NYSANA Board of Directors & Staff

The NYSANA Board of Directors consists of nine active members (CRNAs) including 5 officers (president, immediate past-president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer) and 4 directors. Term for president, president-elect and immediate past president is 1 year. Secretary, treasurer and directors serve 2-year terms. The Board of Directors also includes four resident registered nurse anesthetists (RRNAs). These associate members serve as non-voting representatives appointed by the Board on an annual basis to serve a one-year term.

All board members are volunteers. A paid executive director, executive assistant, professional lobbyist, lawyer, and PR firm support the work of the board. The board is also supported through the work of NYSANA committees.

The NYSANA nominating committee is responsible for seeking eligible active members of the association who are qualified to run for board positions. The candidates selected for inclusion on the ballot are presented at the NYSANA business meeting, held in the spring each year. To reach the nominating committee chair to discuss a position, please email [email protected]. Elections occur during the summer, usually via an electronic ballot.

The newly elected board members assume duties after the Annual Meeting of the Membership, held each fall.

To learn more about the election procedure, please visit our Bylaws.

Consider the following benefits of running for a board position

PROFESSIONAL BENEFITS

• Work alongside CRNA colleagues on broad issues that matter
• Gain invaluable resume-building experience as a leader of a state-wide organization with more than 2000 members.
• Be an “ear to the ground,” and access the latest information about NYS CRNAs and professional issues

SERVICE-ORIENTED BENEFITS

• Use your time and talents to give back to your colleagues and the CRNA profession
• Board members directly impact the future of the profession and CRNAs in the state.
• Board members set the direction and work for the success of NYSANA’s legislative agenda

TRAVEL AND CEU BENEFITS

• Board members meet with membership during the Spring and Fall Education meetings. Travel and meeting registration is reimbursed for these meeting.
• Board members represent NYSANA at select AANA National meetings, such as Mid-year, Annual Congress and/or the Leadership Summit, and receive reimbursement for registration and travel.
• Board members can receive 5 Class B credits per year of service on the board.

Next steps to becoming a board member

Ready to get involved? Please reach out to [email protected] to discuss opportunities and connect with our current nominating committee chair, Giovanna Mahar. Additional members include Michael Greco and Mark Blazey.

2022-2023 NYSANA Board of Directors & Staff 

SEAN MCGARRY, MS, CRNA, ACNP
NYSANA President 

KARA HEDMAN, DNP, CRNA
President-Elect
Kara Hedman graduated with a BSN from the University of Rochester in 2010 after completing a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Houghton College. She graduated from SUNY at Buffalo and began working as a CRNA at Strong Memorial Hospital. After two years full-time at Strong Memorial, she began to transition to part-time independent practice in Batavia, NY, and surrounding areas. She also works for Highland Hospital on their obstetrics unit. She continues to practice in all locations, giving her a very diverse clinical experience. At home, she is a mother to two energetic boys, enjoys horseback riding, and drinking lots of coffee.

DAVID R. MONAHAN, CRNA
Secretary 

David began his medical career as a U. S. Army medic. He completed his BSN in 1988and in physical rehabilitation settings as well as Neurological, Trauma and OB ICU. He attended CRNA school at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, graduating in 2002.

He and his Texas-born wife moved to New York in 2015 and David is currently employed with New York-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital. The Secretary position at NYSANA has been David’s first foray into the political aspect of the CRNA profession. The critical need for CRNAs to promote their profession to an unaware public and to gain, maintain and protect their position in the marketplace has made a deep impression on him. He hopes to spend many years working for the benefit of the CRNAs of New York and the rest of the country.

MICHAEL COGAN, CRNA
Treasurer
Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Adelphi University in Garden City New York in 2000, and his Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse Anesthesia, in 2009, from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He has served as an adjunct faculty, clinical instructor, for Rutgers University. He is currently employed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital, New York, NY. Since 2006, Michael has served as a camp counselor at Camp Periwinkle, a camp for children with cancer. 

GIOVANNA MAHAR, DNAP, CRNA
NYSANA Immediate Past President
Giovanna received her BSN from the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York in 2001. She went on to work in the Surgical ICU at Albany Medical Center for 6 years.  She attended the Nurse Anesthesiology Program at Albany Medical College and graduated in 2009. After graduation, Giovanna worked at a rural community hospital in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She returned to Albany Medical College’s Center for Nurse Anesthesiology as an educator in 2013 and is currently the Assistant Program Director. Giovanna is passionate about both aspects of her career in the clinical and academic setting. In her personal time, Giovanna is a mother of four active children. She enjoys driving to various locations in the northeast, eating dinner at 9 pm, and humor, lots of humor.

MARK BLAZEY, MS, CRNA, DNP
Director
Dr. Blazey received his BSN at the University of Buffalo and graduated from the Nurse Anesthesia program at Northeastern University in 2013. He earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Northeastern University in May 2020, with a scholarly project titled Development of a Preoperative Educational Pediatric Interactive Relational Agent Using E-Delphi. Dr. Blazey currently provides clinical care in all anesthesia areas at Niagara Frontier Anesthesia Services, New York.

CHRISTINA CONGDON, CRNA
Director
Christina received her BSN from Stony Brook University. She attended the Nurse Anesthesiology Program at Albany Medical College and graduated in 2019.  She currently works at Albany Medical Center. Christina has served as chair of NYSANA’s Peer and Wellness committee since 2017 and is also a member of NYSANA’s government relations committee.

ELYSE GALLO, CRNA
Director
Elyse earned her Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia from Albany Medical College in 2016. She earned her BSN in nursing from the University of Miami. Since 2016, Elyse has been providing anesthesia care at Albany Medical Center. Elyse is also a member of our Government Relations Committee.

RACHEL DUBAY, DNAP, CRNA
Director

Rachel received her BSN from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1998. She spent the next 13 years working in the Cardiac ICU at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY as well as the Emergency Room at Saratoga Hospital. She pursued her degree in Nurse Anesthesia at Albany Medical College and graduated with her MSN in 2013 where she received the Geraldine MacDowell Award for outstanding academic and clinical achievement. After graduation, Rachel worked at St. Peter’s Hospital for the Anesthesia Group of Albany. In 2017, she returned to Albany Medical College’s Center for Nurse Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor and Clinical Coordinator, sharing her knowledge and her love for teaching. In 2020, she completed her doctorate and earned her DNAP from Central Connecticut State. You can find Rachel in the classroom sharing her love for teaching, in the operating room, traveling to lacrosse games or spending time with her family. She joined the NYSANA board in 2022 and is passionate about advocating for the CRNA profession.

JEE-HONG MIN, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Resident Representative

Jee-Hong Min graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Piano Pedagogy. She shadowed best friend’s mother (CRNA) in senior year and decided to become a CRNA. 

After graduating from the University of Rochester’s accelerated nursing program in 2016, Jee-Hong spent 2 years as a new grad SICU RN at the University of Rochester Medical Center Strong Memorial Hospital and 3 years as a ICU float and Rapid Response RN at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She is currently serving as the President of Class of 2023 at Columbia University’s Nurse Anesthesia Program as well as Treasurer of the NEASRNA for two consecutive years. In her rare free time, she enjoys playing the piano, painting, and spoiling her dog Loki. 

LORENZO SANGUEDOLCE, UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO
Resident Representative

With a background in music and photography, Lorenzo Sanguedolce transitioned into nursing in 2017, receiving a BS from SUNY Downstate. During his undergraduate course, he served as the Nursing Co-Director of the student-run Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic, which provides comprehensive free healthcare services to uninsured and underserved community members. Gaining certification in ambulatory care and post-anesthesia care at Mount Sinai’s New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, he has been working as a CCRN in the ICU at Rochester’s Highland Hospital since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Lorenzo is currently a first-year student in the CRNA DNP program at SUNY at Buffalo. He is the father of two joyful and energetic children, and he enjoys rock climbing in his free time.

TYLER GRANT, ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE
Resident Representative

Tyler Grant graduated with his BSN from Le Moyne College in Syracuse NY in 2015. He then went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science with a minor in chemistry from SUNY Plattsburgh while working as a nurse on a cardiac short stay unit for three years. He then went on to work in a cardiovascular intensive care unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY for about two years. Tyler has been a Kiwanis member since 2016 and enjoys giving back to the community when he can. In his free time, Tyler prefers to spend time with his friends and family. Tyler currently studies at Albany Medical College in the Nurse Anesthesiology Program with anticipated graduation in November of 2023.  

Jack Pender, Hofstra University
Resident Representative
Jack Pender graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University at Buffalo in 2017. He started his nursing career at Northwell Health Lenox Hill Hospital’s Cardiothoracic ICU. In the fall of 2021, he matriculated into Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies  DNP - AGACNP - CRNA program (class of 2024). Jack currently lives in Queens, NY, and is an avid Buffalo Bills fan. Jack is excited to be a part of NYSANA as a student representative and the year ahead.

AMY KELLOGG, PARTNER
NYSANA Lobbyist
Message from the NYSANA Lobbyist
As Government Affairs practice group leader and partner in charge of the Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, Albany office, Amy’s law practice focuses on representing a variety of New York State professional associations, businesses and not for profits before New York State Government, including the State Legislature, Governor’s Office and State Agencies. Amy is a former Legislative Aide to New York Assemblywoman Helene E. Weinstein, Chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

MOLLY METZGER
NYSANA Executive Director
Message from the NYSANA Executive Director
Together with her team at Accent on Management, Molly Metzger provides professional association management. Her team manages the day-to-day operations of NYSANA, which includes managing finances, contracts, and the website. She plans meetings and events and coordinates communication with the membership. She assists the board president in leadership onboarding. These services leave the volunteer board members and committee chairs with time and resources to pursue the goals of advancing the profession of CRNAs in the state of New York. 

Accent on Management provides professional services to 5 CRNA state organizations in addition to more than 20 additional professional associations.

Looking to connect with a member of the NYSANA Board of Directors? Contact the NYSANA Office for contact information.

Affiliate Organizations

 Organizational Affiliate of American Nurses Association New York 

Friend of Association of Veteran Affairs Nurse Anesthetists (AVANA)