The AARC today announced that Associate Executive Director Shawna Strickland, PhD, CAE, RRT, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, AE-C, FAARC, has made the difficult decision to resign. The AARC has accepted her resignation effective March 19, 2021. The AARC has begun the search to find a new Associate Executive Director.
“Shawna joined the organization eight years ago,” said Paul Divis, AARC interim executive director. “Since January 2013, she has been a key leader of multiple departments within the AARC. Her work on clinical practice guidelines, continuing education, and special projects has made her an invaluable leader of the organization. Shawna has been a member of AARC since she was a respiratory therapy student, a great asset to the organization and a friend to all of you over the years.”
Strickland has accepted a leadership role with the American Epilepsy Society where she will be the associate executive director over programs.
“I have truly enjoyed my time on staff at the AARC,” Strickland said. “The team has been an amazing group of professionals to work with. When I think back on the work we’ve done – implementing AARC University, the Pulmonary Disease Educator course, the development of Clinical PEP, the Leadership Institute – I feel an immense sense of satisfaction and pride. The entire AARC team puts 110% into everything they do, and I am honored to have been a part of that.”
During her time with the AARC, she has worked alongside groups like the AAMI Foundation on critical complex health care issues, collaborated on education with groups like AACVPR, lead the SNS ventilator stockpile training, and worked with the CDC and Smoking Cessation Leadership Center on nicotine cessation projects, to name a few. Strickland also worked alongside AARC volunteers, liaising to committees and specialty sections, working with content experts for educational activities, and consulting to the program committee.
“These extraordinary experiences expanded my worldview and provided me with deeper knowledge of the complexities of health care,” Strickland said. “I am humbled to have worked with such amazing people.”
Shawna plans to continue to be a vested member of the AARC who supports the organization and staff.
In filling the Associate Executive Director vacancy, the AARC will seek out a respiratory therapist. Primary responsibilities will be to oversee AARC educational programing as well as the membership and customer service departments.
Email newsroom@aarc.org with questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you.
