AANP State Award for Outstanding Contributions Recipients Announced
Media Contact: Bryan Black
Meet the individuals being honored for their remarkable contributions.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is pleased to announce the recipients of the prestigious 2025 AANP State Award for Outstanding Contributions. This award honors individuals who have made significant strides in advancing health care through practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership (PEARL), and have demonstrated efforts to advance the image, profile and visibility of nurse practitioners. Award recipients will be honored for this achievement at the Salute to the States Award Ceremony on June 20, 2025, at the 2025 AANP National Conference in San Diego, California.
Established in 1991 to recognize outstanding clinical quality, the AANP NP State Award for Excellence honors NPs for the lifesaving care they provide to patients. Added in 1993, the AANP Advocate State Award for Excellence highlights efforts to advance the NP role. In 2024, the AANP Awards program was once again reimagined and renamed the AANP State Awards for Outstanding Contributions. This is an annual award given to one deserving individual per state based on outlined criterion.
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2025 AANP State Award for Outstanding Contributions Recipients
Alabama
D'Ann Somerall, DNP, MAEd, CRNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
Alaska
Lois Rockcastle, APRN,FNP-BC
Arizona
Luis Fong, DNP, PMHNP-BC
Arkansas
Nykkia Sellers, DNP, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, CDCES
Colorado
Ingrid Johnson, DNP, MPP, RN, FAAN
Connecticut
Laura Prior, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC, CRN
Delaware
Roseann Velez, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
District of Columbia
Amy Stewart, MSN, FNP-C
Florida
Deborah Tedesco, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, CBCN, AP-PMN, CWS, CPHQ, FNAP, FAANP
Georgia
Desiree Clement, DNP, APRN, CNM, FNP-BC, FACNM, FAANP, FAAN
Hawaii
Kari Wheeling, MPH, APRN, FNP-BC
Idaho
Sarah Sparks, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Illinois
Rebekkah Sobolewski, MSN, APN, ANP-BC
Indiana
Julia Rogers, DNP, APRN, CNS, FNP-BC, FAANP
Iowa
Maria Lofgren, DNP, ARNP, NNP-BC, PNP-PC, FAANP
Kansas
Laurel Short, DNP, FNP-C, AQH
Louisiana
Shantell Burns, DNP, APRN, CNEcl, PMHNP-BC, CCHP
Maryland
Carmel McComiskey, DNP, PPCNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Massachusetts
Monica Dube, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Michigan
Umeika Stephens, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC
Minnesota
Monica McDevitt, APRN, CNP
Mississippi
Deidra Thompson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC
Missouri
Renee Endicott, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Montana
Margaret Hammersla, PhD, ANP-BC
Nebraska
Stephanie Burge, DNP, APRN-BC, FNP
Nevada
Megan Pratt, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, GS-C
New Hampshire
Clarissa Michalak, DNP, ACNPC-AG, CCRN
New Jersey
Dawn Mutchko, DNP, APN, FNP-C, CENP, CGNC, EBP-C, CPHQ, CLSS-GB, FNAP
New Mexico
Whitney Steinmetz, DNP, FNP, RN
New York
Selena Gilles, DNP, ANP-BC, CNE-cl, ANEF. FNYAM, FNAP, FADLN, FAANP, FAAN
North Carolina
Maria Colandrea, DNP, NP-C, CORLN, FAANP, FFNMRCSI
North Dakota
Leah Neugebauer, MSN, FNP-C, WHNP-BC
Ohio
Marie Grosh, DNP, APRN-CNP, LNHA
Oregon
Lydia Bartholow, DNP, PMHNP, CARN-AP, FIAAN
Pennsylvania
Lorraine Bock, DNP, FNP-BC, ENP-BC, FAANP
Rhode Island
Gino Paolucci, DNP, ACNP-BC, ANVP-BC
South Carolina
Nikki Smith, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Tennessee
Lisa Beasley, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AFN-C
Texas
Jessica Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN
U.S. Pacific Territory
Leticia Reyes, MSN, APRN-FNPC,RN
Utah
Valerie Flattes Ph.D., APRN, ANP-BC
Vermont
Michelle Wade, MSN/Ed, APRN, NP-C, ACNPC-AG, FAANP
Virginia
Amy Johnson, DNP, FNP-C
Washington
Marli Parobek, APRN, DNP, FNP, PMHNP
West Virginia
Donte Newsom, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Wisconsin
Tina Bettin, DNP, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, APNP, FAANP
Wyoming
Venessa Yoosook, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC
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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 385,000 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 NPs' 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 an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.