SWPONL 2026 Conference agenda
*Times subject to change |
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
4:00 pm - 6:30 pm | Registration, Basket Drop off, and Exhibitor Set up Visit us at the registration desk after hotel check-in to pick up your badge to beat the Thursday morning rush! | Glessner Foyer |
Thursday, September 3, 2026
7:15 am - 4:00 pm 7:15 am - 8:00 am | Registration Continental Breakfast; Visit our Sponsor Partners
| Glessner Foyer Glessner Auditorium |
8:00 am - 8:30 am | Welcome, Housekeeping, & Community Outreach Jeannine DiNella, RN, DNP, CCNS SWPONL President Administrative Director of Cancer Clinical Research Allegheny General Hospital Tracy Lyons, DNP, RN Education Committee Chair Director, School of Nursing AHN - Heritage ValleySarah Wagner Community Fundraising Coordinator Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank | West Ballroom |
8:30 am - 8:45 am | Ice Breaker Tracy Lyons, DNP, RN Education Committee Chair Director, School of Nursing AHN - Heritage Valley | West Ballroom |
8:45 am - 10:30 am | Opening Keynote: How to Negotiate with Anyone: Negotiation Skills for Nurse Leaders Mike Hourigan, CSP Author, Speaker, Consultant | West Ballroom |
10:30 am - 11:00 am 11:00 am - 12:00 pm | Refreshment Break; Visit our Sponsor Partners Podium Presentations Enhancing GN Preparedness and Retention: The GN Talent Pool Denise Petras, DNP, RN, NPD-BC Director, Nursing Professional Practice and Education AHN Allegheny General Hospital Innovative Staffing Models: Rethinking Legislated Nurse-to-Patient Ratios in the Era of Technology and Remote Care Lauren Swant, DNP, MSN, RNC-NIC, CNE, CPHQ Director of Nursing, Associate Professor Touro University Judith Zedreck-Gonzalez, DNP, MPM, NEA-BC, FAAN Program Coordinator, Professor University of Pittsburgh Impact of Nursing Retention and Engagement on Patient Care Jonathan Crossett, BSN, RN, CCRN Unit Director UPMC Passavant
Samantha Sham, MSN, RN Clinician UPMC Passavant | Glessner Auditorium West Ballroom |
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm | Group Luncheon and Networking
| Shenandoah/Allegheny |
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm | More Fun with Conflict & Negotiation Mike Hourigan, CSP Author, Speaker, Consultant | West Ballroom |
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm | Refreshment Break; Visit our Sponsor Partners Poster Session Break to Enjoy Oglebay Resort | Glessner Auditorium West Ballroom |
6:00 pm - 7:15 pm | Networking Reception Join your colleagues for appetizers and drinks. Each attendee receives one drink ticket. Cash bar. | Fort Henry |
Friday, September 4, 2026
7:30 am - 12:30 pm 7:30 am - 8:15 am | Registration Continental Breakfast; Visit our Sponsor Partners
| Glessner Foyer Glessner Auditorium |
8:15 am - 9:00 am | SWPONL Update, Business Meeting, Presentation of DAISY Award, Presentation of Poster Awards, and Passing of the Gavel Jeannine DiNella, RN, DNP, CCNS and Committee Co-chairs SWPONL President Administrative Director of Cancer Clinical Research Allegheny General Hospital | West Ballroom |
9:15 am - 10:15 am | Expertise Session Leading Sideways: Practical Strategies for Influencing Without Formal Authority Sandy Giammona Director, Quality, Patient Safety, Compliance, and Privacy Officer; International Nursing and Quality Leader UPMC Jameson, Horizon, and UPMC International Use of Simulation in Preparing Nurse Leaders for Joint Commission Surveys Lauren Gorman, MSN, RN Accreditation Specialist Veterans Affairs - Pittsburgh Healthcare System Elevating Excellence, Amplifying Impact Darcy Shiner, MSN, RN, CPHQ, CPPS Director of Quality & Patient Safety Quality Liaison AHN Orthopedic Institute Allegheny Health Network Wexford Hospital Writing for Publication in Nursing Leadership Journals Laura Fennimore, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, FAAN Adjunct Professor University of Pittsburgh | West Ballroom |
10:15 am - 10:45 am 10:45 am - 11:00 am | Refreshment Break; Visit our Sponsor Partners AONL 2026 Annual Conference Update Jeannine DiNella, RN, DNP, CCNS SWPONL President Administrative Director of Cancer Clinical Research Allegheny General Hospital | Glessner Auditorium West Ballroom |
11:00 am - 12:30 pm | Closing Keynote: Calling Each Other Forward: Peer‑to‑Peer Coaching, Accountability, and the Next Generation of Nurse Leaders Lori Armstrong, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CEC CEO & Chief Clinical Officer Inspire Nurse Leaders®️ | West Ballroom |
12:30 pm | Thank You, Raffle Announcements, and Conference Adjournment | West Ballroom |
Interested in learning more or have a question? Contact us!
SWPONL 412.344.1414 |
