CNA/NNOC Installs New Council of Presidents for 2026-2029 Term

New Leadership Takes the Helm at CNA/NNOC

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) has inaugurated its new Council of Presidents for a three-year term running from 2026 to 2029. This transition marked its beginning on October 1, 2026, during the CNA/NNOC convention held in San Francisco, California, attended by approximately 1,500 nurses nationwide.

The newly elected Council of Presidents, which oversees the Board of Directors, comprises four distinguished nurse leaders: Michelle Gutierrez Vo, RN; Marissa Lee, RN; Sandy Reding, RN; and Dolores Trujillo, RN.

President Michelle Gutierrez Vo, RN

With nearly three decades of nursing experience, President Michelle Gutierrez Vo, RN, is associated with the adult and family medicine clinic at Kaiser Permanente Fremont Medical Center. Known for her passionate advocacy for nursing and social justice, Gutierrez Vo remarked, “Right now, the entire world needs leaders like the nurses in our union.” She is embarking on her second term as CNA/NNOC president and also holds the position of vice president at National Nurses United (NNU).

President Marissa Lee, RN

Working in the labor and delivery unit at Osceola Hospital in Kissimmee, Florida, President Marissa Lee, RN, has been pivotal in organizing nurse unions in the South. Lee emphasized the importance of Southern nurse organizing, stating, “Organizing the South is more important than ever right now, and NNOC is making inroads everywhere from Florida to Texas.” In addition to her leadership at CNA/NNOC, she serves as a vice president of NNU.

President Sandy Reding, RN

With 40 years in the nursing profession, President Sandy Reding, RN, is based in the operating room at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital in California. Reding, who first took on the presidency in 2020, remains committed to advocacy, declaring, “Our patients are our neighbors, and we can’t ignore threats to their health and well-being inside or outside the hospital walls.” She continues to engage in various state and local labor initiatives and serves as a vice president of NNU.

President Dolores Trujillo, RN

Dolores Trujillo, RN, serves in the neonatal intensive care unit at Kaiser Roseville Medical Center in California and brings over 25 years of experience to her role. Reflecting on her journey, Trujillo stated, “I brought my experience as a bedside nurse to the Board, and that made me a leader.” She is beginning her first term as a CNA/NNOC president.

Outgoing Presidents

CNA/NNOC members extend gratitude to former presidents Cathy Kennedy, RN, and Cokie Giles, RN, for their dedicated service. Kennedy, a veteran nurse of over 40 years, recently retired but will continue to serve as a president of National Nurses United for an additional year. Giles, the longest-serving president since 2014, remains an influential figure in the nursing and labor movement.

CNA/NNOC stands as the largest affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), amassing nearly 225,000 members across the nation, making it the largest and fastest-growing union of registered nurses in the United States.

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