Chicago-area native joined ENA in 2004, served as interim executive director since 2025

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Emergency Nurses Association on Monday announced Bridget Walsh as its next chief executive officer effective Sept. 8.

ENA CEO Bridget Walsh

Walsh, of Crystal Lake, Illinois, joined ENA in 2004 and rose through the ranks to reach several leadership positions, most recently as chief operating officer and as the association’s interim executive director since early 2025.

“Working at ENA gives me the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself. For 22 years, the mission-driven approach to supporting the ENA community has energized and inspired me,” Walsh said. “Being chosen to lead ENA is a privilege, and I intend to do so with a goal to honor the association’s legacy, while building a future filled with innovation, partnership and that spirit of collectively contributing to a greater purpose.”

Walsh emerged as the ENA Board of Directors top choice out of an initial pool of nearly 130 candidates during a months-long search. In voting to select Walsh, the ENA Board cited her deep institutional knowledge, performance in the interim executive director role over the last 18 months and strong leadership qualities demonstrated throughout a 22-year career at ENA.

“This role is pivotal to the long-term success of our association. After conducting a comprehensive national search and assessing ENA’s positive trajectory and the leadership driving that momentum, we were pointed back to someone who already knows ENA, its amazing members and its tremendous future potential,” said ENA President Dustin Bass, DNP, MHA, RN, CEN, NEA-BC. “The Board is confident Bridget is the right leader to build on ENA’s progress and guide the association into its next chapter.”

Added ENA Board member and CEO Search Committee Chair Tyler Babcock, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN, NEA-BC, TCRN, “This thorough and rigorous search brought us a diverse group of talented candidates to consider, but Bridget’s experience as a leader of key ENA teams and major initiatives solidified her as the Board’s choice, particularly when it considered how she has led the association in the interim role for nearly two years.”

To conduct the search, ENA partnered with Spano Pratt, a national search firm which specializes in recruiting CEOs and senior leaders for non-profit organizations. Key ENA stakeholders and staff also supported the process, which Spano Pratt Practice Leader Lindsey Kriete described as “deeply informed by the organization’s culture, mission and future aspirations.”

“Through this deliberate and thoughtful process, one candidate emerged as the resounding top choice who demonstrated the leadership capabilities, alignment with ENA’s mission and culture, and the strategic vision to lead ENA confidently,” Kriete said.

About the Emergency Nurses Association
The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With 40,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency health care public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.

ENA Media Contact:
Dan Campana
Director of Communications
847.460.4017
[email protected]