PANA CRNA Spotlight 🔦
- PANA
- Jun 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 23
Every day, CRNAs across Pennsylvania are doing incredible work — and we want to celebrate it!
July 2026
Spotlight on Leadership and Advocacy: Toni Orsino, MSN, CRNA
PANA is proud to recognize Toni Orsino, MSN, CRNA, for her outstanding leadership and advocacy for the CRNA profession.
🩺 As Senior CRNA Director at UPMC/University of Pittsburgh Physicians, Toni helps lead one of the region’s largest CRNA teams. She is a strong voice for CRNAs at the executive level, advocating for scope of practice, professional recognition, fair compensation, and the value CRNAs bring to patient care.
Toni is also deeply committed to mentorship, recruitment, and supporting the next generation of CRNAs. Through networking events, SRNA engagement, and community-focused initiatives, she continues to elevate the profession both inside and outside the operating room.
đź‘Ź Thank you, Toni, for your dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to advancing CRNA practice.
June 2026
Spotlight on Education and Mentorship: Bryan Kapish, DNP, CRNA
Dr. Bryan Kapish is making a lasting impact as a clinical educator at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg's Nurse Anesthesia Program!
A student nominated Bryan for being patient, kind, knowledgeable, and truly dedicated to helping students succeed. He takes the time to make sure students understand concepts and procedures, building their confidence before they step into the clinical setting.
Thank you, Bryan, for investing in the next
generation of CRNAs and helping students grow with skill, confidence, and support!
March 2026
Spotlight on Excellence: Aric Bunch, CRNA🔍
From the bedside to the classroom, Aric Bunch is a force for innovation in nurse anesthesia. Between his leadership at Ultrasound Red Goo and his nationwide conference presentations, Aric is helping clinicians everywhere master procedural ultrasound and vascular access.
Scholarship, innovation, and mentorship—Aric brings it all to the table. We are so lucky to have him in the PANA community!
Do you know CRNA in PA we should highlight next? Visit the form to nominate them!
March 2026
Spotlight on Clinical Expertise: Dan Chojnacki, CRNA
Dan has dedicated 45 years to nurse anesthesia practice as a CRNA, building a career marked by expert clinical care, humor, and mentorship.
A graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes Nurse Anesthesia Program, Dan has served at hospitals across the state and inspired future CRNAs through both teaching and example.
💬 His nominator shared that he gifted her first stethoscope and took her to her first regional PANA meeting as a student — a gesture that helped shape her career. 🩺
Thank you, Dan, for your lasting impact on patients, colleagues, and the profession!
Spotlight on Student Development: Elizabeth Strunk, CRNA
Elizabeth exemplifies what it means to be a team-centered, patient-focused CRNA. Her nominator says she consistently shows up ready to support her colleagues and provide excellent, compassionate care to every patient she serves.
Beyond her clinical role, Elizabeth has been deeply committed to educating and mentoring the next generation of CRNAs since 2017 -- teaching at multiple programs and volunteering her time for both simulation and lecture. Her dedication, generosity, and steady work ethic strengthen our profession every single day.
About PANA CRNA Spotlight Nominations
Do you know a colleague (or are you a CRNA/SRNA yourself) who deserves recognition? We are looking for nominations in these categories:
✨ Professional Spotlight
đź“š Research & Scholarship
🏆 Awards & Honors
🤝 Community Impact
🎓 Education & Mentorship
The profiles highlighted here show that professional expertise is not limited to clinical performance; the ability to communicate knowledge clearly and support sound decision-making can be just as valuable. The examples of leadership, teaching, mentorship, and long-term clinical practice also point to how experience develops into a broader professional perspective over time. That distinction becomes particularly relevant when experienced practitioners take on responsibilities outside their usual clinical environment, where evidence needs to be explained objectively to people who may not share the same technical background. Developing strong communication, documentation, and analytical skills can make that transition much more practical. For professionals considering how to become an expert witness, the emphasis should arguably be on combining subject expertise with the ability…