Tara “the dancing nurse” Rynders, she/her, MFA BSN BA RN is a keynote speaker, performer, author, and the executive director of The Art and Heart of Healthcare; offering interactive keynotes, arts-based coaching, and her evidence -based (Re)Brilliancy workshops to healthcare systems across the nation, including Kaiser Permanente, HCA Healthone, and MD Anderson. Rynders has been a registered nurse for over twenty-five years and received her Master’s in Fine Arts in Dance and Somatic Practices from The University of Colorado at Boulder. Rynders, an Advanced Certified Grief Recovery Specialist, has been speaking to audienes around the world sharing her signature SHINE framework and is extremely honored to have been the recipient of: The Colorado Nightingale Luminary Award, The Oncology Nursing Foundation’s Mara Mogensen Flaherty Memorial Lecture Award, A Blade of Grass Fellowship, a Hamilton Award from the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH), and the EY Next Wave Leader Award. Most recently Rynders was named a Fulbright Specialist where she traveled to the Netherlands facilitating (Re)Brilliancy workshops and researching best practices in arts and health. Rynders most recently was published in The AMA Journal of Ethics, The American Journal of Medical Quality and is so grateful to be able to combine her passions of nursing and dance to create spaces of joy for nurses to SHINE as they remember and reflect back the brilliant and resilient humans they already are.

Margaret "Maggie" Major is a dynamic educator and innovator in the field of nursing education, currently serving as a Nursing Simulation Consultant for UbiSim. With an Ed.S. in Education specializing in Educational Technology from Walden University, Maggie brings a wealth of experience from her roles in secondary and post-secondary education. Her expertise spans curriculum development, online learning, and educational technology integration, making her an invaluable asset in advancing nursing education through cutting-edge simulation software. Her background as a Nurse Aide Program Coordinator and long-standing Adjunct Faculty member at Harrisburg Area Community College has given her unique insights into the evolving needs of nursing education. By championing the use of simulation and technology in nursing education, Maggie is playing a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare education, preparing nurses who are confident, competent, and technologically adept for the challenges of modern healthcare delivery.