Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Announce 2024 Award Recipients
Media Contact: Bryan Black
Distinguished leaders and innovators will be honored for their contributions to the nurse practitioner role.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is pleased to announce that the Executive Committee of the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) has named the recipients of the 2024 Loretta C. Ford Award, FAANP Legacy Awards and Honorary Fellow distinction. The FAANP program was established in 2000 to recognize nurse practitioner (NP) leaders who exemplify the values of their profession through research, practice and advocacy.
“On behalf of AANP, I extend heartfelt congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 FAANP awards,” said AANP President Stephen A. Ferrara, DNP. "These distinguished honorees exemplify the pinnacle of excellence in the nurse practitioner profession. Their unwavering dedication to advancing the NP role through volunteerism, mentorship and leadership enriches our community and paves the way for future generations of nurse practitioners. We celebrate their remarkable contributions and the lasting impact they have on health care.”
2024 Loretta C. Ford Award for Advancement of the Nurse Practitioner Role in Health Care
Named for the co-founder of the NP role, Loretta C. Ford, EdD, RN, PNP, NP-C, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, this award is presented annually to an NP who demonstrates participation in health care policy development at an international, national or local level; sustained and specific contribution to the clarification of the role and scope of practice of NPs; or creative and effective action that turns a challenge to the NP role into an effective opportunity to advance practice and improve patient outcomes. The 2024 Loretta C. Ford Awardee for Advancement of the Nurse Practitioner Role in Health Care is:
Jean Aertker, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP
Dr. Jean Aertker has practiced for more than 36 years and crafted three unique models of NP practice by becoming the first NP in an integrated joint university faculty practice; developing four NP-managed, hospital-based occupational health clinics; and owning a thriving occupational health practice in Tampa, Florida, for over two decades. Her clinical expertise is in worker safety, commercial driver examiner training, substance use programs and fitness for duty examinations. Dr. Aertker disseminates her expertise nationally on occupational health topics as well as business ownership and health care advocacy.
Dr. Aertker was a charter member of AANP in 1985, served three terms as AANP region 11 director, served on the AANP Executive Board as the region director from 2013 to 2019 and received the State Award for Excellence in 1992. Her many contributions to AANP leadership include two terms as AANP state representative, past chair of the Fellows of AANP (FAANP) Selection Committee and FAANP History Committee charter member. She was appointed as the board liaison to FAANP from 2016-2019. Dr. Aertker was a founding member and the first legislative vice president of the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network (FNPN) and was honored by creation of the Dr. Aertker Health Policy Scholarship Award. She led the passage of four NP signature bills for the removal of barriers in Florida.
Dr. Aertker worked tirelessly to advance the NP role and developed a close friendship with Dr. Loretta C. Ford. In 2014, she organized NP volunteers to build a 30-foot access ramp for Ford’s home. Dr. Aertker and fellow Florida NPs have organized Loretta Ford birthday gatherings, including arranging a golf cart parade during the COVID-19 pandemic in honor of Dr. Ford’s 100th birthday. In May 2023, Florida NPs held a “Tea for Lee” at the historic University of Tampa ballroom. Recently, Jean partnered with the Department of Veteran’s Administration to secure an invitation for Dr. Ford to attend the 2023 Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery as an honored guest with President Biden presiding.
2024 Honorary Fellow
The Honorary Fellow is a non-NP who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in at least one of the following areas of importance to NPs: Practice, education, policy and research. The 2024 FAANP Honorary Fellow is:
Lusine Poghosyan, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, FAANP(H)
Dr. Poghosyan is a Stone Foundation and Elise D. Professor of Nursing at Columbia University School of Nursing and Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Poghosyan is also the Executive Director of the Center for Healthcare Delivery Research and Innovations at Columbia University. She is an internationally recognized nurse scientist with expertise in health services research. Dr. Poghosyan studies primary care organizations, the NP workforce and the quality of patient care — particularly for racial and ethnic minority patients, those living in underserved areas and older adults with chronic diseases.
Dr. Poghosyan is the principal investigator on multiple federal and foundation-funded research projects, including those funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Institute on Aging, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, American Nurses Foundation and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, among others. Many of her studies produce evidence on eliminating policy and organizational barriers that the growing workforce of primary care NPs face so these clinicians can maximally contribute to patient care and health equity.
Dr. Poghosyan has published over 130 author scientific manuscripts in high-impact nursing and interdisciplinary journals. She has also delivered multiple presentations and keynotes. Dr. Poghosyan mentors the next generation of nurse scientists and is the principal investigator of the NINR-funded T32 training grant. Through her work, she has established a reputation as an outstanding leader, researcher, educator and mentor. Dr. Poghosyan also generously serves her professional community. She was the past chair of the Primary Care Expert Panel of the American Academy of Nursing and the past chair of the AcademyHealth Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues Advisory Board. Currently, she is the only nurse serving on the AcademyHealth board of directors.
Dr. Poghosyan is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the New York Academy of Medicine. She has been recognized for her contributions and has received multiple awards — including the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame from Sigma Theta Tau International; the American Nurses Foundation Scholar Award; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar Award; and Mentorship and New Investigator Awards from AcademyHealth’s Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues. Through her contributions, Dr. Poghosyan shapes and impacts nursing science and profession.
2024 Legacy Award
The FAANP Legacy Award honors, recognizes and memorializes a member of FAANP whose lifelong career has had a profound and enduring impact on the profession and the NP role, articulating a dream that others share and follow. The vision, innovation, courage, persistence and inspiration of the honoree are essential components of the legacy. The 2024 FAANP Legacy Awardees are:
Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP
Dr. Resnick is a distinguished university professor, associate dean of research and scholarship and holds the Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She has over 40 years of clinical experience as a NP across all practice settings. Her research program is focused on optimizing function and physical activity and adherence to healthy behaviors among older adults; exploring resilience and genetics on function and physical activity; and testing dissemination and implementation of interventions in real world settings. This work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Health Care Quality and foundations such as the Helen and Leonard Stulman Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her current research is involved with optimizing function and physical activity among older adults living with dementia when hospitalized, implementation of pain clinical practice for residents in nursing homes and implementing an interdisciplinary wellness clinic in senior housing.
Dr. Resnick has over 350 published articles, numerous chapters in nursing and medical textbooks and books on geriatric medicine and care of older adults, restorative care, assisted living and resilience. She was the editor of Geriatric Nursing for 16 years and is currently the co-editor of the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, an associate editor and on editorial boards for numerous other journals such as the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and the Journals of Gerontology Medical Science. She has held leadership positions in multiple nursing, aging and interdisciplinary organizations including AANP, FAANP, Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, American Geriatrics Society, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Gerontological Society of America and the American Medical Directors Association. She has been recognized with numerous national awards which include the 2017 David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award, the 2018 Johns Hopkins Leader in Aging Award, the 2018 Loretta C. Ford Award, the 2019 Lawton Powell Award, the 2020 Dodd Award, the 2022 University of Maryland Distinguished Professor Award and the Elkins Professorship and the 2023 Lamy Lecturer for the American Society for Consultant Pharmacists.
Barbara A. Todd, DNP, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Dr. Todd is the director of practice and education for advanced practice providers at the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She is a senior fellow in the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy and the adjunct assistant professor of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Dr. Todd has been an NP for the past four decades with a distinguished career as a clinician, educator, administrator and leader.
Dr. Todd has been recognized for leadership and excellence in clinical practice. Her extensive and pioneering role as a NP in cardiovascular surgery led to several novel and impactful interventions for patients and families. As a scholar Dr. Todd's focus includes cardiovascular care and NP practice. She has disseminated her contributions widely through journal articles, books and presentations. Notably, she wrote one of the first certification examination review books for acute care NP. Dr. Todd has a special interest in transition to practice for new NPs, role socialization, preceptor models and workforce diversity. She was the director for the Philadelphia Consortium for the Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration Project with the purpose of increasing the number of advanced practice registered nurses. She was an inaugural member of the AANP Diversity Council and served as chair for the AANP Nomination Council.
Dr. Todd is a resilient and persistent advocate for NPs in all settings to ensure every patient has access to NP-delivered care. She is board chair for the Pennsylvania Action Coalition and a member of several advisory panels. Dr. Todd has devoted her career to advancing the role of professional nursing practice and articulating the possibilities for nurses at all levels. She has received numerous awards for her outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the nursing profession. Dr. Todd is a fellow of AANP and of the American Academy of Nursing.
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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.
The Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) program was established in 2000 and is dedicated to the advancement of NPs and the high-quality health care they provide. Recognized as NP leaders who have made outstanding contributions to NP education, policy, clinical practice and research, AANP Fellows volunteer their expertise as reviewers, topical experts, committee members, journal contributors, mentors and more. FAANP strives to support AANP’s mission, develop NP leaders of the future and advance the NP role. Learn more at aanp.org/fellows.