2026 Nursing Excellence Awards Ceremony

The 2026 Nursing Excellence Awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday May 12 at the Wool Factory, located in Charlottesville, VA.

There will be an hors d'oeuvres and mocktail hour from 1400-1500 then award presentations will begin promptly at 1500 and end by 1800.

Due to capacity, in-person attendance for the ceremony is by invitation only. A livestream of the ceremony will be broadcast. Consider organizing a watch party to view the ceremony together! Additionally, this year's ceremony will be recorded and made available to view after the event ends.

Link to livestream: https://vimeo.com/event/5857457

2026 Nursing Excellence Awards Nominees

Beginning Practitioner of the Year
  • Abbie Shaver | 3 Central
  • Abigail Butcher | Mother/Baby
  • Benjamin Ellis | 4 Central Medicine
  • Caroline Smith | OPSC Pre/Post
  • Caroline Thompson | Emergency Department
  • Christopher Carmichael | Emergency Department
  • Grace Bandercan | 6 Central
  • Haley Priftis | 4 East TCV
  • Haley Rhodes | Acute Cardiology
  • Kailee Norman | Heart Center
  • Kailey Crisman | Newborn ICU
  • Kaitlyn Hucks | Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU
  • Katherine Thomas | Nerancy Neuro ICU
  • Lauren Cerretani | Newborn ICU
  • Lily Jarvis | Infusion Procedural Center
  • Mariah Hutcherson | Labor & Delivery
  • Miriam Lopez | Labor & Delivery
  • Nicolas Beguin | Infusion Procedural Center
  • Nicole Miller | 6 West
  • Skye Fitzhugh | Nerancy Neuro ICU
  • Victoria Campos | 3 Central
Excellence in New Knowledge, Innovations, and Improvements
  • Alicia Campbell | Nerancy Neuro ICU
  • Coburn Bergum | 5 West
  • Hillary Bowen | Evidence Based Practice Programs
  • Kristyn Ballard | Cancer Care Pantops Infusion
  • Laurie Crookenden | Hyperbaric Program
  • Marcela Munoz | Evidence Based Practice Programs
  • Nathaniel Ledford | Nursing Initiatives
  • Robert Cushman Jr. | 5 East
  • Sara Neilon | 3 Central
  • Stephen Shiflet | 5 South Organ Transplant
  • Wynifred McKenzie | Infusion Procedural Center
Excellence in Relationship-Based Caring
  • Benjamin Dillenbeck | 3 Central
  • Berkeley Mathews | Coronary Care Unit
  • BJ Claytor | Musculoskeletal Admin
  • Chris Stiles | Infusion Procedural Center
  • Claudia Bethea | 6 West
  • Connie Summy | OCIR Orange
  • Deanna Morales | Renal Unit
  • Diana Nester | 3 Central
  • Dorcas Bii | 3 Central
  • Elizabeth Meadows | Newborn ICU
  • Emily McKee | 3 Central
  • EmmaGrace Stokes | 4 East TCV
  • Fatima Parveen | 3 Central
  • Jamie Dubbs | Nerancy Neuro ICU
  • Jeni Benson | 3 Central
  • Kate Miller | 3 Central
  • Lindsay Mullen | Mother/Baby
  • Nichole Cummings | Otolaryngology Clinic - Fontaine
  • Nicole Bucci | 5 South Organ Transplant
  • Seth Golcar | Perianesthesia Main
  • Tammie Rinaldo | Digestive Health Clinic
  • Tammy Inglett | 6 West
Exemplary Clinical Practice
  • Abby Sherman | Medical ICU
  • Abigail Keller | Stem Cell Inpatient
  • Allison Kittrell | 5 West
  • Chloe Ester Cook | Labor & Delivery
  • Colleen Di Cesare | Employee Health
  • Devin Dent | Coronary Care Unit
  • Diamond Escamilla | 3 Central
  • Faith Mawyer | Digestive Health Clinic
  • Hope Duncan | Cardiac Transition Unit
  • Jacqueline Wheeler | Vascular Access Team
  • Jamie Dubbs | Nerancy Neuro ICU
  • Jeri Pugh | Radiology Nursing
  • Jessica Duke | 3 Central
  • Jessica Munnikhuysen | Electrophysiology
  • Julia Figueroa | Continuum
  • Julia Tartabini | Labor & Delivery
  • Kayla Wolfe | 3 Central
  • Kelly Miles | 6 West
  • Kimberly Wood | Perianesthesia Main
  • Lorin Smith | Lynchburg Nephrology Center
  • Megan Hiser | 3 Central
  • Melissa Barker | Maternal & Fetal Medicine Clinic
  • Nancy Staton | Spine Center
  • Nicole Blankenship | 3 Central
  • Ogene Okpanachi | 6 Central
  • Rachel Wilkinson | Pediatrics at UVA Orange Medical Park
  • Rose Schurig | 6 East
  • Sarah Hay | Vascular Access Team
  • Susan B Miller | Digestive Health Clinic
Exemplary Resident/Fellow Physician
  • Alison Kim | Electrophysiology
  • Andrew Chapman | 6 Central
  • Caroline Menton | Neurology
  • Emily Dunbar | Neurosurgery
  • Himesh Zaver | Digestive Health Clinic
  • Madeline Smoot | Cardiology
  • Margaux Everingham | Internal Medicine
Licensed Practical Nurse of the Year
  • Nicole Maupin | Digestive Health Clinic
  • Valerie Mullins | UVA Orange Medical Park
Nurse of Distinction
  • Ashley Hall | Stem Cell Inpatient
  • Brooke Arnold | Newborn ICU
  • Cherayne Mon Desir | Pediatric Mental Health Center
  • Erin Sytov | Coronary Care Unit
  • Jamie Page | 6 West
  • Jan Byers | Stem Cell Inpatient
  • Jason Maddox |Cardiac Catheterization Lab
  • Kate Bassolino | 5 South Organ Transplant
  • Kate Miller | 3 Central
  • Katie Gower | Cancer Care Pantops Infusion
  • Laura Zehr | Cardiac Catheterization Lab
  • Margaret Dame | Heart Center
  • McKenzie Riner | 4 East TCV
  • Nancy Spindel | Maternal & Fetal Medicine Clinic
  • Robin Passantino | Cardiac Transition Unit
  • Rosemarie Grace Dizon | Renal Unit
  • Sara Neilon | 3 Central
  • Sheila Gentizon | Stem Cell Inpatient
  • Val Wiseman | Pediatric Hematology Oncology Battle Building
  • Yi Qin | Stem Cell Inpatient
Preceptor of the Year
  • Andrea D Williams | Pediatric Emergency Department
  • Brenda Griswold | Infusion Procedural Center
  • Brooke Pelais | Labor & Delivery
  • Celeste Knepper | Newborn ICU
  • Emily Rennecker | Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU
  • Jennifer Kujak | OPSC Pre/Post
  • Karly Knechtel | Emergency Department
  • Kassidy Schulz | Pediatric Diabetes Battle Building
  • Kate Skoczylas | Infusion Procedural Center
  • Kathryn McGough | Nursing Professional Development Services
  • Kevin Lewis | Cancer Care Pantops Infusion
  • Leah Eick | Nerancy Neuro ICU
  • Madeline Yancey | Stem Cell Inpatient
  • Madison Robertson | Emergency Department
  • Madison Streit | 4 East TCV
  • Morgan Stewart | 3 Central
  • Sarah Ellis | Cancer Care Pantops Infusion
  • Taylor Ross | Stem Cell Inpatient
  • Timothy Fleming | 6 West
Transformational Leader
  • Adrienne Edwards | 6 West
  • Angela Fortune | UVA Orange Medical Park
  • Ben Michaels | 6 West
  • Carrie Swain | Augusta Oncology Clinic
  • Christie Podbesek | Medical ICU
  • Cristina Brown | Northridge Pediatrics
  • Deidra Bibb | Augusta Oncology Clinic
  • Emily A Johnson | Acute Cardiology
  • Emily R Davidson | 6 East
  • Holly Phillips | Labor & Delivery
  • Marcela Munoz | Evidence Based Practice Programs
  • Nikki McLamb | Nerancy Neuro ICU
  • Randy Wu | 4 East TCV
  • Sarah Calhoun | 4 East TCV
  • Theresa Reilly | Stem Cell Inpatient
Eloise Dodge Gould Pediatric Award
  • Anneke Boelens | Newborn ICU
  • Ashley Thomas | NBDH Riverside
  • Bret Shreckhise | Pediatric Neurology
  • Courtney Altizer | Allergy/Immunology and Rheumatology
  • Cynthia Edwards | Pediatric Rheumatology
  • Frances Hutchinson | Perianesthesia Main
  • Kathleen Battle | Newborn ICU
  • Kendall Price | 5th Floor Battle Building
  • Marnie Painter | Pediatric ICU
  • Meghan Schaefer | Pediatric ICU
  • Morgan Miller | 5th Floor Battle Building
  • Robin Chandler | Newborn ICU
  • Val Wiseman | Pediatric Hematology Oncology Battle Building
School of Nursing Outstanding BSN Student Preceptor Award
  • Ali Payne | Labor & Delivery
  • Alyssiana Butler | Pediatric ICU
  • Ashley Ferguson | Staffing Resource Office
  • Demi Edwards | 6 West
  • Emma Ruff | 5 North
  • Erin Fenerty | Pediatric ICU
  • Jesusa Basco | Acute Oncology
  • Kelsey MacPherson | Staffing Resource Office
  • Laura Doshi | Pediatric Nephrology Battle Building
  • Teresa Park | Electrophysiology
  • Teryn Ratcliffe | Surgical Trauma ICU
  • Timothy Rose | Acute Oncology
  • Vonda Lillard | 6 East
School of Nursing Outstanding CNL Student Preceptor Award
  • Brittany Haug | Labor & Delivery
  • Erin Desantis | 6 East
  • Hannah Durham | 7 Acute
  • Kylie Hume | Emergency Department
  • Mason Ellenberger | Acute Cardiology
  • Matthew Lizak | Surgical Trauma ICU
  • Nicole Dumontier | 6 East
School of Nursing Outstanding APRN Student Preceptor Award
  • Brooke Smith | Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU
  • Kristi Kimpel Wilkins | Surgical Trauma ICU
  • Kristine Shannon | Family Medicine Stoney Creek
  • Maggie Spriggs | Family Medicine Employee Primary Care
 
     
       
        Edited by: Pamela Morris (pm2t) Updated: July 29, 2025