IONL Spring Conference

Nikki Benich is a nurse leader and healthcare innovator with a passion for equipping leaders to navigate the rapidly evolving intersection of technology and patient care. With a strong background in clinical operations and leadership, Nikki focuses on practical, ethical, and strategic applications of artificial intelligence to support decision-making, workflow optimization, and team effectiveness in healthcare environments. She is known for translating complex technology concepts into real-world leadership strategies that nurses can immediately apply. At the IONL Spring Conference, Nikki will share actionable insights and live demonstrations to help nurse leaders confidently integrate AI tools while keeping patient safety, professional judgment, and human connection at the center of care.

Rachel Harbison is the Director of Clinical Operations for the Women and Children Service Line at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, where she leads initiatives focused on quality, workforce optimization, and operational performance. With a strong foundation in frontline nursing and progressive leadership experience, she champions the practical, responsible use of AI to enhance workflows and support nurse leader well being. Rachel is recognized for her collaborative style, get it done attitude, and commitment to advancing innovative, people‑centered solutions in healthcare.

Emily Banet, MSN, RN, NE-BC, RNC-OB is a Service Line Director for Women and Children’s Services at Baptist Health Floyd, where she provides strategic and operational leadership for Labor and Delivery, Postpartum, and NICU services. With more than 30 years of experience spanning bedside nursing, education, practice operations, and executive leadership, she brings a systems-focused, collaborative approach to improving patient care. Emily is passionate about evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary teamwork, and developing leaders who support safe, high-quality care for women, infants, and families.

Chad Priest, JD, MSN, RN is a humanitarian and public health executive dedicated to strengthening communities and advancing resilience in times of crisis and change. With leadership experience spanning the nonprofit, academic, military, and private sectors, he brings a transdisciplinary approach to improving community health and emergency response systems. Chad has a proven record of designing, implementing, and evaluating large-scale initiatives that enhance community resilience and crisis preparedness. Known as a boundary spanner and social entrepreneur, he excels at building partnerships, securing funding, and creating sustainable solutions that serve vulnerable populations. An expert clinician and experienced leader during real-world emergencies, Chad combines operational expertise with strategic vision. A natural communicator, he is equally at home in the classroom, in executive leadership settings, or on the conference stage, where he translates complex public health and leadership concepts into practical, actionable insight.

Dr. Jennifer Embree is a nationally recognized nurse scholar whose work centers on professional identity in nursing and its influence on leadership, well-being, workforce sustainability, and practice excellence. As Chief Wellness Officer and Clinical Professor at the Indiana University School of Nursing, she integrates research, leadership development, and clinician well-being initiatives to strengthen both the nursing workforce and care environments. A Clinical Nurse Specialist by background, Dr. Embree’s research explores how nurses form, sustain, and evolve their professional identity across career stages and practice settings. Her work examines the relationship between professional identity, engagement, resilience, role clarity, and retention—translating findings into strategies for leadership development, academic progression, and healthy work cultures. She has contributed to evidence-based frameworks used by academic institutions and health systems to support nurse leaders and emerging professionals. In her role as Coordinator of the MSN Nursing Leadership and Health Systems Track, Dr. Embree prepares nurse leaders to navigate complex systems, lead teams, and influence organizational outcomes. As a Research Scientist with Eskenazi Health, she collaborates on applied research that links nursing professional development with patient care quality and workforce outcomes. A frequent national speaker, Dr. Embree brings both scholarly depth and practical application to her presentations