Growing leaders in a professional membership organization.

Aims: This study describes the background, development and delivery of an innovative approach to prepare elected state association leaders for their new leadership roles in their respective state organizations.

Background: State-based professional associations face unprecedented threats to scope of practice in the current volatile healthcare environment. In 2009 the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) began offering a Leadership Development 'Boot Camp' for all nurse anesthetist state association presidents-elect designed with the intent of providing the participants with information, resources and tools they need in their new role.