, she went on to lead complex clinical and operational improvement efforts across hospitals and service lines, including enterprise responsibilities spanning 26 hospitals and approximately 4,000 beds.
Throughout her career, Aldijana has focused on translating evidence, data, and organizational priorities into measurable improvements in patient outcomes and care delivery. Her work has contributed to reductions in mortality, healthcare-associated infections, readmissions, complications, and length of stay, while also generating meaningful operational and financial value. Aldijana is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds certifications in healthcare quality and patient safety. She is committed to advancing nursing’s voice in healthcare policy and strengthening the connection between clinical experience, organizational leadership, and public policy to improve outcomes for patients, communities, and the healthcare workforce.
Fellow: Dr. Ashley Smith, DNP, RN, PHN, CNE, FRSPH
Bio: Ashley Smith, DNP, RN, PHN, CNE, FRSPH, is a doctoral-prepared public health nurse and educator with a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Population Health. Her nursing career has shaped a deep interest in how our communities and the environments around us influence health, with much of her scholarly work focused on population and planetary health.
As an educator, Ashley is passionate about preparing future nurses for a healthcare system that is changing quickly. She believes nurses need to understand emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, so they can ask questions, advocate for their patients, and remain an important voice in how these tools are used. She is grateful for the opportunity to learn and work alongside colleagues as healthcare enters this new chapter, while continuing to keep the health of our patients, communities, colleagues, and planet at the center of her work.
Fellow: Dr. Adrienne Martinez-Hollingsworth, PhD, RN, PHN, WAN
Bio: Adrienne Martinez-Hollingsworth, PhD, RN, PHN, WAN, is a nurse scientist, health policy advocate, and Director of Research & Evaluation at the AltaMed Institute for Health Equity. She serves as National Committee Chair for Policy and Advocacy for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), advancing nursing perspectives in policies affecting Latino and underserved communities.
Her work bridges research, frontline nursing, and policy, with a focus on health equity, artificial intelligence, emergency preparedness, and community health. A UCLA-trained nurse scientist and Betty Irene Moore Fellow for Nurse Leaders and Innovators Alumna at UC Davis, Dr. Martinez-Hollingsworth is committed to translating evidence and community experience into actionable policy that strengthens nursing practice and advances equitable health outcomes across California and nationally.
Fellow: Christopher H. Lee, MBA, BSN, RN-BC
Bio: Christopher H. Lee is a board-certified Registered Nurse at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and Interim Practice Transformation and Innovation Specialist with UCLA Health’s Center for Nursing Excellence. Grounded in more than nine years of bedside nursing experience, his work bridges frontline practice with professional governance, clinical innovation, and health system transformation.
Through Nursing Professional Governance, Christopher has led initiatives that translate frontline challenges into system-level solutions. His work includes overseeing the unit-level development of UCLA Health’s first physical inpatient behavioral safety identifier system, launching an allied health upskilling initiative, and advancing bedside EHR optimizations. He also serves on the steering committee for AONL’s Professional Governance Leadership Conference, contributing to national conversations on nursing leadership and professional governance.
Christopher’s advocacy interests focus on a rapidly evolving healthcare policy challenge: ensuring nurses have a meaningful voice in how artificial intelligence is governed, evaluated, and implemented. He contributes to national AI governance efforts through the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) and the Nursing and Artificial Intelligence Innovation Consortium (NAIIC), bringing the perspective of frontline nursing into conversations shaping the future of healthcare technology.
Through the ANA\California Advocacy Institute Fellowship, Christopher aims to translate that experience into policy, advancing governance approaches that ensure nursing practice, patient care, and workforce needs are represented as AI becomes increasingly integrated into healthcare.
Interested in becoming an ANA\California Advocacy Institute Fellow?
We're looking for nursing advocates who demonstrate a passion for policy development and advocacy.
Visit our Fellowship page to join the waitlist.
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