# List of Living Legends of the American Academy of Nursing

The Living Legend designation from the American Academy of Nursing is bestowed upon a very small number of nurses "in recognition of the multiple contributions these individuals have made to our profession and our society and in recognition of the continuing impact of these contributions on the provision of health care services in the United States and throughout the world." Each Living Legend has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) for at least 15 years.
While over 2,000 nurses have achieved the FAAN designation, only a few dozen have been named Living Legends.

## Living Legends

| Year | Name | Alma mater | Affiliations | Notes |
| 1994 | Faye Glenn Abdellah | Columbia University | United States Public Health Service | Former deputy surgeon general of the United States. First dean of Uniformed Services University Graduate School of Nursing. Authored Patient Centered Approaches to Nursing. |
| 1994 | Myrtle Aydelotte | University of Minnesota | University of Iowa | Former CEO of American Nurses Association. Founding nursing school dean at University of Iowa. |
| 1994 | Mary Elizabeth Carnegie | New York University | American Journal of Nursing | Editorial staff member of American Journal of Nursing. Senior editor of Nursing Outlook. First editor of Nursing Research. Nursing school dean at Florida A&M University. |
| 1994 | Ildaura Murillo-Rohde | New York University | National Association of Hispanic Nurses | Founding president of National Association of Hispanic Nurses. First Hispanic nurse to complete PhD at New York University. First Hispanic nursing school dean at New York University. Recipient of Hildegard Peplau Lifetime Achievement Award. |
| 1994 | Hildegard Peplau | Columbia University | Rutgers University | Author of Interpersonal Relations in Nursing. Only person to hold president and executive director posts at American Nurses Association. |
| 1994 | Jessie M. Scott | Columbia University | United States Public Health Service | Former Assistant Surgeon General, United States Public Health Service. Recipient of Distinguished Service Medal from USPHS. Involved in creation of the 1964 Nurse Training Act. |
| 1994 | Harriet Werley | University of Utah | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | Founding editor of Research in Nursing. Created the Nursing Minimum Data Set. Nursing department chief at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Distinguished professor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. |
| 1995 | Luther Christman | Michigan State University | Rush University | Helped to develop the Rush Model of Nursing and the clinical nurse specialist role. Founding member of the National Male Nurse Association, which became the American Assembly for Men in Nursing. First male inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame. First male nursing school dean in US. |
| 1995 | Rheba de Tornyay | Stanford University | University of Washington | Dean emeritus at University of Washington School of Nursing. Former president of the American Academy of Nursing. Namesake for an aging center at University of Washington. |
| 1995 | Virginia Ohlson | University of Chicago | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | Department head for public health nursing at University of Illinois College of Nursing between 1970 and 1980. Helped to establish the master's degree in public health nursing at the school. Served as an international nursing consultant and received an order of knighthood from the emperor of Japan. |
| 1995 | Rozella M. Schlotfeldt | University of Chicago | Case Western Reserve University | Dean emerita of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University. Established faculty and nursing practice collaborations at the school. Served on a task force to create the 1964 Nurse Training Act. |
| 1996 | Clifford Jordan | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania | First male tenured nursing professor at Penn. Coordinated Penn's graduate program in nursing service administration. Served as executive director of the Association of Operating Room Nurses. |
| 1996 | Mary V. Neal | | University of Maryland | Chair of pediatric nursing at University of Maryland. Established a research program at the university hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. Developed a "rocking hammock" and studied stimulation in premature infants. Created a conceptual model for maternal-child nursing. |
| 1996 | Dorothy M. Smith | Harvard University | University of Florida | Founding dean of the University of Florida College of Nursing. Developed the clinical assessment database. Served as a hospital chief of nursing practice while on the faculty at Florida. |
| 1997 | Mabel Wandelt | University of Michigan | University of Texas at Austin | Developer of Quality Patient Care Scale (Qualpacs). One of four initial nurse researchers on "magnet hospitals" which led to the Magnet Recognition Program. Author of Guide for the Beginning Researcher. |
| 1997 | Mary Kelly Mullane | University of Chicago | University of Illinois at Chicago | Former nursing school dean at University of Illinois at Chicago. Former executive director at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Chaired an Illinois state research committee which encouraged nurses to pursue graduate degrees in the 1960s. |
| 1997 | Jo Eleanor Elliott | University of Michigan | University of Michigan | Former president of the American Nurses Association. Headed the USPHS Division of Nursing. Advocated college education for all nurses. |
| 1997 | Doris Schwartz | New York University | Cornell University | Professor and gerontology researcher. Former co-director of Cornell's Geriatric Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner programs in the 1970s. |
| 1997 | Mary Woody | Columbia University | Auburn University | Founded the nursing school at Auburn. |
| 1997 | Anne Zimmerman | Loyola University Chicago | Loyola University Chicago | President of the American Nurses Association, 1976–1978. Headed several state nursing associations. |
| 1998 | Vernice Ferguson | New York University | National Institutes of Health | Led the nursing department at the NIH Clinical Center. Former chief nursing officer for the Veterans Administration. |
| 1998 | Claire Fagin | New York University | University of Pennsylvania | First female interim president in the Ivy League. |
| 1998 | Madeleine Leininger | University of Washington | University of Washington | Emeritus professor and transcultural nursing expert. |
| 1999 | Grayce Sills | Ohio State University | Ohio State University | Former president of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. Expert in community-based mental health nursing. |
| 1999 | Margretta Styles | University of Florida | University of California, San Francisco | Founded the American Nurses Credentialing Center. |
| 1999 | Loretta Ford | University of Colorado | University of Colorado | Co-created the first pediatric nurse practitioner program at Colorado. |
| 1999 | Connie Holleran | | University of Pennsylvania | Former executive director of the International Council of Nurses. |
| 2000 | Geraldene Felton | New York University | The University of Iowa | Former nursing school dean at Iowa and former president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. |
| 2000 | Jeanne Quint Benoliel | | University of Washington | Pioneer in palliative care. Founded the PhD program at the University of Washington School of Nursing. |
| 2000 | Shirley Chater | | Texas Woman's University | President of Texas Woman's University between 1986 and 1993. |
| 2000 | Thelma Schorr | Columbia University | American Journal of Nursing | Editor-in-chief, American Journal of Nursing, 1971–1981. |
| 2001 | Susan Gortner | University of California, Berkeley | University of California, San Francisco | Pioneered clinical research in cardiovascular nursing. |
| 2001 | Mary Starke Harper | | National Institute of Mental Health | Presidential adviser on mental health and aging. |
| 2001 | Lucie Kelly | | Columbia University | Editor of Nursing Outlook. Past president of Sigma Theta Tau International. Created interdisciplinary nursing administration program at Columbia. |
| 2001 | Ruth Lubic | | Childbirth Connection | Founded the first U.S. birthing center. |
| 2001 | Florence Wald | Yale School of Nursing | Yale School of Nursing | Established the first American hospice team. |
| 2002 | Lillian Sholtis Brunner | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania | Editor of Textbook of Medical and Surgical Nursing and Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice. |
| 2002 | Rhetaugh Graves Dumas | Union Institute & University | Yale University | Former dean and vice provost at the University of Michigan. Former deputy director of the National Institute of Mental Health. |
| 2002 | Virginia Saba | | Georgetown University | Early leader in the nursing informatics movement. |
| 2002 | Gladys Sorensen | Columbia University | University of Arizona | President, American Academy of Nursing, 1985–1987. |
| 2003 | Signe Cooper | University of Minnesota | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Developer of the concept of continuing nursing education. |
| 2003 | Ira P. Gunn | University of Houston | U.S. Army | Early nurse anesthetist. Namesake for a professional advocacy award given by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. |
| 2003 | Ramona T. Mercer | University of Pittsburgh | University of California San Francisco | Nursing theorist (maternal role attainment). |
| 2004 | Florence Downs | New York University | New York University, Nursing Research Journal, American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Editor of Nursing Research from 1979 to 1997. Directed early graduate programs in nursing. |
| 2004 | Juanita Fleming | University of Kentucky | University of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, American Academy of Nursing (AAN | Administrator at the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University. Authored more than 50 refereed papers and 24 books or book chapters. |
| 2004 | Edith Patton Lewis | Case Western Reserve University | American Journal of Nursing, Nursing Research | Editorial staff member of Nursing Outlook, Nursing Research and American Journal of Nursing. Developed the Contemporary Nursing Series. |
| 2004 | Sally Ann Sample | University of Washington | University of Vermont | Helped to create the joint appointment (academic and clinical practice) role for the clinical nurse specialist. |
| 2004 | Shirley Smoyak | Rutgers University | Rutgers University | Founder, Journal of Psychosocial Nursing. |
| 2005 | Joyce Clifford | Brandeis University | Beth Israel Hospital | Advocate for primary nursing and for baccalaureate nursing education. |
| 2005 | Jean E. Johnson | University of Wisconsin–Madison | University of Rochester | Created sensation theory. |
| 2005 | Imogene King | Columbia University | Loyola University Chicago | Introduced the theory of goal attainment. |
| 2005 | Joan Lynaugh | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Honored for her contributions to nursing history, education, and healthcare policy, founding the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing and advancing gerontological nursing research. |
| 2006 | Kathryn Barnard | University of Washington | University of Washington School of Nursing, National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Recognized for her pioneering work in infant mental health, early childhood development, and nursing research, particularly in developing the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale to improve mother-infant interactions. |
| 2006 | Sister Rosemary Donley | University of Pittsburgh | Duquesne University | Honored for her leadership in nursing education, health policy, and advocacy for vulnerable populations, particularly in social justice and healthcare access. Former president of the National League for Nursing and Sigma Theta Tau International. |
| 2006 | Marlene Kramer | Stanford University | University of Nevada Reno | Recognized for her groundbreaking research on nursing work environments and professional practice, particularly her book Reality Shock: Why Nurses Leave Nursing, which reshaped nursing retention and workplace culture. |
| 2006 | Angela McBride | | Indiana University | Former president of Sigma Theta Tau International and the American Academy of Nursing. Author of The Growth and Development of Mothers and The Growth and Development of Nurse Leaders. |
| 2006 | Ellen Rudy | The Ohio State University | University of Pittsburgh | Recognized for her leadership in nursing education and research, serving as Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing and establishing the Cameos of Caring Awards Gala to honor exceptional bedside nurses |
| 2007 | Marie Cowan | University of Washington | University of California, Los Angeles | Former dean at UCLA. Cardiovascular researcher who wrote 110 peer-reviewed articles. |
| 2007 | Phyllis Ethridge | University of Arizona | Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital | Hospital administrator who developed one of the first nursing health maintenance organizations. Appointed to Bill Clinton's 1992 health reform task force. |
| 2007 | Carrie Lenburg | Columbia University | National League for Nursing | Former associate director of the National League for Nursing. Helped to form the New York Regents External Degree Program, now known as Excelsior College. |
| 2007 | Margaret McClure | Columbia University | New York University | Hospital chief nursing officer. One of the four authors of Magnet Hospitals: Attraction and Retention of Professional Nurses. |
| 2007 | Callista Roy | University of California, Los Angeles | Boston College | Developed the adaptation model of nursing. |
| 2007 | Gloria Smith | Union Institute & University | Wayne State University | Former vice president of health programs at W. K. Kellogg Foundation. |
| 2008 | Gene Cranston Anderson | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Case Western Reserve University | Nurse researcher in maternal-infant care. |
| 2008 | Helen Grace | Northwestern University | University of Illinois at Chicago | Dean emerita of UIC College of Nursing. Co-editor for several editions of Current Issues in Nursing. |
| 2008 | Margaret Newman | New York University | Penn State University | Creator of the theory of health as expanding consciousness. |
| 2008 | Robert Piemonte | Columbia University | New York University | Former executive director of the National Student Nurses' Association. |
| 2008 | Phyllis Stern | University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) | Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis | Honored for her contributions to global women’s health, qualitative nursing research, and feminist perspectives in healthcare, serving as Editor of Health Care for Women International and advocating for nurses' roles in health policy. |
| 2009 | Barbara Brodie | University of Virginia | University of Virginia School of Nursing, American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Recognized for her leadership in nursing history, education, and health policy, founding the Bjoring Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry and advancing the study of nursing’s impact on healthcare systems. |
| 2009 | Leah Curtin | University of Cincinnati | Nursing Management | Longtime nursing journal editor. Author of Sunflowers in the Sand: Stories from Children of War. |
| 2009 | Marjory Gordon | Boston College | Boston College | Created Gordon's functional health patterns. Serves on board of directors for North American Nursing Diagnosis Association. |
| 2009 | Ruby Leila Wilson | Duke University | Duke University | Former dean at Duke. Developed the first clinical master's program in nursing. |
| 2010 | Billye J. Brown | Baylor University | University of Texas at Austin | Former dean, University of Texas at Austin. |
| 2010 | Donna Diers | University of Technology, Sydney | Yale University | Former dean at Yale School of Nursing. Created first graduate entry program in nursing. |
| 2010 | Norma M. Lang | | University of Pennsylvania | Dean emerita of nursing at University of Pennsylvania. Created a model for nursing quality assurance in the 1970s. |
| 2010 | Barbara L. Nichols | | CGFNS International | Former CEO of CGFNS International |
| 2010 | Betty Smith Williams | University of California Los Angeles | California State University Long Beach | Founding member of the National Black Nurses Association |
| 2011 | Patricia Benner | University of California, Berkeley | University of California San Francisco | Author, From Novice to Expert |
| 2011 | Suzanne Feetham | | National Institutes of Health | Created the Feetham Family Functioning Survey. |
| 2011 | Ada Sue Hinshaw | University of Arizona | University of Michigan | First director of the National Institute of Nursing Research. |
| 2011 | Meridean Maas | Iowa State University | University of Iowa | Co-director, Gerontological Nursing Interventions Research Center |
| 2011 | May Wykle | Case Western Reserve University | Case Western Reserve University | President, Friends of the National Institute for Nursing Research. Former president of Sigma Theta Tau International. |
| 2012 | Anne J. Davis | | University of California, San Francisco | Professor emerita at the University of California San Francisco. |
| 2012 | Mi Ja Kim | University of Illinois at Chicago | University of Illinois at Chicago | International nursing consultant, member of the CGFNS International Board of Trustees. |
| 2012 | Nola Pender | Northwestern University | University of Michigan | Created the Health Promotion Model. |
| 2012 | Muriel Poulin | Columbia University | Boston University | Professor emerita at Boston University. Fulbright Scholar in Barcelona. |
| 2013 | Clara Leach Adams-Ender | University of Minnesota | Walter Reed Army Medical Center | Former chief of the United States Army Nurse Corps |
| 2013 | Hattie Bessent | University of Florida | University of Florida | Led the ANA Ethnic Minority Fellowship Program |
| 2013 | Margaret Miles | University of Missouri–Kansas City | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Founding president, Society of Pediatric Nurses |
| 2013 | Jean Watson | Lewis Gale School of Nursing | University of Colorado | Nurse theorist and nursing professor who is best known for her Theory of Human Caring |
| 2014 | Kathleen Dracup | University of California, San Francisco | University of California, San Francisco | Dean Emeritus, UCSF School of Nursing |
| 2014 | Barbara Durand | University of San Francisco | Arizona State University | Former dean, ASU College of Nursing |
| 2014 | Bernardine Lacey | Columbia University | Western Michigan University | Honored for her advocacy in health equity and access to care for underserved communities, as well as her leadership in nursing education and public policy. |
| 2014 | Colleen Goode | University of Iowa | University of Colorado Denver | Recognized for her work in evidence-based practice, patient safety, and hospital nursing leadership, improving nursing standards and quality of care. |
| 2015 | Diane M. Billings | Indiana University | Indiana University | Honored for her contributions to nursing education and instructional technology, particularly in developing online and distance learning for nurses. |
| 2015 | Marylin J. Dodd | Wayne State University | University of California, San Francisco | Recognized for her pioneering research in symptom management and oncology nursing, particularly in self-care interventions for cancer patients. |
| 2015 | Fannie Jean Gaston-Johansson | University of Gothenburg | Johns Hopkins University, American Academy of Nursing (AAN), World Health Organization (WHO) | Honored as the first African American woman to earn tenure as a full professor at Johns Hopkins University, for her groundbreaking research in pain management and health disparities. |
| 2015 | Marie Manthey | University of Minnesota | Creative HealthCare Management | Nurse, author, and entrepreneur. She is recognized as one of the originators of Primary Nursing, an innovative system of nursing care delivery. |
| 2015 | Afaf Meleis | University of California, Los Angeles | University of Pennsylvania | Honored for her global contributions to nursing theory, education, and women’s health, particularly in transitions theory and international health equity. |
| 2016 | Linda Burnes Bolton | University of California, Los Angeles | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | Recognized for her leadership in healthcare policy, diversity in nursing, and health equity, serving as a key contributor to the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing report. |
| 2016 | Ann Wolbert Burgess | | Boston College | Celebrated for her pioneering work in forensic nursing, victimology, and trauma research, significantly influencing criminal investigations and psychiatric nursing. |
| 2016 | Colleen Conway-Welch | New York University | Vanderbilt University School of Nursing | Dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) from 1984 to 2013 and member of President Ronald Reagan's Commission on the HIV Epidemic. |
| 2016 | Joyce J. Fitzpatrick | | | |
| 2016 | Martha N. Hill | The Johns Hopkins University | The Johns Hopkins University | |
| 2017 | Linda R. Cronenwett | University of Michigan | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Recognized for her leadership in nursing education, quality improvement, and patient safety, co-founding the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) initiative. |
| 2017 | Elaine L. Larson | University of Washington | Columbia University School of Nursing, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) | Honored for her groundbreaking research in infection prevention and control, hand hygiene, and antimicrobial resistance, shaping global nursing and public health policies. |
| 2017 | Carolyn A. Williams | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), University of Kentucky College of Nursing | Awarded for her contributions to public health nursing, nursing education, and health policy, helping to integrate population health into nursing curricula. |
| 2017 | Nancy Fugate Woods | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | University of Washington, American Academy of Nursing (AAN), National Institutes of Health (NIH) | Recognized for her pioneering research in women’s health, aging, and menopause, significantly advancing knowledge in midlife health transitions |
| 2017 | Connie Henke Yarbro | University of Missouri-Columbia | Oncology Nursing Society, University of Missouri-Columbia, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care | Recognized for her pioneering role in oncology nursing, co-founding the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) in 1975 and establishing the ONS Foundation in 1981, which has provided over $26 million in research grants and awards. |
| 2018 | Jacquelyn Campbell | Duke University, Wright State University, University of Rochester | The Johns Hopkins University | Honored for her pioneering research on domestic violence and violence against women, particularly the development of the Danger Assessment tool to evaluate the risk of homicide in abusive relationships. |
| 2018 | Marilyn P. Chow | University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) | Kaiser Permanente, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Recognized for her leadership in nursing innovation, workforce development, and healthcare policy, particularly in advancing nursing roles in hospital and community settings. |
| 2018 | Joanne M. Disch | University of Wisconsin-Madison | American Academy of Nursing (AAN), University of Minnesota School of Nursing | Honored for her contributions to patient safety, leadership development, and healthcare advocacy, shaping policies that improve nurse-led care models. |
| 2018 | Ada K. Jacox | Wayne State University, University of Maryland | Institute of Medicine, American Nurses Association (ANA) | Celebrated for her pioneering research in health policy, pain management, and nursing standards, influencing evidence-based practice and patient care guidelines. |
| 2018 | Beatrice J. Kalisch | University of Maryland, University of Michigan | University of Michigan School of Nursing, American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Awarded for her impactful research on nursing workforce issues, missed nursing care, and patient safety, helping to improve nursing efficiency and hospital outcomes. |
| 2018 | Sally L. Lusk | University of Michigan | Sigma Theta Tau, American Academy of Nursing, Midwest Nursing Research Society | Known for her study of influences on health behavior of workers exposed to hazardous noise. |
| 2018 | Ruth McCorkle | University of Iowa School of Nursing | Yale School of Nursing | Known for her groundbreaking work in oncology nursing and palliative care. She was instrumental in developing patient-centered symptom management models, improving the quality of life for individuals with cancer and chronic illnesses. Her research and leadership significantly advanced the role of nurses in cancer care, hospice, and end-of-life decision-making. |
| 2019 | Geraldine "Polly" Bednash | Texas Woman's University; Catholic University of America; University of Maryland | | Known for her transformational leadership in nursing education and policy advocacy. As the former CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), she played a pivotal role in advancing nursing education standards, including the push for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs. Her dedication to strengthening the nursing workforce and promoting evidence-based practice made a lasting impact on healthcare and nursing education. |
| 2019 | C. Alicia Georges | | | National Volunteer President of AARP 2018–2020.Former President of the National Black Nurses Association 1987–1991, Current President of the National Black Nurses Foundation. Professor and Chairperson Emerita Lehman College Department of Nursing |
| 2019 | Pamela Mitchell | University of Washington | University of Washington School of Nursing, American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Recognized for her leadership in neuroscience nursing and symptom management research, contributing significantly to improving patient outcomes in critical care settings. |
| 2019 | Linda Schwartz | Yale University | | Honored for her advocacy and policy work in veterans' health care, serving as the Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. |
| 2019 | Mary Wakefield | University of Texas at Austin | Obama administration | Recognized for her contributions to health policy and administration, serving as the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and as the Acting Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. |
| 2020 | Linda Harman Aiken | University of Texas at Austin | | Celebrated for her pioneering research in nursing outcomes and healthcare policy, founding the Magnet Recognition Program to promote excellence in nursing. |
| 2020 | Bobbie Berkowitz | University of Washington; Case Western Reserve University | School of Nursing at Columbia University | American professor of nursing and dean emeritus of the School of Nursing at Columbia University |
| 2020 | Kathleen (Kitty) Buckwalter | | | Recognized for her contributions to geriatric nursing and mental health, particularly her research on dementia care and family caregiving. |
| 2020 | Beverly Malone | University of Cincinnati; Rutgers University in Newark | | Honored for her leadership in nursing education and global health policy, serving as the CEO of the National League for Nursing and former General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing in the UK. |
| 2020 | Marilyn Rantz | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | University of Missouri | Celebrated for her pioneering work in nursing home care quality and aging in place, leading initiatives to improve elder care through research and technology. |
| 2021 | Betty Ferrell | | | Recognized for her extensive contributions to palliative care and nursing ethics, particularly her research on pain management and end-of-life care. |
| 2021 | Terry Fulmer | | | Honored for her leadership in geriatric nursing and healthcare policy, serving as the President of The John A. Hartford Foundation and advancing age-friendly health systems |
| 2021 | Susan Hassmiller | | | Celebrated for her efforts in nursing leadership and health policy, notably her role as the Senior Advisor for Nursing at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and involvement in the Future of Nursing reports. |
| 2021 | Marla Salmon | | | Honored for her contributions to global health and nursing education, serving as the Dean of Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and the University of Washington School of Nursing, and for her work with the World Health Organization. |
| 2022 | Jane Barnsteiner | | | Celebrated for her pioneering work in patient safety and quality improvement in nursing, particularly through her involvement with the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) initiative. |
| 2022 | William L. Holzemer | | | significant contributions to nursing education and research, particularly in the areas of HIV/AIDS care and global health, and for his leadership roles at Rutgers University and the University of California, San Francisco. |
| 2022 | Jeanette Ives Erickson | | | Honored for her leadership in nursing practice and healthcare administration, notably as the Chief Nurse and Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services at Massachusetts General Hospital, and for her contributions to nursing education. |
| 2022 | Norma Martinez Rogers | | | Celebrated for her advocacy for diversity in nursing and her work in mentoring programs to support underrepresented nursing students, as well as her tenure as President of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses. |
| 2022 | Joyce Newman Giger | | | Recognized for her contributions to transcultural nursing and cultural diversity in healthcare, authoring the widely used "Transcultural Nursing" textbook, and for her leadership in nursing education. |
| 2022 | Franklin A. Shaffer | | | |
| 2023 | Janice C. Brewington | | | |
| 2023 | Pamela F. Cipriano | | | |
| 2023 | Martha A.Q. Curley | | | |
| 2023 | Mary O'Neil Mundinger | | | |
| 2023 | Madeline A. Naegle | | | |
| 2023 | Adey M. Nyamathi | | | |