Leadership isn’t a title. It’s a decision.
You don’t need decades of experience or an official title to develop your leadership skills. You simply need to decide that investing in yourself is the right next step.
- Launch is led by Sue Ludwig.
The Story Behind Launch
I was 39 years old when I founded NANT.
Like so many of you, I was a clinician in the NICU — leading unit projects, contributing to research, and doing what neonatal therapists do: showing up fully for the work. I had no formal leadership training until I invested in a mentor and dove headfirst into building a national organization from my kitchen table and makeshift basement office.
My kids were 10 and 12 at the time, doing their homework while I typed away on my laptop after work, still in my scrubs, trying to change our little corner of the world.
Read More
From that foundation — years of being mentored, consulting nationally, building a national organization, planning and executing internationally attended events, reading stacks of books, and making so many important mistakes — Chrysty Sturdivant and I built Launch. We distilled it all into the most meaningful, practical, and immediately applicable leadership content we know.
You wouldn’t still be reading this if you weren’t an avid learner. The good news is, the return on investing in ourselves is endless. Therapists are quite expert, it turns out, at integrating and implementing what we learn. Leadership skills are no different.
Where do you go to develop real leadership skills — from any position?
You go to a place where:
- Your mentor built a national organization from the ground up — and has invested in her own growth every step of the way.
- You are surrounded by people who see growth as a lifelong process, not a destination or a title.
- You discover what’s actually in your way — and what to do about it.
- You develop tangible, practical leadership skills you can use immediately at work and in life.
There’s more to give, more to learn, more to contribute. Launch was built to help you get there — without wasting your time.
What Makes Launch Different
Launch was written by neonatal therapists, for neonatal therapists — and the over 100 healthcare professionals who have completed it will tell you it applies to far more than the NICU.
A few things you won’t find in most leadership programs:
No application required.
We don’t gatekeep leadership development behind a title or a nomination. If you’re self-motivated and ready to grow, you’re who this was built for.
No CE credit.
Intentionally. This is a different level of development.
No large cohorts.
Ten participants maximum — so everyone gets time, attention, and real support.
No fluff.
Every module includes tangible PDF exercises for deeper reflection and real-life integration — at work and beyond.
Entrepreneurial spirit.
We built something we wished had existed when we were in your shoes. Launch tends to cultivate new and exciting ideas for your life and career.
Compassion.
You are a whole person with a whole life. We’re here to support your growth, not push you.
What to Expect
- Entry into a 6-month online leadership program co-created by Sue Ludwig, OTR/L, CNT, and Chrysty Sturdivant, OTR, CNT, and led by Sue
- An intimate group — 10 participants maximum — for individualized attention and real connection
- On-Ramp Group Call in June to meet your colleagues and mentors before the program begins
- 6 leadership training modules with relevant PDF exercises for reflection and implementation
- 6 Group Guidance Calls via Zoom with Sue Ludwig and fellow participants
- One hour of individual mentoring with each of our expert 1:1 Mentors during the program
- Access to the private Launch Community Group
- Accountability tools you can implement in your work and your life
- Access to unique leadership tools, systems, resources, and program content for 3 years
- Certificate of completion from an advanced leadership program
The 6 Modules
Plus On-Ramp Call
1
Mindset of an Aligned Leader
2
Mindset of an Aligned Leader — Part 2
3
Habits and Scheduling Practices of the Aligned Leader
4
Accountability and Big Picture Scheduling
5
Communication Strategies of the Aligned Leader
6
Leading a Change from Concept to Completion
Meet Your Mentors & Co-Authors
Sue Ludwig, OTR/L, CNT
Program Lead, Group Mentor,
& Curriculum Co-Author
President & Founder, National Association of Neonatal Therapists® (NANT)
Sue Ludwig is Founder and President of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists® — a professional association with members in all 50 US states and 30 countries. A licensed occupational therapist and board-certified neonatal therapist with more than 30 years of experience in neonatal care, she has spent equal time investing in her own growth — through mentors, consulting, writing, and building — because she believes that is what good leadership requires.
She is a sought-after speaker, consultant, and writer. Her award-winning book, Tiny Humans, Big Lessons: How the NICU Taught Me to Live with Energy, Intention, and Purpose, is available in print, e-book, and audio. Sue lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and a couple of dogs, and has two grown children.
Chrysty Sturdivant, OTR, CNT
Curriculum Co-Author
Vice President, NANT
Chrysty Sturdivant is a certified neonatal occupational therapist who practiced in NICUs in the Dallas area since the early 1990s. She serves as Vice President of NANT, is an original co-creator of NANT’s Ignite Core Training and Mentoring Program, and is co-author of the Launch curriculum.
Chrysty co-led Launch for over a decade. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother of eight.
Christy Gliniak, PhD, OTR/L, CNT, CPXP, NTMTC
1:1 Mentor
Communications Manager & Conference Co-Chair, NANT
Dr. Christy Gliniak is a neonatal occupational therapist, international speaker, consultant, and collaborative leader advancing neuroprotective, trauma-informed developmental care in the NICU. She serves as Communications Manager and Conference Co-chair for NANT, Associate Professor at Fielding Graduate University, and consulting neonatal therapist at MultiCare Deaconess NICU. She serves on the National Perinatal Association Board and co-chairs the Advocacy Committee of the Family-Centered Care Task Force. Her commitment to international collaboration has led to visiting researcher appointments at UMC Utrecht in the Netherlands and Stanford University. Through these collaborations, she examines neonatal sleep, neurodevelopment, and infant mental health within NICU dyads.
Bring Your 1:1 Questions About…
- Intentional communication
- Exploring academic and research pathways
- Strengthening interprofessional teamwork
- Supportive mentorship and onboarding
- Presenting with impact
Ashley Solomon, PsyD
1:1 Mentor
Founder, Galia Collaborative
Facilitator, Thrive Program for NANT Community
Dr. Solomon is a clinical psychologist, organizational leader, and founder of Galia Collaborative, a women-centered mental health practice in Cincinnati. For more than 15 years, she has worked at the intersection of psychology, leadership, and community-building, with an enduring curiosity about what helps people and organizations grow. She approaches mentorship with the same principles that guide her own leadership: know yourself, stay curious, build meaningful relationships, and remain willing to evolve. She especially enjoys helping leaders find their voice and develop authentic and sustainable ways of leading.
Bring Your 1:1 Questions About…
- Leading through uncertainty and change
- Over-functioning and burnout
- Cultivating creativity in leadership
- Entrepreneurship
- Personality styles
Enrollment for the 2026 program is now closed.
Add your name to the early notification list for 2027 — spots fill quickly.
- Enrollment Opens April 2027
- Only 10 spots available.
- Full pay and payment plan options available.
We can’t wait to work with you.
Refund & Cancellation Policy
To receive a full refund, less a $100 processing fee, send a written refund request to info@neonataltherapists.com by the 30th day from your purchase date. Participants who have completed the entire course and received a certificate are not eligible for a refund.
The purchase date is defined as the date you paid the program fee or the first installment.
NANT reserves the right to cancel this program due to unforeseen circumstances, in which case a full refund will be given to participants. In case of cancellation, NANT will notify the participant via email, and a refund will be generated within 7 business days (M–F) of cancellation. NANT reserves the right to withhold or remove course and CE certificate access until full payment is received. If you have any questions, please email us at info@neonataltherapists.com.
For ADA accommodations or additional program information email
LaunchSupport@neonataltherapists.com or call NANT Customer Service at (866) 999-5524.
©2026. All Rights Reserved. Launch Leadership Program, National Association of Neonatal Therapists®.
SITE DESIGNED BY BUSINESS BUILDERS