On July 24, 2025, the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) announced its endorsement of the Liberated Nurse Business Academy, founded and managed by Sharon Burch, MSN, APRN, through her company New Directions for Nurses, Inc. 

The Liberated Nurse Business Academy offers entrepreneurial nurses online business education, coaching, advising, peer interaction, and accountability support. This comprehensive, professional development program empowers nurses to transform their education and experience into thriving, nurse-directed businesses.

The Liberated Nurse Business Academy is designed to help three types of nurses – those who are

• THINKING ABOUT starting a business and have questions
• READY TO START a business and want expert guidance
• HAVE A BUSINESS and want to take it to the next level

Our clients value their nursing identity and the public’s trust. Now, they want to learn how to grow thriving, sustainable businesses that expand their freedom, fulfillment, and financial security.

Through its two programs, the Liberated Nurse Business Incubator and the Liberated Nurse Business Accelerator, the Liberated Nurse Business Academy offers up to 100 continuing nursing education (CNE) contact hours that are accepted for RN license renewal in all 50 states.

Sharon Burch, MSN, APRN, PHCNS-BC, APHN-BC, HWNC-BC, is the Founding President and CEO of New Directions for Nurses. Sharon lives in Lawrence, KS. She has been a holistic nurse entrepreneur since 1984 and a holistic continuing nursing education (CNE) provider since the mid-1990s, when she pioneered selling CNE courses online. Since then, she’s studied business in depth with many business mentors and translated their business practices into nursing practices.

Sharon has founded several successful for-profit and nonprofit businesses, including a hospital-based massage therapy group practice, and provided business development and marketing consultation to the American Holistic Nurses Association, the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation, the Hawaii Yoga Institute, and others.

Today, she directs New Directions for Nurses, where the Liberated Nurse Business Academy helps entrepreneurial nurses own their power, realize their potential, and grow thriving, sustainable businesses they love.

American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) endorses CNE programs that align with its mission, vision, purpose, and the Scope and Standards of Holistic Nursing Practice. Programs undergo a rigorous peer-review process and require Board of Directors approval. To be eligible for endorsement, a holistic CNE program must already be approved for at least one year by AHNA or another ANCC-accredited approver.

Founded in 1981, AHNA is a non-profit professional organization for registered nurses and is located in Topeka, KS. Its mission is to advance holistic nursing through practice, community building, advocacy, research, and education. AHNA focuses on evidence-based holistic research, self-care for nurses, and non-pharmacological pain management, offering networking and continuing education to its over 5,300 members in 136 chapters across the USA and internationally. The American Nurses Association (ANA) recognizes holistic nursing as an official nursing specialty.

For more information about the Liberated Nurse Business Academy, contact support@liberatednurse.com. 

References

Business Development Coaching & Advising. https://www.liberatednurse.com/business-advice 

AHNA Endorsed Programs. https://www.ahna.org/Education/Endorsed-Programs 

Liberated Nurse Business Academy: Business Education, Coaching and Advising for Nurse Entrepreneurs. https://www.liberatednurse.com 

Linda and Johanna represent AHNCC for Certified Nurses Day at Highland Hospital in Rochester, New York. They handed out bookmarks and treats and let nurses know how to get certified in Holistic Nursing. Thank you Linda and Johanna.

I am honored and excited to shared that I have been selected as one of 11 individual to receive this year’s Latino Business Leadership Award by Silicon Valley Business Journal. Thank you Anna Dapelo-Garcia for nominating me. I appreciate your friendship and recognition of my contributions to nursing and our Latino community.

Here are this year’s Latino Business Leadership honorees

SVBJ’s annual Latino Business Leadership Awards.
By Neal Waters – Associate Managing Editor, Silicon Valley Business Journal
Jan 27, 2025

The Silicon Valley Business Journal is honoring 11 individuals and three companies in its Latino Business Leadership Awards program for 2025.

The program recognizes the outstanding business and community impact of Silicon Valley professionals of Latino or Hispanic descent. Profiles of the honorees will be printed in the April 4 edition of the SVBJ and on our website around that time.


On April 3, we will gather at the Westin San Jose for a special celebration for our award winners. This year’s honorees are:

Lifetime Achievement
Jorge Reguerin: Vice President – SBA Business Development Officer, Santa Cruz County Bank

Individuals
América Aguirre Gomez: Managing Director, CORAL Afterschool/Extended Learning Program, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County
Rolando Bonilla: Chief Strategy Officer, Voler Strategic Advisors
Laura Gutierrez: Enterprise Director for Clinical Laboratory & Pathology Services, El Camino Health
Frank Carbajal: Founder and President, Es Tiempo
Grissel Hernandez: Vice President – Professional Development, Research & Magnet, Stanford Health Care
Tony Martinez: Co-Founder & CEO, Negozee
Sofy Navarro: Senior Manager, 49ers EDU, San Francisco 49ers
Alejandrina Rincon: Chief of Equity, Inclusion & Diversity/Obstetrics and Gynecology Surgeon, Kaiser Permanente
Pamela Talledo Lujan: Senior Director, Senior Corporate Counsel, Oportun
Andre Thiollier: Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP
Companies/Organizations
ATR International Inc.
Tico Coffee Roasters
Latino Business Foundation

Professor Emeriti determination: At the time of retirement and upon the formal recommendation of the appropriate committee, as well as the Dean of the faculty member’s college or school, the designation of Professor Emeritus/Emerita shall be accorded a member of the instructional staff who has made distinguished contributions to the University. The designee shall have a minimum of ten years of full-time service to the University and shall hold the rank of associate professor or professor at the time of retirement.

Dr. Patterson began her career in the School of Nursing at Capital University almost 30 years ago. She became an Associate Professor in 2008 and has been the Associate Dean of the Pre-Licensure Program since May 2019. She is a known leader in our School of Nursing and has been deeply involved in many student-centered and faculty-driven endeavors activities throughout her appointment.

Congratulations Dr. Patterson.

Professor Emeriti determination: At the time of retirement and upon the formal recommendation of the appropriate committee, as well as the Dean of the faculty member’s college or school, the designation of Professor Emeritus/Emerita shall be accorded a member of the instructional staff who has made distinguished contributions to the University. The designee shall have a minimum of ten years of full-time service to the University and shall hold the rank of associate professor or professor at the time of retirement.

Dr. Shields began her career in the School of Nursing at Capital University in 1980. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the American Holistic Nurse Association Holistic Nurse of the Year. She has already been recognized as a Central Ohio Nursing Legend and has indeed led a life dedicated to the advancement of holistic nursing. She is a nurse icon.

Congratulations Dr. Deborah Shields.