New leader for state nursing association

A CHI Franciscan Health administrator will lead the Washington State Nurses Association, a union that represents more than 17,000 registered nurses statewide.

Sally Watkins will take over executive director duties in April from Judy Huntington, who is retiring in June after 18 years as WSNA’s executive director.

Watkins is administrative director of clinical resource management for CHI Franciscan Health in Tacoma. Over her career she has worked as a staff nurse, head nurse, educator and administrator, according to a news release from WSNA.

She earned a doctorate in philosophy from the Union Institute and University, a Master of Science from the University of Utah College of Nursing, and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Texas System School of Nursing.

“I look forward to building strong relationships with registered nurses throughout Washington and with state agency staff, elected officials and other health care advocates as we work toward the common goal of delivering quality health care,” Watkins said in the news release.

This story was originally published January 25, 2017 at 3:38 PM with the headline "New leader for state nursing association."