Samyuktha Gumidyala
Samyuktha Gumidyala (Neeraja), MPH, CAE
State Associations Relations Manager II,
American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology
Samyuktha Gumidyala (Neeraja), MPH lives in the Chicago area and has been working in the association management industry for seven years. Her current position is the State Association Relations Manager II at the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). In this role, Samyuktha provides consulting services to state associations and assists them with their governance, leadership, and infrastructure-related needs. She is also the project manager of the organizational-wide leadership development program, AANA Ascend. In addition to her work responsibilities, Samyuktha serves as co-chair of the AANA’s internal Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Committee.
Samyuktha holds a Master of Public Health degree from Benedictine University in addition to a Bachelor’s in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Over the years, Samyuktha has volunteered her time in many areas of the community, focusing on advocacy work for people with disabilities. She co-hosts the “A Little Perspective” podcast, which is a platform for lifting up voices from marginalized groups. Samyuktha also currently serves as Immediate Past President of Benedictine University's Alumni Association Board of Directors and is a senior advisory member for L.E.A.D.S, the University’s leadership program for undergraduate women.
Outside of her volunteer efforts, Samyuktha’s recent achievements include delivering the luncheon keynote address at the Association Forum’s Holiday Showcase in December 2022. The title of her presentation was “I am Not a Liability”, and she shared her experiences on being a South Asian woman with dwarfism and how the association and hospitality industry can better accommodate people with disabilities. Samyuktha is a recipient of the Forty Under 40 Award for the Association Forum’s Class of 2021 and is a contributing author of the best-selling anthology, “A Little Perspective: Real Stories of Little Ladies”. She also earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the ASAE in June 2023.
An avid traveler, Samyuktha writes about her journeys on her blog called “Just a Little Traveling”: www.justaliltraveling.com. Her blog also provides travel guidance for people with dwarfism as she knows the difficulty of navigating a world that is not built for those of short stature.
Samyuktha is a diverse human being who is fueled by her drive for success and independence. She hopes to continually make an impact in this world by advocating for other people who have been disadvantaged and helping empower them to achieve their goals.