In this editorial, we take the opportunity to celebrate the long-term leadership of two of our distinguished neonatal colleagues and long-term editorial board members for Advances in Neonatal Care (ANC), welcome 2 new leaders to our ANC team, and challenge each of you to consider your leadership potential. As neonatal nurses, we want you to think about how you will give back to your profession. Everyone can be a leader and serve the profession. However, you will need to seize your opportunity to serve the neonatal community. You can be a leader if you choose to do so. Whether your chair a committee on your unit, volunteer to be on a taskforce for NANN, or demonstrate your expertise to others who want to emulate you, you are a leader. There are many leaders, both formal and informal. Formal leaders, such as mangers, occupy a position of authority and responsibility, whereas informal leaders hold a position of influence as a result of their expertise, ability to build relationships, and advance the work of others.

Individuals often perceive leadership opportunities as unattainable because the formal leadership positions are already filled or the informal leaders are strong and therefore additional leaders are not viewed as needed. However, new formal and informal leaders should be in continuous development to avoid a gap in leadership. Current and future leaders must recognize the importance of succession planning by promoting the leadership potential of each individual. Regardless of your current status, evaluate your leadership path. Each of you has an ability to contribute to your neonatal profession, and we look forward to watching your progress.

SAYING GOODBYE AND THANK YOU

With gratitude for their service, we are saying goodbye to 2 long-standing members of the ANC editorial board:

Laura Stokowski, MS, RN: We hope you recognized the absence of our "Noteworthy Professional News" column in our last issue of ANC. After 13 years of service as the primary contributor for Noteworthy Professional News, Laura Stokowski, MS, RN, resigned her position on the editorial board. Ms Stokowski's dedication to the journal was unrivaled, and her consistent contributions to Noteworthy Professional News were always viewed by the NANN membership as an essential component to our journal. In the 4th issue 2015, Ms Stokowski also served as the guest editor for our special issue focused on rare neonatal diseases, one area of her expertise. While Ms Stokowski will not be consistently contributing to ANC, she remains a leader in neonatal nursing in her new role with Medscape. We wish her all the best in her new endeavors and thank her for her significant contribution to our journal for the past 13 years.

Anita Catlin, DNSc, FNP, RN, FAAN: Dr Catlin has been a member of the ANC editorial board for more than 10 years and has served as the section editor for Ethical Issues in Neonatal Care since its inception. Dr Catlin is a pioneer in the ethical care of high-risk infants, and she consults in the United States and abroad on neonatal end-of-life care. Dr Catlin's clinical practice and research has significantly impacted how families are cared for before, during, and following delivery of an infant with a lethal anomaly, and we have been fortunate to have her as a member of our team. While officially retired, Dr Catlin remains busy with her work at Kaiser Research and Redesign and her family. We wish her a long and fulfilling retirement.

WELCOME ABOARD

We are excited to welcome 2 new members to the ANC editorial board:

Ms Patricia Clifford, MS, RN-NIC: Ms Clifford is a long-time advanced practice nurse leader from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Her experience as both a neonatal educator and a clinical nurse specialist will bring a wealth of clinical expertise to the board. Ms Clifford's will provide regular contributions to Noteworthy Professional News responsibilities column.

Haifa Samra, PhD, MSIM, RN-NIC, CNL: Dr Samra is a neonatal nurse scientist and Associate Chair of Research for Nursing and Public Health at the University of South Dakota. Throughout her career, Dr Samra has mentored neonatal nurses from novice to expert and has expertise in clinical practice, education, and research. She is well qualified to assume her role as the new section editor for the Professional Growth and Development. We hope you will welcome both of our new board members.

Finally, we want to thank current board members, Kathy Ahern, PhD, RN, and Heather Smith, PhD, RN, for agreeing to accept new responsibilities. Dr Ahern will transition from section editor of Professional Growth and Development to be section editor for Ethical Issues in Neonatal Care. Dr Smith will assume joint responsibility for Noteworthy Professional News with Ms Clifford.

Thanks to all neonatal nurse leaders who contribute to the care of our infants and families. We hope you will give thought to how you can lead your profession today and in the future. If you are interested in opportunities as an author, reviewer, or ANC editorial board member, please let us know.

Debra Brandon, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAAN

Coeditor; Advances in Neonatal Care

[email protected]

Jacqueline M. McGrath, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN

Coeditor; Advances in Neonatal Care

[email protected]