Upcoming Events
NAHN-ACLM Webinar: Equipping nurses with lifestyle medicine tools to transform health outcomes for Hispanic patients through evidence-based, culturally responsive care
Wednesday, October 1 | 8-9p ET
In Partnership with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine
The National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) are excited to partner to bring lifestyle medicine resources, training, and education to underrepresented in medicine (UIM) clinicians who are improving health outcomes for Hispanic patients. According to the CDC, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death among Hispanics and nearly 40% of Hispanic adults are obese, compared to 33.2% of non-Hispanic white adults. ACLM’s collaborates with strategic partners to address health disparities through lifestyle medicine solutions. Race concordant care and bi-lingual clinicians have been integral to helping Spanish-speaking, Hispanic patients navigate resources that make lifestyle medicine accessible.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Define the core principles of lifestyle medicine and explain its relevant to academic nursing.
- Assess evidence-based strategies for integrating lifestyle medicine into teaching, research, and community engagement.
- Describe the missions of NAHN and ACLM in advancing health equity and workforce development.
Speakers:
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Claudia C. Guillen, DNP, AGPCNP-BC Claudia C. Guillen, DNP, AGPCNP-BC, RN is a bilingual Nurse Practitioner and national leader in lifestyle and culinary medicine education. She practices at Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea Community Health Center, where she integrates evidence-based nutrition and chronic disease prevention into primary care for diverse, underserved Latino populations. A 2025 ACLM HEAL Initiative Scholar, Dr. Guillen developed La Comida Como Medicina, a bilingual community program that empowers families to prevent and manage chronic conditions through culturally rooted plant-based cooking, movement, and faith-based support. Most recently, she was appointed to lead the ACLM Taskforce on Culturally Responsive Care, guiding the translation and cultural adaptation of ACLM’s Lifestyle Empowerment Approach for Diabetes Remission (LEADR) curriculum. Through her teaching, clinical practice, and leadership, Dr. Guillen advances health equity and equips the nursing workforce with tools to transform Hispanic health outcomes. |
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Karla Rodriguez, DNP, RN, CNE, DipACLM, NC-BC Karla Rodriguez is a Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. She has been a registered nurse since 1999, with a clinical background in adult and pediatric medical-surgical nursing. In addition to her academic role, she is a Diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) and a board-certified nurse coach. Rodriguez networks with other healthcare professionals who are also interested in lifestyle medicine. She mentors students and colleagues in the nursing profession such as the ANA Career Mentoring Program, Sigma Theta Tau Mentoring Program, as well as the mentoring program with the National Association of Hispanic Nurses - New York Chapter. She served for NAHN-NY as the treasurer and she is currently serving for NAHN national as a member of the Nomination Committee. She is the Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG) faculty advisor for the student group, Plant-Based Lifestyle for Nurses. She also is serving her second term as secretary for the ACLM RN/APRN Member Interest Group. |
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Taking the Lead: A Political Toolkit for Latino Nurse Leaders
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | 8-9pm ET
Presented by the NAHN Policy & Advocacy Committee
Join us for an empowering and practical webinar designed specifically for Latino nurses who are ready to make a difference beyond the bedside. Taking the Lead: A Political Tool for Latino Nurses introduces a 12-step approach to help you identify problems, gather key information, effectively present your case, and drive meaningful policy change.
Whether you’re advocating for your patients, your profession, or your community, this toolkit will give you the tools and confidence to take action and influence healthcare policy at all levels. Learn how to navigate the political landscape, communicate with stakeholders, and become a powerful advocate for change.
Speakers: Dra Rubi Alva de Hickson, DNP, RN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, PHN, Dahlia Maldonado, MS, RN-BC, and Milagros Elia, MA, APRN -BC
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Milagros Rosado Elia, MA, APRN, ANP-BC is a nationally recognized nurse leader, environmental health advocate, and international speaker with over 25 years of experience as an Adult Nurse Practitioner. She is the Program Manager for Climate and Clean Energy Advocacy at the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, where she leads national strategies on climate policy and health equity. Milagros is the immediate past-chair of the former ANA Innovation Advisory Committee on Planetary and Global Health, and currently a member of the National Hispanic Nurses Association’s Policy and Advocacy Committee. |
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Dahlia Maldonado, MS, RN-BC serves as the Magnet Program Coordinator for UCLA Health and as Membership Director for the American Nurses Association\California. Dahlia served as a 2023 ANA\California Advocacy Institute Fellow, where she launched the Advocacy Institute Guide to empower nurses in advancing policy at the state level. She went on to represent California nationally as the 2024 American Nurses Advocacy Institute National Policy Fellow. Dahlia also holds leadership roles as secretary of the Association of California Nurse Leaders Health Policy Committee, member of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses Policy and Advocacy Committee, and contributor to the AONL Nurse Leaders in Advocacy Committee. She is currently a Vot-ER Civic Health Fellow and a member of the inaugural Commission for Nurse Reimbursement Fellowship in Nursing Economics. |
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Dra. Rubi Alva de Hickson, DNP, RN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, PHN, is a Critical Care Nurse Practitioner of Hispanic/Latina descent, currently working in the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).Dra. Hickson serves as the National Association of Hispanic Nurses Policy and Advocacy Chair. As a dedicated advocate for the nursing profession, she fiercely promotes provider concordance, emphasizing the significance of delivering culturally competent care and ensuring access to healthcare. She believes it is essential for Hispanic patients to understand the role of nurses as providers and to accurately translate this understanding. Additionally, she underscores the importance of political engagement, emphasizing that active participation in politics can effect meaningful changes in laws and policies at micro, meso, and macro levels, ultimately benefiting both nursing practice and the broader community. Her commitment to education empowers nurses to recognize their crucial role in shaping healthcare and fostering positive social change. |
Register to Attend
Hispanic Health Policy Summit
February 10-11, 2026
Washington, DC
The NAHN Hispanic Health Policy Summit unites the Latino healthcare community to advocate for the health care issues affecting the Hispanic population and proposing potential solutions.
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