Michal Glass of Waxhaw graduated from the North Carolina Nurses Association's Leadership Academy, earning a spot in the 2026 cohort alongside 22 other nurses from across the state.
Glass was recognized at the NCNA's 119th Annual Convention in Concord, which drew more than 650 registrants, according to an NCNA press release Wednesday, Sept. 23. The NCNA said the turnout is believed to be the largest convention crowd in its history, topping recent years by more than 100 attendees.
The Leadership Academy is a six-day immersion program with workshops on leadership challenges and opportunities nurses face, according to the NCNA's program page. Applicants must have at least two years of leadership experience, hold NCNA membership and secure employer support for time away from work. The program was created in response to the Institute of Medicine's 2010 report, "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health."
The academy's goal is specific. It aims to place graduates in leadership positions on hospital boards, community boards, and in state and local government.
Glass was one of eight Charlotte-area nurses in the 23-member cohort, the Charlotte Weekly reported. Others came from Raleigh, Durham, Burlington, New Bern and smaller communities across North Carolina.
The convention also honored Carmen Smith of Concord as Administration Nurse of the Year and Karen Marshall of Charlotte with the Outstanding Service Award. State Rep. Carla Cunningham, a registered nurse representing District 106 in the North Carolina House of Representatives, received a Service Recognition award as she prepares to leave the General Assembly after seven terms.
The convention's Statewide Membership Forum tackled "Nurse Mental Health & Well-Being: Creating a Healthy Culture Where Nurses Thrive."
NCNA President Bonnie Davis Meadows said in a statement Wednesday, Sept. 23, that nurses are pushing to shape the profession's future. "We do not intend to passively allow healthcare to change without our input," Meadows said.
