Anne Tan Piazza to take on new role as Executive Director of Oregon Nurses Association

Seattle — Today, the Washington State Nurses Association announced that WSNA Labor & Operations Executive Officer Anne Tan Piazza has accepted the position of Executive Director at the Oregon Nurses Association and will be departing WSNA effective April 1, 2022.

“I feel so fortunate to have spent nearly 25 years of my career working with colleagues I respect, members I care about, and a mission that I believe in,” Ms. Piazza said. “The opportunity to serve as the Executive Director at ONA allows me to apply my passion for the labor movement and social justice with my experiences at WSNA and make a bigger impact.”

Anne joined WSNA in 1997 as a Grassroots Specialist/Lobbyist. In her time, the union’s membership has nearly tripled, and in no small part thanks to her work WSNA has played a key role in passing legislation related to mandatory overtime, safe patient handling, meal and rest breaks, safe staffing, public health funding, and full prescriptive authority for ARNPs.

“Anne will be dearly missed,” said WSNA President Lynnette Vehrs. “She has been an integral part of WSNA’s growth and success for nearly a quarter of our history. I have no doubt she’ll be a powerful leader for nurses in Oregon.”

ONA undertook an extensive, 8-month national search to fill this position. Anne’s proven track record as a coalition builder, an expert in legislative and government affairs, and a fierce negotiator at the bargaining table—especially her advocacy on safe nurse staffing —eventually led ONA’s board to select her for the role.

“While I will deeply miss working alongside her, I am thrilled for Anne to undertake this new challenge,” said WSNA Executive Director David Keepnews. “Nurses across the Pacific Northwest and the United States are facing a critical moment, and we need leaders like Anne who are ready and willing to take up the call. I look forward to working with her as my counterpart at our sibling organization across the Columbia River to move nursing forward across our region.”

Anne will stay on through the 2022 legislative cycle, and she hopes to complete her time in Washington by securing the passage of HB 1868 and establishing safe staffing standards in the state of Washington.

From Oregon Nurses Association: Anne Tan Piazza Named as New Executive Director of ONA