State Liaison Candidate
Campaign Message
As the current Arizona State Liaison, I am honored to represent our state s nurse practitioners and collaborate with leaders who share a vision for accessible, equitable, and high-quality care. With over 20 years as a bilingual family nurse practitioner, I have served in academic, nonprofit, and leadership roles, advocating for the needs of diverse and underserved communities. My work as a Program Chair, Systematic Program Evaluator, and founder of a nonprofit has strengthened my skills in advocacy, collaboration, and strategic planning. I have led statewide health initiatives, provided thousands of free screenings and vaccinations, and mentored NP students locally and internationally. If elected, I will continue to champion the profession, amplify the voices of NPs, and work to remove barriers to care. Together, we can advance AANP s mission and ensure NPs are empowered to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our communities.
Bio Sketch
Dr. Sun Jones is a bilingual family nurse practitioner with over twenty years of service to the Korean community. She founded the Arizona Korean Nurses Association and the Korean American Nurses Association, a nonprofit dedicated to improving healthcare quality and equity for Arizona s Asian and underserved populations. Since 2011, Dr. Jones has served in academia, advancing education and preparing the next generation of nurse practitioners. As a Systematic Program and Curriculum Evaluator, she ensures nursing programs meet rigorous accreditation standards. She mentors and precepts local and international NP students, advocating for policy changes that strengthen the NP role in Arizona and South Korea. A national leader in the profession, Dr. Jones serves in key organizational roles and travels internationally to educate NP students about the scope and impact of the NP role. She has published and presented locally, nationally, and internationally to promote the value of NP-led care. Her leadership and community contributions have been recognized with the Arizona Governor s Volunteer Service Award and the March of Dimes Heroes in Action Nurse of the Year Award in Leadership. She remains committed to bridging cultural and healthcare gaps, ensuring that quality, culturally appropriate care is accessible to all.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing NPs in the delivery of health care over the next decade? How should AANP address this issue to support NPs and the populations they serve?
As a bilingual primary care NP with over two decades of experience, I have seen how language barriers, limited health literacy, and a lack of culturally appropriate care hinder access and worsen health disparities. These challenges will grow as our population becomes more diverse. AANP can address this by advancing full practice authority to expand NP access in underserved areas, promoting education in cultural competence and linguistic accessibility, and supporting research on diverse population health outcomes. Strengthening these strategic priorities will equip NPs to deliver equitable, patient-centered care that meets the linguistic and cultural needs of the communities we serve.
Describe, in detail, leadership and other professional skills that you will bring to AANP and provide at least one initiative or outcome that occurred because of these skills.
With over 20 years as a primary care NP and leadership experience in academic, nonprofit, and professional roles, I bring expertise in strategic planning, program evaluation, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement. As Program Chair and Systematic Program Evaluator for a nursing program, I lead teams to achieve accreditation standards and foster collaboration. As the founder of a nonprofit serving Asian American communities, I organized statewide initiatives that delivered more than 2,500 free vaccines and screenings. This achievement, driven by coalition building and cultural competence, reflects my ability to mobilize resources and deliver measurable results that will advance AANP s advocacy and statewide
Identify one major challenge that could impact your ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the position you are seeking. How do you plan to manage this challenge to be successful?
Balancing multiple high-responsibility roles is a challenge I have successfully managed as the current Arizona State Liaison. I address this by delegating tasks within my nonprofit, limiting board commitments, and empowering capable team members to take on additional responsibilities. I utilize organizational tools to track deadlines, establish clear boundaries, and conduct regular check-ins to stay on track. Prioritizing well-being, practicing self-care, and seeking mentor guidance helps sustain my effectiveness. With this structured approach, I can continue to meet AANP responsibilities while fulfilling my academic and community leadership roles, ensuring each receives the attention and dedication needed for success.
AANP’s mission is to empower all NPs to advance accessible, person-centered, equitable, high-quality health care for diverse communities through practice, education, advocacy, research, and leadership. If elected, how do you propose to advance AANP's mission and strategic plan?
If elected, I will advance AANP s mission by leveraging my experience as Arizona State Liaison, academic leader, and nonprofit executive to promote accessible, person-centered, and equitable care. I will strengthen advocacy by collaborating with stakeholders to remove barriers to care, particularly in underserved and linguistically diverse communities. Through education and leadership, I will encourage professional development in cultural competence and emerging health trends. I will support research highlighting NP-led care outcomes and share best practices to improve access and quality. By fostering engagement across sectors, I will help ensure NPs are equipped to meet the evolving needs of all communities.