About us
National
Mission
Raising Sorors
& Fraters
Responsibly
Since 1932
Chi Eta Phi Sorority is a professional organization of registered nurses and nursing students. Aliene C. Ewell, RN organized the Sorority on October 16, 1932 with the assistance of 11 other courageous registered nurses.
The charter chapter, Alpha, was organized at Freedman’s Hospital in Washington D.C. for two specific purposes: (1) elevating the plane of nursing and (2) increasing interest in the field of nursing. The graduate and undergraduate (Beta) chapters are grouped into five regions according to geographic areas.
The chapters are located throughout the United States, District of Columbia and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Island. Guided by the motto “Service for Humanity”, the Sorority has Programs focusing on health promotion/disease prevention, leadership development, mentoring, recruitment, retention and scholarship.
Middlewest Region History
Our Story
The origin of our region began at the 1956 National Conference (Boulé) where a committee was given the charge to divide the United States into regional districts. It would be ten years before the region would be established. In March 1956, Rho chapter became the first Middlewest chapter to be chartered and in April 1956 the Middlewest Region was officially organized. The historic event took place at the Sheraton Jefferson Hotel in St. Louis Missouri. Chapters eligible for membership in the region are those located within the boundaries of the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Currently, the Middlewest Region has 14 graduate chapters and 5 undergraduate chapters.
A regional meeting is held annually and hosted by each chapter on a rotating basis. This meeting precedes the annual national meeting of the sorority. A regional director is elected from representatives of the constituent chapters and presides over the affairs of the region and the annual regional meeting.
Mission
Service for Humanity
Leadership
Regional Director
Zeta Eta
Sylvia Page
Assistant Regional Director
Lambda Chi
Toni Grant
Secretary
Gamma Eta
Tonya Johnson
Corresponding Secretary
Alpha Chi Chi
Vanessa Davis
Treasurer
Lambda Chi
Vineta Mitchell
Financial Secretary
Zeta Eta
Jonathan Leichty-Colón
Historian
Theta Chi Chi
Shanita Washington
Chaplain
Zeta Eta
Jernice Watson
Parliamentarian
Alpha Eta
Jennifer Reed
Immediate Past Regional Director
Eta Chi
Margaret Pannell
2025 - 2026 Middlewest Region Officers
Our Leaders
Sylvia Page, ZETA ETA, Middlewest Regional Director
Toni Grant, LAMBDA CHI, Assistant Middlewest Regional Director
Tonya Johnson, GAMMA ETA, Secretary
Vanessa Davis, ALPHA CHI CHI, Corresponding Secretary
Vineta Mitchell, LAMBDA CHI, Treasurer
Jonathan Leichty-Colon, ZETA ETA, Financial Secretary
Shanita Washington, THETA CHI CHI, Historian
Jernice Watson, ZETA ETA, Chaplain
Jennifer Reed, ALPHA ETA, Parliamentarian
Margaret Pannell, ETA CHI, Immediate Past Middlewest Regional Director
Past and Present
Regional Directors
Our Leaders
Ella Rose Carter, RHO (1966 – 1969)
Gladys Manzo, LAMBDA CHI (1969 – 1973)
Daisy Borel, ETA CHI (1973 – 1977)
Gwendolyn Walker, NU CHI (1977 – 1979)
Barbara Manley, ETA CHI (1979 – 1981)
Ella Rose Carter, RHO (1981 – 1984)
Mary Helen Morris, LAMBDA CHI (1984 – 1987)
Willia Miller, LAMBDA CHI (1987 – 1991)
Kaye Jackson, ALPHA ETA (1991 – 1995)
Pamela Whitesell, LAMBDA CHI (1995 – 1999)
Frances Shelton, NU CHI (1999 – 2002)
Jonnie Hamilton, LAMBDA CHI (2002 – 2006)
Diana Brown-Brumfield, NU CHI (2006 – 2010)
Marcellette Carter, LAMBDA CHI (2010 – 2011)
Linda York, ETA CHI (2011 – 2014)
Nutrena Tate, LAMBDA CHI (2014 – 2018)
Margaret Pannell, ETA CHI (2018 – 2022)
