At the Council for Nurse Assistant Education (CNAE) cnaeducation.org, we’ve been making strides on several key initiatives. Today, we’re especially excited to share some big news that marks a meaningful step for our organization - the addition of Isaac Zralii, LSWA, CNA, who joins us as Project Manager.
Isaac brings years of hands-on experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). He also maintains strong connections within the CNA community nationwide. His deep understanding of frontline caregiving, combined with his extensive professional network, positions him to provide strong support for our mission. In addition, he brings a wealth of creative ideas and innovative strategies to help strengthen and execute our agenda.
We are honored to welcome Isaac to our team and look forward to his contributions. We invite you to connect with him and share your thoughts at isaac@cnaeducation.org.
Advocating for CNA Workforce Reform on Capitol Hill
On June 24, 2025, Vicky Castillo, MSN, RN, CNE, visited the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to advocate for long-overdue reform in nurse assistant training and certification. Her primary focus was promoting the separation of the federal OBRA 1987 law from nurse assistant training requirements - a crucial step toward addressing the ongoing CNA workforce shortage impacting healthcare nationwide.
Although Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ, District 2) was unavailable due to a full voting schedule, Vicky met with his staffer, Matthew Schuetz, matthew.schuetz@mail.house.gov . Their discussion focused on the outdated nature of the OBRA 1987 legislation, which has remained unchanged since its enactment. Vicky emphasized that this antiquated law is a major contributor to the current CNA shortage. Both parties agreed to stay in contact and collaborate on potential solutions to modernize nurse assistant training policies.
Also during her visit, Vicky visited with Representative Derrick Van Orden (R-WI, District 3), who generously made time for an unscheduled meeting. In May 2025, Rep. Van Orden introduced a bill aimed at streamlining nurse assistant training by allowing registered nurses with at least two years of experience, regardless of whether that experience was gained in a long-term care facility or another healthcare setting, to supervise nurse assistant training. This legislation represents a vital first step toward updating the regulatory framework and alleviating the critical shortage of CNAs.
Thank you, 🙏 Representative Van Orden, for your time, thoughtful conversation, and warm Wisconsin hospitality!
To show your support for this important bill, please contact Rep. Van Orden’s staffer, Clark Agnew, Clark Agnew clark.agnew@mail.house.gov
Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators
MAVA 2025 Connecting For Success
MAVA Nailed it Again!
On June 25 and 26, the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) hosted its annual Connecting for Success event in Marlborough, Massachusetts - and it was nothing short of outstanding! Educators, program directors, industry leaders, stakeholder representatives, and exhibitors from across the country came together to collaborate, share resources, and explore the latest educational platforms, all with one goal in mind: to better serve students.
For the second consecutive year, Vicky Castillo, MSN, RN, CNE, was honored to present at MAVA. Over two energizing days, she shared valuable nurse assistant resources, discussed effective testing strategies, demonstrated instructional content, and most notably, led a live demonstration of the skills certification exam. The session was incredibly well received and sparked thoughtful, engaging conversations during the debrief.
We hope you'll join us next year for another inspiring and impactful event!
A heartfelt thank you to Kathy Faddoul, M.Ed., BSN, RN, CDP, for her outstanding leadership, a sincere appreciation to her team, and everyone who attended and contributed to this valuable event!
Calling Massachusetts Health Career Educators!
In response to the numerous evolving changes in health career education across Massachusetts, state educators will begin holding monthly Zoom meetings to share updates, collaborate, and exchange resources. 📚
These grassroots meetings aim to create a supportive environment for dialogue, problem-solving, and the exchange of best practices - ultimately strengthening health career programs across the state.
A heartfelt thank you 🙌 to Kathy Faddoul, M.Ed., BSN, RN, CDP, who will spearhead the meetings and who has been instrumental in bringing timely and valuable information to educators during this period of transition.
The first meeting will be held via Zoom on August 19, 2025, at 4:00 PM ET. 🔗 Register in advance here.
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