Craig Vana
MSN, CRNA
Instructor

Craig Vana, MS, CRNA
Craig Vana began his healthcare journey as a third-shift registration clerk in the Emergency Department and an EMT-Basic during his first year of college. While pursuing his education, he advanced to the role of Lead Paramedic and later earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing with honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Following graduation, he worked as a Registered Nurse in both the Cardiovascular ICU and Surgical ICU at the Carle Foundation Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Urbana, Illinois.

After gaining two years of critical care experience, Craig went on to attend the University of Iowa’s Graduate Program in Nurse Anesthesia, where he served as Chief Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist (SRNA) and graduated with honors in 2008. Since then, Craig has worked exclusively in independent CRNA-only practices across various locations including Manchester, IA; Mount Shasta, CA; Grundy Center, IA; and currently Columbus, WI. He is a Partner and serves as Chief Clinical Officer of Columbia Anesthesia, LLC.

Craig is also a Clinical Assistant Professor for the Nurse Anesthesia Program at Rosalind Franklin University, where he was honored as Clinical Instructor of the Year in 2022.

He is actively involved with the Society for Opioid-Free Anesthesia (SOFA), having developed the SOFA Resource Guide and currently serving as the organization’s Treasurer. He also contributed to the development of the SOFA Clinical Medication Reference Tool. Craig regularly lectures on topics such as opioid-free anesthesia, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), and ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia for university graduate programs, continuing education offerings, and state association meetings. He joined the Twin Oaks Anesthesia faculty in 2023.

Education:

  • University of Iowa 2005 - 2008 | Masters of Science in Nursing with Honors

  • University of Illinois at Chicago 1999 - 2003 | Bachelors of Science in Nursing with Honors

  • Provena Regional EMS System 1999 - 2001

Experience:

  • 2019 – Present: Columbia Anesthesia Columbus, WI

  • 2012 - 2018: Grundy County Memorial Hospital Grundy Center, IA

  • 2012: Redding Endoscopy Center Redding, CA

  • 2010 - 2011: Mercy Medical Center Mount Shasta Mount Shasta, CA

  • 2010 - Present: Pineal Anesthesia, PC Cedar Falls, IA

  • 2008 - 2010: Health Enterprises & Iowa Anesthesia Cedar Rapids, IA