Six Speakers. One Extraordinary Discovery.
Sometimes the most meaningful moments are the ones no one planned.
During the Cannabis Nurses Network’s Connected: A Summer Soirée Speaker Series, six graduates of the CNN Speaker Training Academy stepped onto the virtual stage to share their signature presentations.
Each speaker brought a different perspective.
Some spoke about research.
Others shared lessons from clinical practice, advocacy, spirituality, leadership, or personal transformation.
No one was given a common theme.
No one was asked to coordinate a message.
Yet as the day unfolded, something remarkable became impossible to ignore.
Every presentation pointed toward the same truth:
Connection changes everything.
Connection means…
- Connecting with ourselves.
- Connecting with our patients.
- Connecting with one another.
- Connecting with science.
- Connecting with nature.
- Connecting with purpose.
- Connecting with healing.
By the end of the event, it became clear that we hadn’t simply hosted six presentations.
We had witnessed one powerful conversation about what it truly means to care.
An Unexpected Discovery
The Power of Connection wasn’t the title we planned.
It became the message we discovered.
Although every speaker approached cannabis nursing from a different perspective, their stories naturally converged around one shared idea.
Healing begins with connection.
Learning grows through connection.
Leadership flourishes through connection.
Sometimes the most authentic themes are the ones that emerge on their own.
More Than Information
Healthcare has never been transformed by information alone.
Information informs.
Connection inspires.
As nurses, we understand this instinctively.
Patients rarely remember every detail of the education we provide.
They remember whether they felt heard.
They remember whether they felt respected.
Most of all, they remember whether they felt cared for.
The same principle applies to professional communities.
Knowledge becomes meaningful when it is shared through relationships built on trust, curiosity, and compassion.
When nurses feel connected, curiosity grows.
When curiosity grows, confidence follows.
When confidence grows, leadership emerges.
When leaders stay connected, entire professions evolve.
Every Nurse Has a Story
One of the greatest joys of the Cannabis Nurses Network Speaker Training Academy is watching nurses discover the power of their own voices.
Many participants begin the program believing they have little to offer.
“I’ve never spoken before.”
“I’m not an expert.”
“I’m nervous.”
“I don’t know if anyone wants to hear my story.”
Then something beautiful happens.
They speak.
Their confidence grows.
Their stories begin to resonate with others.
They discover that their experiences matter.
Not because they have every answer.
But because authentic stories create authentic connection.
Every nurse carries a perspective that no one else can offer.
Together, those perspectives weave the larger story of our profession.
A Living Library of Nursing Voices
After the event, we realized we wanted to preserve more than six individual presentations.
We wanted to preserve the experience of the day itself.
The result is The Power of Connection, a curated YouTube playlist featuring each signature presentation in the order it was delivered
Each graduate also has an individual speaker playlist where future presentations, interviews, and educational videos will continue to grow.
Together, these playlists are becoming far more than a collection of videos.
They are becoming a living library of nursing voices.
One that preserves the science, compassion, courage, and lived experiences shaping the future of cannabis nursing.
Why This Matters
Since 2015, the Cannabis Nurses Network has believed that education is about more than transferring knowledge.
Education creates confidence.
Education builds community.
Education cultivates belonging.
Every conference.
Every webinar.
Every research review.
Every advocacy initiative.
Every community gathering.
They all exist for one purpose:
To ensure that no nurse has to explore this evolving field alone.
The Speaker Training Academy was never created simply to produce better presenters.
It was created to help nurses recognize that:
- Their experiences have value.
- Their voices deserve to be heard.
- Their leadership can inspire meaningful change.
Leadership doesn’t begin when someone hands us a microphone.
Leadership begins the moment we decide our experiences might help someone else.
Watch The Power of Connection
Whether you’re…
- Curious about cannabis nursing…
- Looking for evidence-based education…
- Seeking a supportive professional community…
- Exploring leadership opportunities…
- Or simply searching for nurses who understand this work…
We invite you to begin with these stories.
Watch The Power of Connection playlist.
Explore each speaker’s individual journey.
Listen with curiosity.
You may discover that the message you needed most wasn’t planned at all.
It simply emerged from six nurses who spoke from the heart.
Connection changes everything.
Meet the Speakers
Every speaker brought a unique perspective to the conversation.
Together, they demonstrated the remarkable breadth of knowledge, experience, and compassion within the Cannabis Nurses Network community.
We invite you to explore each speaker’s signature presentation and continue following their individual journeys through their dedicated YouTube playlists.
Heather Manus, RN, HN-BC, HWNC-BC
Founder, Cannabis Nurses Network
The Legacy We Leave
Heather reflects on nearly two decades of pioneering cannabis nursing, sharing how love, courage, and authentic connection shape the legacy we leave for our patients, our profession, and future generations of nurses.
Love Hawkins, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, CNM, NC-BC
Rooted in Compassion, Guided by Science
Dr. Hawkins explores how compassionate nursing and scientific inquiry work together to support whole-person care, reminding us that excellence in healthcare is grounded in both evidence and humanity.
Gloria Smith, MSN, RN
The Cannabis-Brain Connection
Gloria brings neuroscience to life by explaining the remarkable relationship between cannabinoids and the brain, helping nurses better understand the science behind patient care and therapeutic outcomes.
Marilyn Pierce, BSN, RN
Your Voice Dismantles Stigma
Marilyn shares how every nurse has the power to reduce stigma through education, courageous conversations, and compassionate advocacy, creating safer spaces for patients and healthcare professionals alike.
Meg Little, EdD, RN
Cannabis, Consciousness, and Spiritual Health
Dr. Little invites us to consider the relationship between cannabis, consciousness, and spiritual well-being, encouraging nurses to embrace healing that honors the whole person – mind, body, and spirit.
Sue DeGregorio-Rosen, RN, CLNC, MSN
Ancient Roots
Sue explores the rich historical relationship between humans and cannabis, demonstrating how understanding the plant’s ancient roots can help inform modern nursing practice and patient care.
Continue the Journey
These presentations are just the beginning.
Each speaker now has an individual playlist where future educational sessions, interviews, podcasts, and presentations will continue to be added as their work evolves.
Together, these voices represent something larger than a single event.
They are helping build a living library of cannabis nursing leadership – one story, one lesson, and one connection at a time.
From Nurse Heather
When I founded the Cannabis Nurses Network in 2015, my hope was simple.
I wanted nurses to find one another.
At the time, many of us were practicing in a new -and often misunderstood- area of healthcare.
We needed a place where we could ask questions without judgment.
Learn together.
Share our experiences.
Know we weren’t alone.
Watching this speaker series unfold reminded me that community isn’t something we build once.
It’s something we nurture.
One conversation.
One story.
One nurse.
One connection at a time.
To every speaker who courageously shared your voice…
Thank you.
To every nurse who continues learning alongside us…
Thank you.
And to those who have not yet found your place within this profession…
We’re saving you a seat.
Welcome.
Heather Manus, RN, HN-BC, HWNC-BC
Founder, Cannabis Nurses Network
