UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing hosted its annual WE LEAD Leadership Academy this March at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel, featuring a panel discussion with alumni leaders.
The WE LEAD program offers upper division undergraduate nursing students and first-year second degree students with workshops, team building activities and networking opportunities designed to foster nurse leaders.
The afternoon kicked off with an alumni leadership panel moderated by Susan B. Leight, research professor and director of the Nese College of Nursing leadership initiative. Five Penn State nursing graduates, representing a range of specialties and career paths, covered topics including professional growth, unique career trajectories, imposter syndrome and wellness.
“You are never stuck in nursing,” said Abbey Mahler, a 2011 graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). “It’s one of the most versatile careers there is.”
Mahler has worked in direct patient care, focusing on women’s health, telephonic nursing and quality advisement in the health insurance industry. She currently serves as an adviser to Gov. Josh Shapiro on the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women, where she co-chairs the women’s health subcommittee.
Maj. Amy Drago, a 2014 graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing, joined the panel remotely while deployed overseas as a member of a Critical Care Air Transport Team. An emergency nurse practitioner with experience spanning military and civilian healthcare, Drago has been deployed to Afghanistan and has served in West Africa, Germany and Colombia.
“I’ve been lucky to have a really joyful career,” she said. “That comes from sharing what you love and mentoring others.”
Ashli Daley, a 2018 graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing, also joined remotely. A member of Penn State Scranton’s inaugural BSN graduating class, Daley is a registered nurse and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant who operates her own community-based private practice. She urged students to pay attention to professional frustrations as a guide toward leadership: “That’s often where leadership begins — noticing, questioning, and choosing to do something differently.”
Discomfort, too, can be valuable, advised Taylor Criste, a 2014 graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing, who serves as director of nursing operations at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia. Criste was a 2026 recipient of an Alumni Achievement Award from the Penn State Alumni Association, in recognition of outstanding professional achievement by alumni under the age of 35.
“Embrace discomfort,” Criste said. “Discomfort yields growth.”
Chantel Murray, a 1998 graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing, serves as national director of nursing for Devereux Pennsylvania Adult Services. With more than 25 years of clinical and administrative experience, she advised students to remain consistent in their values and to find service opportunities: “Know who you are. Stay true to your values, but continue to serve no matter what environment you’re in,” she said.
The panel was followed by the inaugural Gail E. Latimer, RN Nursing Leadership Lecture, endowed by Gail E. Latimer, a former hospital chief executive officer with more than 35 years of healthcare leadership experience.
The event concluded with a ceremony to honor WE LEAD students and a reception.
Learn more about WE LEAD at the WE LEAD: Nursing Leadership Academy webpage.