Ian N. Saludares is a distinguished healthcare leader with over two decades of experience in multiple healthcare systems in New York City. He has held significant roles at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, New York-Presbyterian, and Mount Sinai Health System. Ian’s leadership has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the "Distinction in Leadership Award" from Northwell Health, the Nurse Leader Excellence Award from New York-Presbyterian, and induction as a Leadership Fellow of the Philippine Nurses Association of America and the Society of Luther Christman of the American Association for Men in Nursing and he is most proud of his Nursing Excellence Alumni Award for 2019-2020 from our alma mater, the University of Santo Tomas – College of Nursing. A passionate mentor, Ian is deeply committed to guiding the next generation of nurses, actively engaging in professional organizations like the Beryl Institute, the American College of Healthcare Executives – Healthcare Leaders of New York, and the American Association for Men in Nursing. His work reflects a dedication to leadership, transformation, and shaping the future of healthcare with compassion and excellence.

Dr. Bernal has been a registered nurse for over 30 years, graduating with a BSN from UST College of Nursing in 1991. He has extensive experience as an ER, Critical Care, and Trauma Nurse in different teaching and training hospitals in Southern California. For the past decade, he has practiced as a Family Nurse Practitioner in Emergency Medicine, Urgent Care, Occupational Health, and Correctional Healthcare. He is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). He works as one of the primary care medical providers at the Santa Barbara County Jail. His scholarly work focuses on supporting inmates with Opioid Use Disorder. Dr. Bernal recently completed his Post-doctoral Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner credential. His goals include educating students in Psychiatric and Mental Health, continuing his research on Opioid Addiction, and serving the community. He enjoys traveling and has visited nearly 100 countries, including all the New 7 Wonders of the World.

Dr. Norma Velasco-Flores graduated from UST College of Nursing Class of 1992. She also graduated Magna Cum Laude from UST Graduate School with a Master of Arts in Nursing. She obtained a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner degree from the University of Maryland. She was a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She was also a former faculty member at the University of Santo Tomas College of Nursing. Briefly, she served as an adjunct faculty member at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

During her nursing career in the US, she served as a critical care nurse, nurse manager, and nurse educator in the clinical setting. As a nurse practitioner, she worked at Johns Hopkins Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center of Excellence, the University of Maryland Advanced Heart Failure, MedStar Washington Hospital Transitions Clinic, and is currently at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Heart Failure Clinic. The Transitions Clinic and Heart Failure Clinic provide high-quality post-discharge care for the heart failure population and serve as a “gateway” in the early diagnosis of infiltrative, inflammatory, and genetic cardiomyopathies. She was also invited to be a Regional Educator for the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Academy. The program has been created with leading HCM experts and provides webinars delivered by global HCM specialists.

In 2023, she was elected as an Associate of the American of Cardiology; this designation is a high honor reserved for cardiovascular team members who have shown commitment to transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health to the highest level. In 2024, she became a Fellow of the Heart Failure Society of America; this credential is a testament to her commitment and dedication to advancing heart failure medicine. She currently serves as a subject matter expert for the Heart Failure Society of America certification program, which involves active participation in examination development activities. Lastly, she volunteers for the Alliance for Patient Access Cardiovascular Disease Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy working group. Alliance for Patient Access is a national network of policy-minded healthcare providers advocating for patient-centered care.

Dr. Denise Angelo Prudencio is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist and educator at UC Davis Health, with 20 years of experience in nursing education and leadership. A graduate of the UST College of Nursing, Batch 2004, he holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and certifications including CGNC, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, and PCCN. Currently, the Vice President of PNAC3, Dr. Prudencio, has received Baltimore Magazine's Excellence in Nursing award for three consecutive years, the 2023 Distinguished Young Thomasian Alumni Award, and the 2024 National Excellence Award for Nurse Educator from the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA).

He has been recognized with several nominations for the Daisy Award and the Sunflower Award from UST Hospital. A self-published author of Serenity in Simplicity, he will be honored at the International Impact Book Awards and soon named a Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Dr. Prudencio also serves as an appraiser for the ANCC NCPD.

A proud Thomasian, Leilanie graduated from UST in 1994. She is currently the Director of Nursing Services at the Sutter Center for Psychiatry, overseeing the nursing and behavioral health programs. Before this role, she was the Magnet Program Director and Manager of Nursing Education and Performance Improvement at UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital, where she led the hospital to achieve its first Magnet designation, making it one of the first free-standing psychiatric facilities in California to do so.

Leilanie 's commitment to continuous learning and professional development is evident in her academic journey. She completed her postgraduate studies at the University of Virginia. Further, she enhanced her skills and knowledge in neuro disabilities through a year-long training program on Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) at UCLA. She is currently pursuing her PhD at UCLA and has advanced to candidacy. Her research focuses on bullying victimization among adolescents with mental health disorders, demonstrating her dedication to remaining current in the field. Her professional certifications include ANCC certification as a Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Child and Adolescent Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Nurse Executive-Advance.

Harold Cruz Sarmiento graduated from the UST College of Nursing Class of 2001. He is also a double alumnus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Harold received his MSN, Adult-Gerontology Primary NP degree in 2016 and his DNP degree in 2022, both from UCLA. He is passionate about serving the marginalized LGBTQ+ community. Harold received an award for Outstanding DNP Project for Improving Health in an Underserved Population in 2022 at UCLA. He is an Infectious Disease NP and HIV Specialist at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (KP LAMC). He’s been running the Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) program at KP LAMC for over six years, where he serves LGBTQ+ patients at risk for HIV and STIs in Los Angeles. He is also a wound care clinician at The Wound Pros. Harold is also a lecturer and assistant clinical professor for the APRN program at UCLA.

A proud Thomasian, Leilanie graduated from UST in 1994. She is currently the Director of Nursing Services at the Sutter Center for Psychiatry, overseeing the nursing and behavioral health programs. Before this role, she was the Magnet Program Director and Manager of Nursing Education and Performance Improvement at UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital, where she led the hospital to achieve its first Magnet designation, making it one of the first free-standing psychiatric facilities in California to do so.