Advocate of the Year Award
2023 Recipient Advocate of the Year Award
Brooklyn A. Castilla, CRNA
The Advocate of the Year Award is presented to an AANA Foundation advocate or supporter for outstanding commitment to the nurse anesthesia profession through individually supporting the AANA Foundation and encouraging others to do the same, or advocating for the profession in a magnanimous way. The 2023 Advocate of the Year Award is presented to Brooklyn A. Castilla, CRNA.
Brooklyn Castilla began her nursing career by receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Oklahoma Christian University. She then completed her Masters in Nurse Anesthesia at Newman University in 2022. During her anesthesia education, she attended Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists and AANA meetings. At these meetings she realized the importance of advocacy for the future of the profession. Brooklyn then joined the AANA Foundation as a Student Advocate. Brooklyn lead and developed the AANA Foundation’s Team Miller/Team Mac campaign with the goal of engaging students, connecting them to the Foundation, and raising funds through a Team Miller/Team Mac sticker competition. Brooklyn and fellow advocates implemented the Team Mac vs Team Miller Fundraising campaign which raised more than $8,000 for nurse anesthesia education and research. After graduating, Brooklyn began her CRNA career in New Mexico. She hopes her future is filled with moments of advocacy and helping others, wherever she may be. She influences health policy on a local, state, and national level through lobbying and providing testimony and currently participates in regional and national committees in academia and nurse anesthesiology practice for the AANA and NBCRNA. Castilla’s dedication to supporting the profession has earned her this prestigious award.
