David Wyatt, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, FAORN, FAAN

David Wyatt, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, FAORN, FAAN, a distinguished leader in perioperative nursing with over 20 years of experience in surgical services and healthcare management, assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), in 2025.

Prior to joining AORN, Dr. Wyatt served as Chief Nursing Officer at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He has also held executive perioperative leadership positions at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, HCA Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center and the University of Kansas Hospital.

A dedicated AORN member for over 25 years, Dr. Wyatt has served on numerous association committees and as AORN President in 2020-2021. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a Fellow of AORN. Dr. Wyatt served as a member of the Nursing Staffing Task Force convened in 2022 by the AACN, ANA, AONL, HFMA and IHI focused on development of national recommendations to impact the nurse staffing crisis.

A passionate advocate for advancing the role of nurses in healthcare leadership, as CEO and Executive Director Dr. Wyatt is focused on workforce development, promoting evidence-based practices, and championing equity and inclusion within the perioperative nursing profession.