WSNA appoints Gerard Friesz as new Executive Director
Longtime labor leader will take office May 1
March 20—The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) Board of Directors has appointed longtime labor leader Gerard Friesz to serve as the next WSNA Executive Director. Friesz, whose appointment begins May 1, will succeed David Keepnews, who is retiring. The Board made its decision after a multi-layered member-driven process that included staff input. Friezs’s appointment recognizes the need for a leader who can confront the unprecedented challenges facing nurses today.
Friesz has served on WSNA staff for the past 7 years, currently as Director of Operations and Labor Advisor. Prior to his work at WSNA, he served in several staff leadership positions for AFT, WSNA’s national labor partner, and as Executive Director of labor unions in Washington, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
“Gerard has enthusiastically embraced nursing’s key issues,” said WSNA President Justin Gill, DNP, APRN, RN. “He has a demonstrated commitment to WSNA’s integrated mission as a union and a professional association. He has the experience and the vision to take WSNA into the future. The Board is happy to welcome Gerard as our new Executive Director.”
Edna Cortez, RN, Chair of WSNA’s Labor Executive Council, added: “Gerard’s work supporting and advising the Labor Executive Council has helped us reach new levels leading the organization’s union work. He is fully committed to empowering our members to win the working conditions that can allow us to provide safe, quality care for our patients.”
Keepnews noted: “This is the second time in WSNA’s history a non-nurse has been chosen to lead us into the future and recognizes the particularly challenging environment for labor. I have worked closely with Gerard since I started at WSNA in 2021. He is a passionate advocate for nursing and for all working people. As nurses confront new challenges, I have every confidence that Gerard’s expertise and leadership will be vital in meeting those challenges. I know that WSNA will be in good hands.”
WSNA, which represents 20,000 nurses in the state of Washington, is an affiliate of both AFT and the American Nurses Association. The Executive Director serves as WSNA’s chief staff officer, overseeing its operations and working closely with the Board of Directors and Labor Executive Council in setting and implementing WSNA’s strategic initiatives.
Asked about stepping into the role of Executive Director, Friesz said, “Nursing is vital to the health of Washingtonians. Nurses continue to push for the things they need and deserve—safe staffing, safe workplaces, fair wages, and respect for their vital roles as professionals. WSNA has shown its capacity to fight effectively on behalf of nurses and the patients and communities they serve. I am proud and excited to take on this role and to work for a profession committed to advancing health, equity, and social justice, guided by a strong Code of Ethics.”
After Friesz begins his tenure as Executive Director, Keepnews will remain at WSNA until August in order to provide a seamless transition.
Questions or concerns? Email president@wsna.org.