Hosted by the Washington Center for Nursing and Seattle University College of Nursing, this lively and transformative conference aims to equip nurses with essential tools for addressing health disparities through interactive, entertaining, informative, and engaging sessions. Lunch at Seattle University included.
Learners will gain a deeper understanding of the impact of health equity in nursing, develop practical skills to address disparities at individual and systemic levels, and increase their confidence in applying cultural humility and bias reduction strategies in patient care.
Featuring inspirational keynote speaker nurse and musician
Tad Worku, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CEN
Tadele (Tad) Worku is a Family Nurse Practitioner and accomplished musician. He blends science, storytelling, and music in his keynote experiences to inspire and engage audiences, emphasizing the importance of identity, purpose, and hope in leadership. His presentations are enriched by personal anecdotes and evidence-based insights. He aims to foster deep connections and equip participants with practical tools for personal and professional growth–empowering and reigniting their passion for nursing.
Learn more about Tad’s music & nursing journey on social media
Keep scrolling to learn about our other presenters and view the conference agenda!
This activity has been submitted to Oregon Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. Oregon Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Event Agenda
Keynote: Tadele (Tad) Worku, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CEN
Family Nurse Practitioner, educator, musician, and mission coach at Inland Empire Health Plan, the largest not-for-profit Medicare Medicaid plan in the country
Committed to his purpose and serving others, Tad has earned numerous accolades, including the Daisy Award, Vanderbilt Outstanding Family Nurse Practitioner Student of the Year, Loma Linda University Health Emergency Nurse of the Year, and the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital Child Life Hero award. He is also an ambassador for the AARP Center for Health Equity through Nursing (A-CHEN).
In 2012, Tad was set to tour internationally with his debut pop album but chose to cancel it in search of a deeper calling. This led him to a career in emergency nursing at a level-one trauma center in Southern California, a foundational experience for the music he later created. In 2020, Tad returned to music, using his healthcare stories to inspire hope through his debut album.
Dr. Antwinett O. Lee, EdD, MSN-CNS, RN
AOLEE Consulting/Educational Nurse Consultant
Dr. Antwinett O. Lee is an Educational Nurse Consultant with AOLEE Consulting. She has had a vast nursing career for many years and is most proud of her community engagement activities. Dr. Lee actively serves many organizations: King County Nurses Association (KCNA), Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization (MMPNO), the current Board Chair for Washington Center for Nursing (WCN), Board Chair for the Nominations, Governance, and Compliance Committee for Pacific Medical Center (PacMed) Board, and the University of Washington School of Nursing (UW SoN), HRSA Advanced Nursing Education Workforce – Washington (ANEW-WA) External Advisory Committee.
Christine Espina, DNP, MN, RN
Associate Professor, Western Washington University Nursing Program
Christine’s passion and love for community health systems nursing were nurtured while growing up in an immigrant family in Texas. During her year in the Philippines, studying women’s access to reproductive health care services as a BSN-prepared nurse, she witnessed the effects of poverty and policies on the health and lives of her people. Structural competency has provided her with a framework to understand her family’s immigration story – and the interconnectedness of health across borders, time, and space. She has taught structural competency alongside Dr. Robin Narruhn for over a decade. She is honored to pursue her passion for workforce development as a nurse educator at Western Washington University.
Kawai Kaneali’i DNP, MSN-Ed, RN
Nurse Leader Specializing in Health Equity & Population Health
Kawai Kaneali’i, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, is a nurse leader committed to advancing health equity and fostering inclusive healthcare environments. With a Doctor of Nursing Practice in professional leadership and a background in nursing education, she focuses on creating spaces where patients, families, and care teams feel valued and heard. Kawai’s dedication to equity drives her involvement in community-focused efforts, including her role as a Board Member for the Renton Regional Community Foundation. Her contributions have earned her recognition such as the UW Medicine Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award and multiple March of Dimes Nurse of the Year finalist honors. Kawai believes meaningful change in healthcare starts with authentic connection — to people, their stories, and their communities.
Rebeca Allen, MN, RN
Assistant Professor Pierce College / National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN-WA)
Rebeca Allen is a dedicated nurse with 17 years of experience. In 2020, she transitioned from bedside care to nursing education. Growing up in Canada, she graduated with her BSN from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia and later earned her Master’s in Nursing from the University of Washington in 2022. Throughout her journey from bedside nursing to education, along with her lived experiences as a first-generation Latina immigrant from El Salvador, Rebeca has cultivated a commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare and nursing education. Her passion is to help empower the Latine community to achieve their best health outcomes and support fellow Latine nurses’ success. She is honored to be able to serve as the NAHN-WA treasurer.
Robin Narruhn, PhD, MN, RN
Associate Professor
Dr. Narruhn is an associate professor at the College of Nursing at Seattle University. Dr. Narruhn’s research centers on health equity, immigrant and community health, and human rights. A daughter of an immigrant, she is interested in how historical trauma and policy affects immigrant health. Her most recent scholarship explored how biopower and historical trauma affected Pacific Islander health. This program aimed to facilitate conscientization and civic engagement among Pacific Islander youth. In her spare time, she works on health equity, nuclear disarmament and anti-militarism. Her theoretical interests are biopower, conscientization and survivance.
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