2021 AANP State Award Recipients
Hover over region to view state award recipients for that region.
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Region 1 Awardees: CT, MA, ME, NH, RI and VT
Connecticut
NP State Award for Excellence: Lindita Vinca, DNP, ANP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Lynn Rapsilber, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, FAANP
Massachusetts
NP State Award for Excellence: Julianne Nemes Walsh, DNP, PNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Governor Charlie Baker
Maine
NP State Award for Excellence: Sara Hayes, FNP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Valerie Fuller, PhD, DNP, AGACNP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP
New Hampshire
NP State Award for Excellence: Mary Vigeant, MSN, NP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Wendy Wright, DNP,FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, FNAP
Rhode Island
NP State Award for Excellence: Carol Annunziata, APRN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Matthew Roman, LICSW, MBA
Vermont
NP State Award for Excellence: Jeri B. Wohlberg, MS, APRN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Dan Bennett
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Region 2 Awardees: NJ, NY and Puerto Rico
New Jersey
NP State Award for Excellence: Elise M. Rohana, APN
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Amita Avadhani, PhD, DNP, DCC, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM
New York
NP State Award for Excellence: Joan Miravite, DNP, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Colleen Walsh-Irwin, DNP, ANP-BC, AACC, FAANP
Puerto Rico
NP State Award for Excellence: Iris N. Ramos, FNP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Gladys E. Velez, BSN, MSN
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Region 3 Awardees: D.C., DE, MD, PA, VA and WV
Delaware
NP State Award for Excellence: Ema Mada Ndi, PMHNP, FNP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: James Gill, MD, MPH, FAAFP
District of Columbia
NP State Award for Excellence: Carolyn Summer, AGNP, MPH
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Laura Diane Worby, MSN, FNP-BC
Maryland
NP State Award for Excellence: Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Laurie Scudder, DNP, PNP-BC
Pennsylvania
NP State Award for Excellence: Deborah Pora, DNP, CRNP, ANP-C, RCIS
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Lorraine W. Bock, DNP, FNP-BC, ENP-BC, FAANP
Virginia
NP State Award for Excellence: Shelly Smith, DNP, APRN-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Carolyn Morcom Rutledge, PhD, FNP-BC
West Virginia
NP State Award for Excellence: Joyce Wilson, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Toni Dichiacchio, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP
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Region 4 Awardees: KY, NC, SC and TN
Kentucky
NP State Award for Excellence: Jessica Estes, DNP, APRN, PMHNP, NCIT
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Carol L. Darwin, MS, AGACNP-BC, AGNP-C, APRN
North Carolina
NP State Award for Excellence: Kathryn E. Kreider, DNP, FNP, BC-ADM, FAANP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Assembly member Josh Dobson, AA, BA, MPA
South Carolina
NP State Award for Excellence: Kathleen A. Boone, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Judith Zink, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, PCPNP, WOCN
Tennessee
NP State Award for Excellence: Heather J. Jackson, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Jennifer L. Conrad-Rendon, NP-C
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Region 5 Awardees: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH and WI
Illinois
NP State Award for Excellence: Susan J. Corbridge, PhD, APRN, FAANP, FCCP, FAAN
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Marie Lindsey, PhD, FNP-BC
Indiana
NP State Award for Excellence: Theresa Ellen Coyner, MSN, ANP-BC, DCNP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Former Representative Cindy Kirchhofer
Michigan
NP State Award for Excellence: Mary Anne McCoy, PhD, RN, ACNS, ACNP-BC, FAANP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Patricia Wells, MSN, RN, FNP-BC
Minnesota
NP State Award for Excellence: Maria N. Ruud, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Sara A. Forrest, RN, CCRN,MA, FNP, ACNP
Ohio
NP State Award for Excellence: Carol L. Savrin, DNP, FNP-BC, CPNP-R, FAANP, FNAP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Christine Williams, MSN, APRN-CNP, FAANP
Wisconsin
NP State Award for Excellence: Maureen T. Greene, PhD, ACNP-C, ACNS-C, CIFM
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Gina M. Bryan, DNP, MS, PMHCNS-DC, FAAN
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Region 6 Awardees: AR, LA, OK and TX
Arkansas
NP State Award for Excellence: Kimberly Hill, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Yvonia J. Finley, APRN
Louisiana
NP State Award for Excellence: Tavell L. Kindall, PhD, DNP, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Rebekah E. Gee, MD, MPH
Oklahoma
NP State Award for Excellence: Jayme M. Taylor, APRN, FNP-BC, CSOWM
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Susan Brown
Texas
NP State Award for Excellence: Elizabeth F. Ellis, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, CRHCP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Jessica Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP
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Region 7 Awardees: IA, KS, MO and NE
Iowa
NP State Award for Excellence: Theresa Hohertz, ARNP, WHNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Cecilia “Jodi” Tomlonovic, MPA
Kansas
NP State Award for Excellence: Benjamin Cochran, DNP, APRN, NP-C
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Elizabeth Ann Patton, Director
Missouri
NP State Award for Excellence: Brandon Forester, MSN, NP-C
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Senator Eric Burlison
Nebraska
NP State Award for Excellence: Jenni Gallagher, MSN, APRN-NP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Cora Schrader, MPP, BA
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Region 8 Awardees: CO, MT, ND, SD, UT and WY
Colorado
NP State Award for Excellence: Rebecca N. Garber, MSN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Senator Joann Ginal
Montana
NP State Award for Excellence: Valerie Anderson, FNP-C
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Kelly Gregory, FNP-BC
North Dakota
NP State Award for Excellence: Andrea Kilzer, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Adam Hohman, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
South Dakota
NP State Award for Excellence: Rebekka Klemme, CNP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Abigail Gramlick-Mueller, DNP, CNP
Utah
NP State Award for Excellence: Michelle L. Litchman, PHD, FNP-BC, FAANP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Beth Luthy, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, FAAN
Wyoming
NP State Award for Excellence: Sarah-Anne V. Galloway, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Senator Jeff Wasserburger
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Region 9 Awardees: AZ, CA, HI, NM, NV and Pacific U.S. Territories
Arizona
NP State Award for Excellence: Timian Godfrey, DNP, FNP-BC, APRN, CPH
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Lydia Cohan, MD
California
NP State Award for Excellence: Jennifer Ballard-Hernandez, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Assemblymember Jim Wood
Hawaii
NP State Award for Excellence: Bradley Kuo, DNP, MEd, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Lee Ann Teshima
New Mexico
NP State Award for Excellence: Vernon Osborn, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Gloria Doherty, PhDc, RN, MSN
Nevada
NP State Award for Excellence: Cameron Duncan, DNP, MS, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Senator Joyce Woodhouse
Pacific U.S. Territories
NP State Award for Excellence: Sheri Tackett, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, CNM-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Kathleen Fernandez, BSN, RN
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Region 10 Awardees: AK, ID, OR and WA
Alaska
NP State Award for Excellence: Rachael Carlson, APRN, FNP-C, AGACNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Javid Kamali, MD
Idaho
NP State Award for Excellence: Brad Bigford, MSN, APRN, NP-C, CCHP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Cynthia Dalsing, MSN, CNM, APRN
Oregon
NP State Award for Excellence: Shelby Lee Freed, FNP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Ben Colburn, MD
Washington
NP State Award for Excellence: Diane Fuller Switzer, DNP, RN, ARNP, ENP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Nancy Lawton, MN, ARNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
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Region 11 Awardees: AL, FL, GA, MS and U.S. Virgin Islands
Alabama
NP State Award for Excellence: Aimee Holland, DNP, WHNP-BC, FNP-C, FAANP
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Eileen Meyer, DNP, ACNP-BC, LSSGB
Florida
NP State Award for Excellence: Lucie Dlugasch, PhD, MSN, APRN
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Ying Mai Kung, DNP, MN, MPH, FNP-BC, APRN, FAAN
Georgia
NP State Award for Excellence: Heather Quaile, DNP, WHNP-BC, IF, SANE
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Julianna McConnell, MBA, CPA
Mississippi
NP State Award for Excellence: Stephanie Gale, MSN, FNP-BC
Advocate State Award for Excellence: Wanda Stroupe, DNP, FNP-BC
2022 AANP State Award for Excellence Nominations — Open Until 5 p.m. CT on September 10, 2021
The NP State Award for Excellence is given annually to an individual NP in each state who has demonstrated excellence in NP clinical practice.
The Advocate State Award for Excellence is given annually to an individual in each state who has made a significant contribution toward increasing awareness and recognition of NPs. Examples of past recipients have been physicians, legislators, educators, etc. NPs are also eligible for the advocate award for non-clinical practice initiatives related to leadership, precepting, policy, politics, research, education or community affairs.
Only one award may be given per category in each state. Groups and organizations are not eligible to receive these awards. Current AANP state representatives, members of the AANP Board of Directors and AANP Awards Committee are not eligible for either state award category during their term of office.
The nominator must be a current individual AANP member to submit a candidate for a state award; however, the candidate does not have to be an AANP member.
Nominations are open until September 10, 2021, at 5 p.m. CT.