American Academy of Nursing

Bernardine M. Lacey, EdD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Founding Director, Western Michigan University Bronson School of Nursing, was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 2014. Notably, Dr. Lacey spent many years of her career in Washington, DC helping disenfranchised children and individuals experiencing homelessness. Her time at Howard University focused on including the care of medically underserved communities in nursing curriculum and she was granted a $1.4 million grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to develop a nurse-managed respite center for men experiencing homelessness. Dr. Lacey served as an advisor on the Clinton/Gore Transition Team Task Force on Health Care Delivery and on President Clinton’s Task Force on Health Care Reform. Dr. Lacey received numerous awards throughout her lifetime and in memoriam for her compassion and commitment to improving health for the most vulnerable populations. #BlackHistoryMonth Learn more about Dr. Lacey here: https://lnkd.in/egD462bG

Fannie J. Gaston-Johansson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor Emerita, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 2015. Dr. Gaston-Johansson was an internationally renowned nurse educator, researcher, and clinical practitioner who notably developed the Research Nurse Intern Program model. She was the first African American woman to be a tenured full professor at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Gaston-Johansson also made history as a nursing student at Winston Salem State University, a historically Black university, by receiving the highest score on the state nursing licensing board exam. Extensively published, Dr. Gaston-Johansson's work and research focused on symptom and pain management, quality of life, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and racial and ethnic health disparities. #BlackHistoryMonth Learn more about Dr. Gaston-Johansson's career: https://lnkd.in/eHU2MAkT

Linda Burnes Bolton, DrPH, RN, FAAN, former Vice President for Nursing, Chief Health Equity Officer, Director of Nursing Research, and Chief Nursing Officer, Cedars-Sinai, was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 2016. She started her Cedars-Sinai career as a staff nurse in Labor and Delivery in 1971 and?became the first advanced practice nurse at the hospital,?dramatically shifting the nursing culture. Dr. Burnes Bolton was extremely dedicated to uplifting the profession and through her mentorship, she was committed to diversifying and elevating nurse leaders.?She viewed nurses as essential in ongoing efforts to address social determinants of health and healthcare reform, advocating for better health policies. Dr. Burnes Bolton’s accolades include election to the National Academy of Medicine and serving as President of the American Academy of Nursing, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL),?and the National Black Nurses Association. #BlackHistoryMonth Learn more about Dr. Burnes Bolton: https://lnkd.in/e2TtNAcZ

Dr. C. Alicia Georges, EdD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Chairperson Emerita, City University of New York – Lehman College, was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 2019. Dr. Georges is a leader in academic nursing, health policy development, community engagement, organizational development, and healthy aging. Dr. Georges’ leadership has transformed Lehman College, including through the development of multiple nursing programs and international relationships meant to advance the education students receive and the nursing profession. Dr. Georges has held many leadership positions, including her membership on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Human Services National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, the Bronx Community Board 12, the New York State Governor’s Health Care Advisory Board, and her service as former president of the National Black Nurses Association, National Black Nurses Foundation, Inc., and AARP. #BlackHistoryMonth Learn more about Dr. Georges' career here: https://lnkd.in/esh_HKjs

Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer, National League for Nursing (NLN), was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 2020. Under her leadership, NLN has advanced the science of nursing education by promoting greater collaboration among stakeholders, increasing diversity in nursing and nursing education, and advancing excellence in care for patients. A prolific leader, Dr. Malone has served as Federal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health under President Bill Clinton; contributed to the foundational Institute of Medicine report, the Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health; and has received numerous awards for her leadership from top nursing and health organizations. Dr. Malone’s work and impact has shaped health in the United States and internationally. #BlackHistoryMonth Learn more about Dr. Malone here: https://lnkd.in/eM6sVfMk

Dr. Joyce Newman Giger, EdD, APRN-BC, FAAN, Professor, College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Florida International University, was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 2022. A pioneer in transcultural nursing, Dr. Newman Giger was the first African American nurse to be appointed as a tenured professor in the history of UCLA School of Nursing. Dr. Newman Giger is also a prolific author and has written over 190 articles, 14 book chapters, and 8 books on strategies to incorporate culturally appropriate care. She also developed a model for assessing phenomena relevant to the delivery of that care, which has notably been adopted by the Office of Minority Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Dr. Newman Giger’s work has transformed culturally competent interventions in the US health system. #BlackHistoryMonth Learn more about Dr. Newman Giger's work: https://lnkd.in/eV2Ur_4V

Janice Brewington, PhD, RN, FAAN, former Chief Program Officer, National League for Nursing (NLN) and Director of NLN’s Center for Transformational Research, was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 2023 for her trailblazing devotion to building leadership capacity and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Throughout her career, Dr. Brewington has sought to strengthen community development, particularly within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as evidenced by the establishment of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Health Outreach Project and the Family Life Empowerment Center for the Prevention of Violence and Drug Abuse Among African American Families, as well as the NLN/Johnson & Johnson project for senior nursing students at HBCUs transitioning to clinical practice. Dr. Brewington’s innovative career has had a profound impact. #BlackHistoryMonth Learn more about Dr. Brewington's career: https://lnkd.in/eANGn7Qz

Last year, Faye Gary, EdD, MS, RN, FAAN, Distinguished University Professor, Medical Mutual of Ohio Kent W. Clapp Chair and Professor of Nursing for Vulnerable and At-Risk Persons at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing. Over the course of her extraordinary career, Dr. Gary’s steadfast commitment to psychiatric nursing with a distinct interest in child and adolescent mental health, health disparities, and domestic violence has made her a leader in the field. Dr. Gary’s focus has consistently highlighted total well-being (mental, physical, and social determinants of health) of marginalized populations. Her impact and lifelong commitment to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion is demonstrated through her many contributions in improving health policy and promoting social justice. #BlackHistoryMonth Learn more about Dr. Gary's work: https://lnkd.in/eaPFVtS6

Reminder: Share your research at the CANS Abstract Symposium. Submit your abstract by February 28, 2025.

The National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMNA) welcomes new affiliate member The American Academy of Nursing.