- Education
2018 State Award for Excellence
AUSTIN, TX Every year, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) recognizes outstanding achievements by nurse practitioners (NPs) and NP advocates in each state by presenting the AANP State Award for Excellence. These awards are distributed to the recipients throughout the year, with winners being recognized during the AANP national conference.
The State Award for Excellence, founded in 1991, recognizes an NP in each state who demonstrates excellence in clinical practice. In 1993, the state award was extended to recognize the efforts of an individual who had made a significant contribution toward increasing the awareness and acceptance of NPs. Examples of past recipients of this award 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.
Congratulations to the AANP 2018 State Award winners listed below!
2018 State Award Winners | |||
| State | Nurse Practitioners | Advocates | |
| Alabama | Kala Blakely, DNP, CRNP, NP-C | Ian Burge, MSN, FNP-BC, CHPN, CRNP | |
| Alaska | Claire Lewis, WHNP, MHS, BSN, RN | Ursula McVeigh, MD | |
| Arizona | Joan Lazore, MSN, FNP-BC | Denise Link, WHNP, CNE, FAAN, FAANP | |
| Arkansas | Michelle Boone, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AG-ACNP-BC | Rep. Kim Hammer | |
| California | Denise Perez, MS, RN, FNP-BC | Jeffrey Arnold, MD, FACEP | |
| Colorado | Rosario Medina, PhD, FNP-BC, ACNP, CNS | Kathleen Sanford, DBA, RN, FACHE, FAAN | |
| Connecticut | Kristen Marie Guida, DNP, ANP-C, ACNP-BC, AGACNP-BC | Edward Volpintesta, MD | |
| Delaware | Cynthia Lang-Groening, APRN, NP-C | Ronald Castaldo, Ph.D., MBA, MS, CRNA, APRN, CCRN | |
| District of Columbia | Courtney Pladsen, DNP, FNP-BC | Lauren Inouye, RN, MPP | |
| Florida | Amanda Chaney, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC, FAANP | Jessica MacIntyre, ARNP, NP-C, AOCNP | |
| Georgia | Janie McGhin, NP-C,CDE | Lucy Marion, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAANP | |
| Hawaii | Jared Medeiros, APRN | Laura Reichhardt, MS, APRN, NP-C | |
| Idaho | William Sabel, DNP, FNP-C, APRN | Michelle Anderson, DNP-FNP | |
| Illinois | Barbara Shaw, DNP, APN, FNP-C | Pamela Haerr, RN, BS, CPNP | |
| Indiana | Kristine Weaver, FNP | Mary Yaggy, GNP-BC | |
| Iowa | Lori Reed, ARNP, FNP-C | ||
| Kansas | Karen Lehman, DNPc,MSN,APRN, FNP-C | Charity Clark, MSOHRD, BS, RRT | |
| Kentucky | Sheila Carroll, APRN | Jane Owens, DNP, FNP-C | |
| Louisiana | Mari Wirfs, PhD, APRN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, CNE | Rhonda Hensley, EdD, DNP | |
| Maine | Margaret (Peggy) Akers, ANP | Robert Howe, MPA | |
| Maryland | Helina Somervell, DNP, MSN, CRNP, FNP-BC | Beverly Lang, MScN, RN, ANP-BC | |
| Massachusetts | Martha Klay , MSN, APRN | Stephanie Ahmed, DNP, FNP-BC | |
| Michigan | Susanna Sirianni, RN, DNP, ACNP-BC, ANP-BC, CCRN | Olivia McLaughlin | |
| Minnesota | Patricia Peschman, DNP, RN, CNP | Renee Dahring, MSN, APRN, CNP | |
| Mississippi | Teresa Hamill, DNP, FNP-BC | Rep. Donnie Scoggin, FNP | |
| Missouri | Anniece Spencer, DNP, RN, FNP-C, BC-ADM | Fmr Rep. Tila Hubrecht, RN | |
| Montana | Kathy Jorgensen , APRN, FNP | Gabrielle Corscadden, RRT | |
| Nebraska | Amy Arndt, DNP, APRN | Linda Lazure, PhD, RN, FAAN | |
| Nevada | Maileen Ulep-Reed, APRN, FNP-BC | Teresa Praus, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC | |
| New Hampshire | Jillian Belmont, DNP, FNP-BC, SCRN | Dorothy Mullaney, DNP, APRN | |
| New Jersey | Mary Krug, MSN,APN | Linda Mowad, RN, PhD | |
| New Mexico | Lisa Taylor, DNP, CRNP, BC-ADM | Michelle Peacock, FNP-BC | |
| New York | William Rosa , MS, AGPCNP-BC, ACHPN, AHN-BC, CCRN-CMC | Mary Callan, FNP | |
| North Carolina | Dennis Taylor, DNP, ACNP-BC | Jean Davison, DNP, FNP-BC | |
| North Dakota | Danielle Skaar, FNP-C | Stacey Pfenning, DNP, APRN, FNP, FAANP | |
| Ohio | Kate Gawlik, DNP, RN, CNP | Meredith Foxx, MBA, MSN, APRN, PCNS-BC, PPCNP-BC | |
| Oklahoma | Leah Melton, MSN, APRN, BC-ADM | Rep. Josh Cockroft | |
| Oregon | Nicole Bennett, PMHNP, DNP | Jenn Baker, BA | |
| Pacific U.S. Territories | Meagan Bamba-Ada, MSN, NP-C | Felix Cabrera, MD | |
| Pennsylvania | Carolyn Garver, RN, CRNP-C, MSN | Sen. Camera Bartolotta | |
| Puerto Rico | Marien Saade, MSN, RN, CNN | ||
| Rhode Island | Xristin Maestri, APRN | Madeleine Thibeault, MS | |
| South Carolina | Kristi Miller, MSN, FNP-BC | Judith Zink, MSN, FNP-BC PCPNP WOCN | |
| South Dakota | Diane Kenkel, MS, CNP | Nicole Gibson, DNP, RN, NP-C | |
| Tennessee | Tracie Moore, DNP, FNP/ACNP/ACNS-BC | W. Clay Jackson, MD, DipTh | |
| Texas | Holly Jeffreys, DNP, FNP-BC, APRN | Rep. Stephanie Klick, BSN | |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Lisa Gay, FNP | JudyAnne Ross, RN, BSN, MSN | |
| Utah | Rodney Newman, MSN, ANP-BC | Deanne Williams, MS, CNM, FACNM | |
| Vermont | Michelle Wade, MSN/ Ed. APRN | Amy O'Meara, DrNP, AGNP, WHNP | |
| Virginia | Megan Hebdon, DNP, RN, FNP-c | Karen Budd, MSN, FNP-C | |
| Washington | Carrie Boom, RN, MN, ARNP | Anne Piazza, MBA | |
| West Virginia | Kendra Barker, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, CDE | Gaylene Miller | |
| Wisconsin | Mary Beck-Metzger, DNP, MSN, FNP | Debra Casper, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC, CCRN | |
| Wyoming | Mary Cox, MSN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, GNP-BC | Mary Behrens, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP | |
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 248,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NP patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate a nurse practitioner in your community, go to npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.