Aron King, MS, RN, says volunteering with the Capitol City Black Nurses Association (CCBNA) gives purpose to his life. “I see the work we are doing is making a difference,” he said.
King, an Assistant Nurse Manager on the 2nd-floor telemetry unit of the Roseville Medical Center, and his colleague Carter Todd, MS, MBA, RN, NE‑BC, CCRN, Nurse Manager of the Float Pool, PICC, Transport and Wound Care teams, were presented the Founders Spirit Award at the recent National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) annual conference.
While Todd says he doesn’t do this work for the recognition he acknowledges that receiving the award “is validation we are doing the right work.” After founding the chapter in 2018 alongside South Sacramento’s Sheree Criner, MS, RN-BC, Todd was part of the NBNA Board of Directors. He now serves as the treasurer while King, who joined in 2019, is the historian.
Todd and King were recognized for their outstanding work and leadership of the CCBNA, and their impact in the greater Sacramento area. Their team has helped build the local group from 12 to over 100 nurses and has provided scholarships to Black nurses over the past four years, with $20,000 awarded in 2024, and an additional $30,000 pledged for 2025.
“We want to inform, educate, and empower the Black community so that we see more representation in nursing and leadership positions,” said Todd.
To help make that happen, Todd and King have helped lead local programs such as Breaking Down Barriers to Nursing and Barbershop Health Talk to build community among Black nurses and increase diversity in the profession.
“I am so proud of Aron and Carter. They are so deserving of the Founders Award for the outstanding work they do with the Capitol City Black Nurses Association,” said Debbie Reitter, DNP, RN, CNS, NEA-BC, Roseville’s Chief Nurse Executive. “They truly live out Kaiser Permanente’s mission to improve the health and well-being of our members and the communities we serve.”