Danielle Ongondo, PhD, RN co-authored “Beyond the Blood Disorder: Unlocking the Individual and Community Factors that Build Resilience in Adults with Sickle Cell”, which was published in the Journal of Sickle Cell Disease, https://academic.oup.com/jscd/article/3/1/yoag027/8704181?login=false.
Jenna Blind, DNP, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC, CPPS earned her Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) from The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
Suzanne Dickerson, DNS, RN was named a State University of New York Distinguished Professor – the highest rank in the SUNY system.
Kenya Beard, EdD, AGACNP, ANEF, FADLN, FAAN, co-edited the textbook “Nursing Education in the AI Era: Practical Guidance for Educators to Advance Equitable Care” published by Springer.
William Rosa, PhD, MBE, APRN, FAANP, FPCN, FAAN received the 2026 American Association of Nurse Practitioners Sharp Cutting Edge Award and the Award for Consistent Contribution to Nursing Literature from the Oncology Nursing Society.
Ann Fronczek, PhD, RN and Alison Dura, EdD, MS, RN went to Taiwan with some of their students to visit the Taiwan Nurses Association, https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AempMWBVV/?mibextid=wwXIfr.
J’Adore Larosa-Mattis, DNP, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, FNYAM, FADLN was recognized as an Official Nominee for Men of Honor – Most Impactful Men in Nursing from The Nurses Magazine. This recognition honors individuals who are shaping the future of nursing through leadership, service, and meaningful impact.
Marilyn Dollinger, DNS, FNP, RN is the recipient of the 2026 Driscoll Award from the Foundation of NYS Nurses, Inc. and will be presented with the award at the 2026 Nightingale Gala on November 13, 2026.
The Driscoll Award is given annually from the Board of Directors of the Foundation of NYS Nurses, Inc. to an individual who stands out through his or her dedication and determination in supporting the Foundation in their efforts to increase public knowledge and understanding of nursing, the nursing profession, and the arts and sciences on which human health depends. The Driscoll Award seeks to recognize those individuals who epitomize the standards and values for which Veronica M. Driscoll stood.
American Academy of Nursing Designates Six Preeminent Nurse Leaders as Living Legends
Academy’s Highest Honor Awarded to Leaders Who Have Shaped Health Policy, Science, and Care Delivery
June 29, 2026 (Washington, DC) — The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) will designate six extraordinary nurses— Ernest Grant, Margaret Heitkemper, Bernadette Melnyk, Susan Reinhard, Kevin Sowers, and Eileen Sullivan-Marx— as Living Legends this fall. Each honoree is recognized for distinguished leadership, landmark contributions to health care advancement, and a legacy that will endure across the nursing profession for generations to come.
“This fall will be a true celebration when the Fellowship, friends, family, and partners join together to recognize nursing’s breadth of excellence as exemplified in this year’s Living Legends,” said Academy President Debra J. Barksdale, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, ANEF, FADLN, FAAN. “Their individual portfolios not only demonstrate formidable impact in care delivery improvements but also show the measurable force multiplier of their work locally and globally. Their contributions are not chapters in nursing’s history — they are its foundation and honoring them is a commitment to carrying their work forward.”
Eileen Sullivan-Marx, PhD, RN, FAAN, inducted as a Fellow in 1997, is a trailblazer who has made nurse-led care visible, sustainable, and central to improving access and quality for older adults, veterans, and patients facing health disparities. Her pioneering work in nurse practitioner reimbursement, Medicare and Medicaid policy, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) expansion, and advanced practice payment structures helped permanently embed nursing’s value into health care financing and policy statute. As a practitioner, academician, global consultant, and health equity leader, she has built enduring models of care and elevated nursing’s voice in policy decisions. Dr. Sullivan-Marx is Dean Emerita and Professor Emerita at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing and holds the title of Professor Emerita of Scholarly Practice and Clinician-Educator at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.
Learn more about this year’s illustrious Living Legends. The Academy’s Board of Directors appreciates the dedication of the Living Legends Task Force, led by Chair Karen Cox, PhD, RN, FACHE, FAAN, for their work to review the increasing number of exceptional nominations for this prestigious peer-driven recognition.
The Academy’s Living Legends Ceremony will be held during the Health Policy Conference on the evening of October 9, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, DC. This event is a special tribute to these legends’ remarkable legacy where colleagues, family, friends, Fellows, and sponsors can gather in Washington, DC to celebrate the power of nursing’s impact.
American Academy of Nursing Announces the 2026 Class of Fellows
Academy to Induct a New Cohort of Influential Leaders Who Are Transforming Health Care
June 25, 2026 (Washington, DC) — The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) announces today the class of 2026 Fellows who represent a distinguished cohort of nurse leaders recognized for their substantial contributions to improving health outcomes and who are poised to continue transforming health and health care for years to come.
The newest Fellows represent 39 states, the District of Columbia, and 17 countries and will be honored at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place on October 8 – October 10, 2026, in Washington, DC. Their collective expertise will deepen the thought leadership the Academy’s Fellowship, growing its strength to more than 3,600 dedicated nurses—who together will advance the Academy’s mission focused on impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation, and science.
“It is a privilege to celebrate these remarkable nurse leaders whose vision, dedication, and accomplishments represent the very best of our profession,” said Debra J. Barksdale, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, ANEF, FADLN, FAAN, American Academy of Nursing President. “Through evidence-based innovation, leadership, and scholarship, they have improved outcomes, shaped policy and practice, strengthened nursing education and care delivery, and advanced scalable solutions that promote healthy lives for all people. Their accomplishments demonstrate the depth and reach that define Fellowship in the Academy.”
The 2026 Class of Fellows reflects the powerful role nurses play in promoting health and well-being. These newest Fellows are catalysts for change, leveraging their clinical expertise and scientific knowledge to address patient needs and solve complex health care challenges. The Academy appreciates the dedicated work of the organization’s Fellow Selection Committee and International Subcommittee who conducted the rigorous review of applications, led by Chair Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN and Co-Chair Laura Wood, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, along with Lin Zhan, PhD, RN, FAAN, International Subcommittee Advisor.
The Academy will host the Induction Ceremony and Soiree on the evening of Saturday, October 10, 2026. This event showcases nursing’s ingenuity and represents one of the most dignified celebrations and highest honor in a nurse’s career. Together with colleagues, family, friends, sponsors, and champions, the Academy salutes with pride and respect the leadership and service that countless nurses demonstrate every day to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities around the world.
2026 Academy Fellows and ANA-NY Members Include:
- Debra A. Albert, NYU Langone Health
- Holly E. Brown, Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing and St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Nursing
- Christine R. Brown-Wilson, Queen’s University Belfast School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Marie Lourdes Charles, Pace University Lienhard School of Nursing
- Pritma Dhillon-Chattha, Lavender Psychiatry
- Kimberley S. Ennis, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital
- Annie George, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Northport VA Medical Center
- Olga Kagan, Olga Kagan Healthcare Consulting and Food Allergy Nurses Association
- Mary Koslap-Petraco, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner House Calls and Stony Brook University School of Nursing
- Donna E. McCabe, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing
- Ellen M. McCabe, Hunter College, Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing
- Judith E. Quaranta, Binghamton University Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Margaret A. Rafferty, New York City College of Technology – City University of New York (CUNY)
- Nicole Seagriff, Moses Weitzman Health System
- Suja P. Thomas, Samuel Stratton VA Medical Center
American Academy of Nursing Announces Policy Standing Committee Appointments
Committee Members will Assume Positions on June 1, 2026
Washington, DC (April 23, 2026) — The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) is pleased to announce the Fellows who have been appointed by the Board of Directors (Board) to support the organization’s policy impact.
“I am excited to recognize the Fellows who will assume positions on the Academy’s Policy Standing Committees,” said President Debra J. Barksdale, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, ANEF, FAAN. “As the Academy launches our new era of policy engagement, the work of these bodies will set the foundation for more strategic, nimble, collaborative, and proactive policy work as we seek to fulfill our vision of healthy lives for all people.”
In October 2025, the Board announced the transition to a new policy structure that included the development of the Policy Standing Committees on Determinants of Health, Global and Public Health, Learning Health Systems, and Lifespan and Populations, which will offer expertise to ensure rapid response and drive consensus. Additional information can be found here.
Policy Standing Committees
The Policy Standing Committees will advise the Board and work to advance key policy initiatives in collaboration with Fellows, Expert Forums, Thought Leadership Collaboratives, and external partners. This includes providing rapid response and position statements for the Academy. Additionally, they will work in tandem with other Policy Standing Committees to yield the most comprehensive response on policy areas of expertise within the Academy.
Policy Standing Committee on Global and Public Health
(ANA-NY Members Include):
Madeline Naegle, PhD, CNS-PMH-BC, FAAN, Professor Emerita, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing – Inducted in 1989, Named a Living Legend in 2023
Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Director of the Global Consortium of Nursing & Midwifery, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing – Inducted in 2015
Policy Standing Committee on Learning Health Systems
(ANA-NY Members Include):
Mary Joy Garcia-Dia, DNP, RN, FHIMSS, FAAN, Program Director Nursing Informatics, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital – Inducted in 2019
Mattia Gilmartin, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Advisor, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing – Inducted in 2018
Policy Standing Committee on Lifespan and Populations
(ANA-NY Members Include):
Deborah Stamps, EdD, MBA, MS, RN, GNP, NE-BC, CDE, FADLN, FAAN, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Deborah Stamps Consulting, LLC – Inducted in 2023
White Plains Hospital Earns ANCC’s First Well-Being Excellence™ Credential
May 27, 2026
White Plains, NY – White Plains Hospital has been awarded the inaugural Well-Being Excellence™ credential from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), recognizing organizations that go above and beyond to support the health, engagement and resilience of nurses and healthcare teams. Based on an evidence-based framework, the credential evaluates how organizations design, implement and sustain programs that foster workplace well-being and a healthy work environment.
White Plains Hospital was recognized for its comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to employee wellness through its LiveWell Wellness Program, which integrates well-being into the organization’s broader strategic and operational framework. The Hospital’s initiatives include wellness challenges and fairs, educational webinars, on-site fitness events, quiet spaces for rest and relaxation, gym and fitness studio discounts, diversity and belonging programs, and access to digital wellness resources for employees and their dependents.
The Hospital’s well-being strategy is embedded through its interdisciplinary committee structure and informed by employee engagement surveys and workforce feedback, helping ensure programming evolves alongside the needs of employees.
“As White Plains Hospital has grown, we have placed an even greater priority on creating a workplace culture that supports the health and well-being of our employees, who dedicate themselves every day to caring for others,” said Kerri Elsabrout, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services & Chief Nursing Officer at White Plains Hospital. “This recognition reflects our belief that when we invest in the well-being of our workforce, we enable our teams to be ‘exceptional, every day’ for our patients and our community.”
According to the ANCC, organizations earning the credential demonstrate measurable efforts to strengthen employee morale, engagement, retention and organizational resilience.
“Healthcare is rewarding yet demanding work, and requires we invest in the physical, emotional and mental well-being of our employees,” said Kristine Sposato, DNP, FNP-MSN, RN, Senior Director of Occupational Health Services & Employee Wellness at White Plains Hospital. “We have worked to build a wellness program that is accessible, inclusive and responsive to the real-life needs of our workforce, helping employees show up at their best for themselves, their families, their teammates and certainly, our patients.”
The ANCC’s Well-Being Excellence™ credential is awarded for a three-year period.
A complete list of White Plains Hospitals awards and accreditations can be found on its website.
About White Plains Hospital
White Plains Hospital is a proud member of Montefiore Einstein, serving as its tertiary hub of advanced care in the Hudson Valley. The Hospital is a 292-bed not-for-profit healthcare organization with the primary mission of providing exceptional acute and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. White Plains Hospital has outpatient medical facilities across Westchester, including multispecialty practices in Armonk, Hawthorne, Larchmont, New Rochelle, Rye Brook, Scarsdale, Somers, Yonkers and Yorktown Heights; and Scarsdale Medical Group locations in Harrison and Scarsdale.
The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission, and in 2026 received another 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — the highest distinction offered by the federal agency – for the fifth consecutive year. In addition, the Hospital received its third Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a distinction held by only two percent of hospitals in the country. White Plains Hospital has consistently received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades®, and in 2026 was awarded an “A” Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group for the 15th consecutive time.
