Networking | Advocacy on the Road - Wilkesboro

Event Details
Event Date & Time	October 21, 2026, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Location	Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Wilkes Medical Center Executive Boardroom 1370 West D Street Wilkesboro, NC 28659
Target Audience	Registered Nurses
Speaker(s)	Alix John, NCNA Manager of Political Engagement Representative Dudley Greene Representative Dudley Greene has served in the North Carolina House of Representatives since 2021, representing Avery, McDowell, and Mitchell counties. A businessman and community leader, he has focused his legislative service on supporting rural communities, economic growth, and improving access to essential services across western North Carolina. Representative Greene has also been a supporter of strengthening the state’s healthcare workforce, serving as a sponsor of the 2025 APRN Full Practice Authority legislation to help expand access to high-quality healthcare for North Carolina. Former Representative Jeffrey Elmore Jeffrey Elmore served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2013 to 2024, representing District 94 and communities in Wilkes and Alexander counties. An educator by profession, Elmore spent 24 years in the classroom and held several leadership roles during his time in the General Assembly, including Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and leadership positions on education-related committees. Before joining the legislature, he served as a North Wilkesboro town commissioner and in other local civic roles. A graduate of Appalachian State University and former North Carolina Teaching Fellow, Elmore now serves as Senior Policy Advisor to the Speaker of the North Carolina House. Senator Ralph Hise Senator Ralph Hise has served in the North Carolina Senate since 2011 and currently represents District 47 in Western North Carolina. A native of Mitchell County and former mayor of Spruce Pine, Senator Hise serves as Deputy President Pro Tempore and has held significant leadership roles involving healthcare, appropriations, and state policy. He has also been a longtime champion of APRN Full Practice Authority, repeatedly serving as a primary sponsor of legislation to modernize North Carolina's nursing regulations and expand the ability of APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and training. His longstanding support of APRNs reflects his broader work on healthcare access and strengthening the healthcare workforce, particularly in rural North Carolina.
Audience Level	Competent
Description	Your voice matters—and advocacy starts with informed, engaged nurses. Join NCNA's Manager of Political Engagement, Alix John, for an evening of networking and conversation with fellow nurses along with special guests Representative Dudley Greene and Former Representative Jeffrey Elmore, from the North Carolina House of Representatives, and Senator Ralph Hise, from the North Carolina Senate. This unique event offers an opportunity to hear directly from a state lawmaker about current healthcare and legislative issues, learn more about NCNA's advocacy efforts, and discover practical ways to make your voice heard on behalf of nurses and patients across North Carolina. Whether you're new to advocacy or already actively engaged, you'll gain valuable insights, make meaningful connections, and leave with a better understanding of how nurses can help shape healthcare policy in our state. FREE and open to all—no NCNA membership required! Light refreshments will be provided.
Agenda	Welcome Political Roundtable Audience Q&A Legislative Update Advocacy Tips & Tricks In-Person Advocacy Activity NCNA Announcements
Handouts	None
Contact Hours	None
Pharmacology Hours	None
Disclaimer	Use of AI technologies, including but not limited to notetaking tools, meeting assistants, or recording technologies, is prohibited while engaging with NCNA except as described in section 3.8 of NCNA’s AI policy. Reproduction, distribution, or transmission in any form or by any means without express written permission of NCNA is prohibited. Presenters assume responsibility for the content, its accuracy and completeness, and permission to use copyrighted works. This activity is intended solely for educational purposes and does not replace independent professional judgment. The presenters’ opinions and statements of fact are their own and do not represent those of the North Carolina Nurses Association or its affiliates and sponsors.
Cost	NCNA Member Fee: Free Non-Member Fee: Free
Activity Instructions	Registration for this activity is required. A pre-event email with Zoom details will be emailed 24 hrs prior to the event start time.
Questions?	Contact NCNA at RNs@ncnurses.org or (919) 821-4250.

North Carolina Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.