AANA Announces Bill Bruce as Chief Executive Officer

PARK RIDGE, Ill. (AANA)—The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Board of Directors has appointed William “Bill” Bruce, MBA, CAE, to serve as AANA’s Chief Executive Officer, effective June 27, 2022.

William “Bill” Bruce, MBA, CAE“Our board of directors is thrilled to introduce a leader of Bill’s caliber into our professional community,” said Dr. Dina Velocci, DNP, CRNA, APRN, president of the AANA. “Bill has the qualifications and expertise to further the AANA into a greater, more successful association, and promote excellence in nurse anesthesiology by uniting, supporting, and connecting our nation’s nearly 60,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and students.”

Bruce has nearly 20 years of association executive experience. Since 2017, he served as CEO of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, where he led the organization through a period of prolific change. He expanded the visibility of the profession and organization by increasing its products and services, engaging in public awareness campaigns, and building relationships with new and existing stakeholders. He led a strategic reimagining of the entire organization’s governance structure and related procedures to introduce greater stability, strategic focus, transparency, and inclusion to its leadership, and he ensured a steady voice for the organization across broader healthcare communities.

Bruce’s executive experience also includes serving as Chief Technology Officer at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and as Chief Information Officer at the American Psychiatric Association. Prior to these roles, Bruce worked in technology management in several private organizations. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and is an ASAE Certified Association Executive.

“It is an honor to be joining such a vibrant and focused association on nurse anesthesiology,” said Bruce. “I am looking forward to guiding AANA and its members into a strong and bright future.”