Award Recipients

Jennifer Dohrn, nurse educator and midwife, has been instrumental in transforming nursing educational systems and establishing policies aimed at reducing health disparities among vulnerable populations. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Chicago in 1967, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Hunter College-Bellevue School of Nursing in 1983, and a Master of Science in nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice from Columbia University in 1985 and 2008 respectively.

Early in her career, in partnership with Dr. Ruth Lubic, she initiated the first freestanding birthing clinic in the Southwest Bronx for women who had limited access to perinatal care. When the HIV epidemic entered the community in the early 1990s, Dohrn advocated for and helped change the protocol for HIV-positive pregnant women, allowing them to receive care at the clinic.  

For more that 10 years, Dohrn served as Project Director of the Global Nurse Capacity Building Program (GNCBP). To address the health demands of the HIV pandemic, strengthen primary health care systems and improve global health outcomes, Dohrn mentored a team of nurses and midwives in ten Sub-Saharan African countries to transform the educational, clinical, regulatory and policy infrastructure of the nursing workforce.  She also partnered with multiple Ministries of Health to ensure that the program is sustainable within each nation’s strategic plan for human resource development.

Dohrn has led national teams to design, implement and transform nursing/midwifery educational programs at several institutions in Sub-Saharan African countries (Malawi, Zambia, Lesotho, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo), including the development of new programs.  Additionally, she facilitated a regional African nursing network, allowing these innovations to be disseminated at regional and global nursing forums. Locally, Dr. Dohrn implemented a global health program at Columbia University, School of Nursing.

One of Dohrn’s research studies aimed to document, through oral histories, the experiences of nurses and midwives on the frontlines of the Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016. As a result of this research, Dohrn helped develop a policy roundtable to present recommendations for a more effective pandemic response based on these nurses’ experiences and perspectives. Dohrn is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and served as a consultant for the development of the World Health Organizations (WHO’s) Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery.

For her commitment to promoting diversity and advancing health equity, advocating for national policy changes addressing maternal mortality, developing graduate nursing programs around the globe, and disseminating her research nationally, and internationally, we honor Dohrn with the Distinguished Career in Nursing Award.

Carolyn Sun, adult nurse practitioner and nurse educator, is a leader in using informatics to improve quality of patient care and improve health outcomes. Sun earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art from Seattle Pacific University in 2000, an Associate of Science in nursing from Bellevue College in 2004, a Master of nursing from New York University in 2012, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Columbia University in 2015. In 2016, she also completed post-doctoral training at Columbia Nursing in Global Health.

As a certified nurse informaticist, Sun’s research focuses on using informatics methods and tools to improve health outcomes and quality of care for patients with chronic diseases, such as heart failure and diabetes. She received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to conduct innovative studies on telehealth, mobile health, and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, she has disseminated her research through several book chapters, numerous peer-reviewed articles and presented at conferences locally, nationally, and internationally.

Sun, a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, has been elected and appointed to numerous positions within the American Medical Informatic Association (AMIA) including, Chair, Nursing Informatics Working Group, Member, Pathways in Nursing Committee, and Informatics Summit Scientific Program Committees.

Sun, an Assistant Professor at Hunter College-Bellevue School of Nursing, developed a course to educate nurse practitioner students about the impact of climate change, structural racism, and politics on global population health. This course included an immersive experience for students in South Africa, facilitating student’s learning about a new culture in global south. In her teaching, she is committed to issues of social justice, diversity, and equity.

For her significant contributions to using informatics to improve health care, integrating innovative teaching in nursing education, and mentoring the next generation of nurses in global health, we honor Sun with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Nursing Education.  

Lucinda Canty, nurse midwife and educator, has made significant contributions to improve the maternal health of black women. She earned an Associate of Arts in liberal arts from Hartford College for Women in 1989, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Columbia University in 1991, a Master of Science in nursing from Yale University in 1994, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Connecticut in 2020.

Canty has many years of experience as a nurse-midwife and continues her work at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, New Haven, Connecticut. Furthermore, for more than fifteen years, she was nursing faculty at the University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, Connecticut. Currently, she is an Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst.

Canty’s scholarship focuses on mitigating Black maternal health inequities. During her doctoral studies, she established “Lucinda’s House,” an innovative maternal health initiative to address racial disparities among Black women. This project provides education, support and social networking to black women and their families in collaboration with the community. More recently, Canty has expanded her research focus to Black women suffering pregnancy loss.

To examine racism in nursing, Canty and her colleague, Dr. Peggy Chinn, offer monthly conference/platforms entitled, “Overdue Reckoning on Racism in Nursing.” More recently, she was selected to be a member of the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing. This team continues to conduct critical work on challenging individual and systemic racism within nursing and the impact on nurses, patients, communities, and health care systems. 

Canty, a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the College of Nurse-Midwives, has disseminated her research through multiple peer-reviewed journal articles, and book chapters. Furthermore, she has presented her research at state, regional, national, and international conferences.

In recognition of her commitment to improving Black maternal health, educating the next generation of nurses to consider their biases, and the biases of others that can negatively impact the health and well-being of marginalized communities, we honor Canty with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Nursing Practice. 

Samantha Stonbraker, nurse scientist and educator, has made significant contributions to eliminate health disparities through her innovative and impactful research.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology from University of Colorado at Boulder in 2007, a Master of Public Health from Boston University in 2012, a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2013, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Columbia Nursing in 2016.  She also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in informatics at Columbia University, School of Nursing in 2018.

Stonbraker’s research involves user centered design and rigorous evaluation of infographics to enhance communication between patients and their healthcare providers, as a strategy for improving patient-centered outcomes. She has improved care for thousands of Latinos living with and/or at risk for sexually transmitted infections in the United States and the Dominican Republic. She pioneered a trilingual (English/Spanish/Creole) intervention comprising culturally congruent, health-literate infographics that facilitate patient-provider communication. Dr. Stonbraker deployed this intervention via a mobile app, Info Viz for Health®, that allows for interface with electronic health records, thus eliminating numerous barriers to implementation and scalability. Since the preliminary evidence of the impact on HIV-related health outcomes was so promising, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) adopted this intervention for its program.

Stonbraker’s cultural awareness, language skills, and sustained engagement, uniquely positioned her to influence the research infrastructure and clinical care at Clínica de Familia La Romana (CFLR), a site in the Dominican Republic serving tens of thousands of patients. She built an essential research infrastructure that continues to thrive and generate better patient care.

Stonbraker has demonstrated expertise in a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods.  She is currently funded by the National Institute of Mental Health for formative work to develop differentiated communication tools to facilitate transgender women's recruitment, enrollment, and retention in HIV vaccine trials.   

Currently, Stonbraker is an Assistant Professor at the University Colorado. She has disseminated her research through numerous presentations at national and international conferences and has publications in a variety of clinical, health education, public health, and informatics journals.  

In recognition of her expertise in nursing research, utilizing research to improve clinical practice, and serving as a mentor to novice researcher and graduate students, we honor Stonbraker with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Nursing Research. 

Jared Kutzin, a certified healthcare simulation operations specialist and educator, is a pioneer in simulation-based education. He earned a Bachelor of Science in community health from Hofstra University in 2003, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Columbia University in 2005, a Master of Public Health from Boston University in 2007, a Doctor of Nursing Practice from University of Massachusetts, and a Master of Science in Medical Education Leadership from the University of New England. Kutzin is also currently enrolled in the Doctor of Philosophy program at Texas Women’s University.  

Kutzin is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Education at Mount Sinai, School of Medicine and Mount Sinai Hospital and Senior Director of the Simulation, Teaching, and Research Center. As a leader in simulation, he created the first Virtual Escape Room, which has been used in both nursing and medical education.   

Kutzin currently serves as President-Elect of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH), the largest multidisciplinary international simulation society in the world. More than 10 years ago, he led the development and implementation of the first certification in simulation. Globally, over 4,000 individuals have been certified in simulation education and operations. This certification is approved by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and approved by Magnet accreditation for nurses working in hospitals. Kutzin is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. He also serves on the New York State Board of Nursing and the New York State Emergency Medical Services Council to ensure that simulation education in New York can provide clinical hours for nurses, when taught by certified individuals or at accredited facilities.

In recognition of his leadership in curriculum design, innovative teaching methods in simulation-based education, and disseminating his scholarship, through presentations and publications, nationally and internationally, we honor Kutzin with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Nursing Education.

2023

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Kenrick Cato, PhD '14 | Award for Nursing Research
• Mary Moran, MS '08 | Neighbors Humanitarian Award
• Arlene Smaldone, PhD '03 | Award for Distinguished Career in Nursing
• Olivia Velez, PhD '11 | Award for Nursing Administration

2022

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Felesia Bowen, PhD '10 | Award for Distinguished Career in Nursing
• Pamela de Cordova, PhD '11 | Award for Nursing Research
• Karen Desjardins, DNP '05 | Award for Nursing Education
• Po-Yin Yen, PhD '10 | Award for Nursing Research

2021

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Elizabeth Cohn, PhD '09 | Award for Nursing Research
• Anna Woloski-Wruble, BS '82 | Award for Nursing Education

2020

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Patricia Jean Moreland, PhD '10 | Award for Nursing Education

2019

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Elizabeth Cooper, MS '71 | Award for Nursing Administration
• Nessa Coyle, MS '81 | Award for Distinguished Career in Nursing
• Linda Kivowitz Glazner, BS '64 | Award for Neighbors Humanitarian 
• Elaine Larson | Honarary Distinguished Alumni Award
• Judith Mercer, MS '74 | Award for Nursing Research
• Sarah Collins Rossetti, PhD '09 | Award for Nursing Research
• Tener Goodwin Veenema, BS '80 | Award for Nursing Education 

2018 

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Jeannemarie Gelin Baker, MS ’90 | Neighbors Humanitarian Award
• Susan Green Cooksey, BS ’68 | Award for Distinguished Career in Nursing 
• Ann-Margaret Dunn Navarra, PhD ’11 | Award for Nursing Research
• Anne Penland, class of 1912 (1885-1976), BS '12 | In Memoriam for Lifetime Achievement Award
• William Daniel Roberts, PhD ’05 | Award for Nursing Administration
• Margaret Walsh, MS ’94 | Award for Nursing Practice

2017 

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Jesus Casida, MS '96 | Award for Nursing Education
• Lora Peppard, DNP '08 | Nursing Education
• Rebecca Schnall, PhD '09 | Award for Nursing Research

2016 

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Amy Ansehl, MS ’96 | Award for Nursing Administration
• Susan Krienke Chase, BS ’72 | Award for Nursing Education
• Wei-Ti Chen, PhD ’02 | Award for Nursing Research 
• Jill Kilanowski, MS ’82 | Award for Nursing Research
• Viola Gommer, BS ’60 | Award for Neighbors Humanitarian
• Wilhelmina Manzano | Honarary Distinguished Alumni Award

2015 

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Joyce Anastasi, DNP '05 | Award for Nursing Research
• Christopher Comfort | Honarary Distinguished Alumni Award
• Chana Engel, MS '09 | Award for Nursing Practice
• Judy Honig, DNP '05 | Award for Nursing Education
• Janna Lesser, BS '81 | Award for Nursing Education
• Annie Rohan, PhD '13 | Award for Nursing Practice

2014 

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Kathleen Barnes, MS '89 | Award for Distinguished Career in Nursing
• Margaret Mabrey Craig, BS '64 | Award for Distinguished Career in Nursing
• Rachel Lyons, DNP '07 | Award for Nursing Education
• Susan Levy Mascitelli, BS '74 | Award for Nursing Administration
• Charlotte Munck, Class of 1909, BS '09 | Alumni Award in Memoriam for Lifetime Achievement
• Beth Oliver, MS '91 | Alumni Award in Memoriam for Lifetime Achievement

2013 

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA 

• Sarah Sheets Cook, DNP '05
• Patricia L. Riley, BS '76
• June Siegfreid, BS '39

2012 

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Janice Jones Izlar, MS '06
• Margaret Ada Mutch, BS '36

2011 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Vanessa Battista, MS '08
• Kirsten Malone, MS '09
• Kate Rossettie, MS '08

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Alice Bonner, BS '81
• Faith Hawley Howarth, BS '61
• Betty Chin Jung, BS '71
• Christina Alvarado Shanahan, BS '81
• Holly Howard Stover, BS '61

2010 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• My Hanh Nguyen, MS '07
• Rosalie Perez, MS '07

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Barbara Decker, BS '60
• Virginia Shultz Humphrey, BS '60

2009 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Jeannie Cimiotti, PhD '04

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Carol Heeks Brice, BS '59
• Sally Eckert Arbolino, BS '64

2008 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Dawn Bucher, DNP '07
• Velta Willis, MS '04

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Brooke Serpe Ingold, BS '68
• Marguerite Wales, BS '20

2007 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Bernadette Capili, PhD '02

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Louise Greene Bobrow, BS '69
• Deborah Camp Wheeling, BS '75

2006 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Amanda Segilia, MS '04
• Glenn Wurtzel, MS '02

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Elizabeth Jones Davis, BS '61
• Jean Gleichenhaus Kressy, BS '60
• Margo Payne Leithead, BS '74
• Tania Shiminski Maher, BS '81

2005 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Patricia Dykes, PhD '04
• William Enlow, DNP '10

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Elizabeth Kerr Hay, BS '67
• Anne Hahn Powell, BS '65

2004

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Lawrence Landphair, MS '03
• Roland Larkin, PhD '08

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Mary Masterson Germain, BS '64
• Dorcas Younger Koenigsberger, BS '59
• Margaret Krantz Stull, BS '60

2003

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Mary Lou Ryder-Larkin, MS '98
• Catherine Tanksley, MS '98

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• V. Eunice Hamilton Ellison, BS '51
• Deena Penchansky Lisak, BS '64
• Mary Katherine Brough Maroney, BS '61
• Carol Single Stilley, BS '63
• Kenneth Zwolski, BS '78

2002 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Maribeth Leigh Massie, MS '98

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Virginia Henderson
• Marilyn Ceperano Liota, BS '51
• Karol Murov, BS '67
• Carol Roye, MS '86

2001 

Awarded by CUSONAA

• Roxana Sasse, DNP '11

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Christina Browne, BS '65
• RoAnne Muldoon Dahlen, BS '61
• Jane McConville, BS '51
• Eileen McLoughlin Stiles, BS '58
• Shirley Simon Vollmer, BS '53

2000 

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Cathy Bagnal Shimmel, BS '71
• Nancy Vendura, MS '97

1999

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Ria Grace Hawks, MS '92
• Virginia Hicks Barrett, BS '64
• Rosanna Forman Hess, BS '74
• Sally Ruffner Leiter, BS '66
• Mary Ellen Munsche Stanton, BS '69

1998

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Cheryl Avellanet, BS '71
• Vanessa Noble Gang, BS'64

1997

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Anne Brennecke, MS '95
• Deborah Koniak-Griffin, BS '70
• Lillian Turner, BS '45
• Helen Young, BS '12

1996

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• E. Joyce Gould, BS '68
• Christine Tassone Kovner, BS '69
• Eleanor Lee, BS '20*

1995

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Carole Birdsall, MS '87
• Phebe Miner Goldman, BS '70
• Mary Catherine Houston, BS '32
• Frances Donovan Monahan, BS '66
• Rose Ann Naughton, BS '59

1994

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Ramon L. Lavandero, BS '72
• Shawn M. McCabe, MS '88
• Mary M. Petriccione, BS '79
• Florence Vanderbilt, BS '27

1993

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Lea Ormezzano Battiato, BS '54
• Evvy Hay Campbell, BS '70
• Carole Smyth, MS '85
• Delight Mocas Tillotson, BS '52

1992

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Elizabeth Wallace Brackett, BS '34
• Marie C. Bryon, BS '17
• Sylvia Carlson , BS '47
• Harriet Mantel Deleuran, BS '33
• Phyllis DiFilippo
• Evelyn Elwood, BS '39
• Martha Haber Delano, BS '49
• Bettie Springer Jackson, BS '67
• Marianne Taft Marcus, BS '55
• JoAnne C. Messore Shotwell, BS '72
• Mathy Doval Mezey, BS '60
• Mary O'Neil Mundinger
• Elizabeth Lloyd Graham, BS '52
• Marjorie Peto, BS '26
• Robin Roy
• Mara Leslie San Antonio Gaddy, BS '83
• Helen L. Scott, BS '27
• Edith Schwartz Shapiro, BS '56
• Elma Clark Smith, BS '36
• Mary E. Windrow, BS '40

1991

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Cynthia Kilburn Kelly, BS '42
• Margaret McEvoy, BS '60
• Marion Richardson Thompson, BS '60

1990

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Ellen Davidson Baer, BS '62
• Eleanor Hall, BS '36
• Elizabeth Hahn Winslow, BS '65

1989

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Penelope Buschman Gemma, BS '65
• Keville Frederickson Tomasson, BS '64

1988

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Jacqueline Dee Pitts Bailey, BS '85
• Laurie Verdisco, BS '58
• Mila Ann Swyers Aroskar, BS '61

1987

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Mary E. Conway, BS '46
• J.M. Ada Mutch, BS '36
• A. Faye Wattleton, BS '67

1986

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Janet A. Alley, BS '52
• Patricia G. Archbold, BS '66
• Elizabeth Zawalick Hughes, BS '60

1985

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

1985: Suzanne Law Hawes, BS '59

1984

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Marion D. Cleveland, BS '27
• Lois Mueller Glazier, BS '60

1983

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Dorothy E. Reilly, BS '42

1982

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Cecile Covell, BS '26
• Elizabeth S. Gill, BS '37

1981

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Grace Davidson, BS '42

1980

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

Mary Wasson Britten, BS '59
Helen F. Pettit, BS '36

1979

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Dorothy M. Rogers, BS '25

1978

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Margaret Wells, BS '29
• June Travers Werner, BS '45

1977

Awarded by CUPHSONAA

• Margaret E. Conrad, BS '20

Aluem Tark, family nurse practitioner and nurse educator, is a leader in palliative and end of life care. She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Hunter College-Bellevue School of Nursing in 2009. At Columbia University, School of Nursing she earned a Master of Science in nursing in 2016 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 2019.  Additionally, she completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Iowa, College of Nursing focused on pain and associated symptoms.  

Tark, a certified hospice and palliative care nurse, has worked as a registered nurse in pediatric oncology and hematology/bone marrow transplant at New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. After becoming a family nurse practitioner, she gained experience in urgent care settings and at the Hematology/Oncology and Therapeutic Infusion Center, Mount Sinai West Hospital, New York.  Currently Tark is an Associate Professor and Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner program at the Columbia University, School of Nursing. As nursing faculty, she teaches and mentors students at the graduate level.

Tark has received several awards for her accomplishments in clinical practice, research, and education. She regularly serves as a reviewer for leading palliative care journals and has disseminated her research through presentations and publications.

In recognition of her ability to build effective interprofessional healthcare teams, utilize evidence-based research to guide clinical decision-making while improving end of life care, and serving as a mentor to family nurse practitioners, we honor Tark with the Early Career Alumni Award: Emerging Nurse Leader. 

2023

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Kyungmi Woo, PhD '18 | Emerging Nurse Leader Award

2022

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Meghan Reading Turchioe, PhD '18 | Emerging Nurse Leader Award

2021

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Ava Dawson, MS '12 | Emerging Nurse Leader Award
• Hannah Lee, MS '14 | Emerging Nurse Leader Award

2020

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Allison Norful, PhD '17 | Emerging Nurse Leader Award
• Jasmine Travers, PhD '16 | Emerging Nurse Leader Award

2019

Awarded jointly by CUSONAA and CUPHSONAA

• Donald R. Boyd, Jr., PhD '17 | Emerging Nurse Leader Award