HATTIESBURG  - Dr. Rowena Elliott, associate professor in The University of

Southern Mississippi School of Nursing, has been elected national president-elect of

the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA).

Elliott will assume her new role in May at the organization's National Symposium in

San Antonio, Texas. After one year as president-elect, Elliott will become national

president for 2011-12, followed by one year as immediate past-president (2012-13).

Her election as president-elect is particularly significant in that Elliott will become the first African-American to hold that position in the association's 41-year history.

"I am a firm believer in being an active member of professional nursing organizations, so I joined the American Nephrology Nurses Association and a variety of other organizations," said Elliott. "It is through these organizations that nurses have a strong and effective voice to impact the lives of our patients and to enhance the nursing profession."

Elliott joined the Southern Miss School of Nursing faculty in 2008. A Chicago, Ill.,

native, she has been an active member of ANNA for the past 15 years, holding positions on the local, state, regional and national levels. She currently serves on the ANNA Board of Directors as the national secretary.

A registered nurse for the past 28 years and a nephrology nurse for 16 years, Elliott has clinical experience in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. She is a Certified Nurse Educator and board certified in nephrology nursing and gerontological nursing.

"I found my niche in 1993 when I started working as the Director of Nursing in a

hemodialysis unit," said Elliott. "I loved providing nursing care to patients with

kidney disease, learning how the kidney functions and teaching patients how to live productive lives while on dialysis."

The ANNA has a membership of more than 12,000 in 109 chapters. The association's mission is to advance nephrology nursing practice and positively influence outcomes for individuals with kidney disease through advocacy, scholarship and excellence.