NSNA President
D. Ryan Barrett, Sr.
President
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY
What is the Role of the NSNA President?
The NSNA President serves as the principal officer of the association and presides at all meetings; responsible for seeing that direction given by the House of Delegates and the actions of the Board are carried into effect; appoints committees and their chairpersons with the approval of the Board; serves as an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating and Elections Committee; serves as ex-officio member of the Foundation of the NSNA Board of Trustees and represents NSNA.
Dear NSNA Members,
Spring has a way of reminding us why we began.
In nursing school, it’s easy to move from one deadline to the next, one clinical day to the next, one challenge to the next—rarely stopping to recognize the growth happening in between. As we enter this season, I want to take a moment to acknowledge you: the student nurses who continue to show up with purpose, compassion, and courage in a profession that is both demanding and deeply meaningful.
Serving as your President this year has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I have had the privilege of traveling across the country, representing student nurses in national conversations, standing alongside nursing leaders, educators, and advocates—and carrying your voices with me every step of the way. In every room, one truth has remained constant: student nurses are not the future of nursing—we are the present.
That truth was on full display at our most recent national convention in Columbus, Ohio, where we saw historic engagement and nearly doubled attendance. What happened there was more than growth in numbers; it was a reaffirmation of what NSNA can be when students feel welcomed, represented, and empowered to lead. That same spirit now carries us forward as we prepare for the 74th Annual NSNA Convention in Houston, Texas, where we will once again gather to learn, debate, connect, and shape the profession we are stepping into.
Read full memo here.
Spring has a way of reminding us why we began.
In nursing school, it’s easy to move from one deadline to the next, one clinical day to the next, one challenge to the next—rarely stopping to recognize the growth happening in between. As we enter this season, I want to take a moment to acknowledge you: the student nurses who continue to show up with purpose, compassion, and courage in a profession that is both demanding and deeply meaningful.
Serving as your President this year has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I have had the privilege of traveling across the country, representing student nurses in national conversations, standing alongside nursing leaders, educators, and advocates—and carrying your voices with me every step of the way. In every room, one truth has remained constant: student nurses are not the future of nursing—we are the present.
That truth was on full display at our most recent national convention in Columbus, Ohio, where we saw historic engagement and nearly doubled attendance. What happened there was more than growth in numbers; it was a reaffirmation of what NSNA can be when students feel welcomed, represented, and empowered to lead. That same spirit now carries us forward as we prepare for the 74th Annual NSNA Convention in Houston, Texas, where we will once again gather to learn, debate, connect, and shape the profession we are stepping into.
Read full memo here.
2025-2026 NSNA President Ryan Barrett gives speech at the Missouri Nursing Students’ Association (MONSA) 73rd Annual Convention.