INDIANAPOLIS - The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) is honored to announce the nurses, healthcare professionals, and global partners being recognized with the 2025 Board Awards and International Awards for Nursing Excellence. These awards celebrate individuals who embody Sigma's mission to transform global healthcare. Honorees will be celebrated during Sigma's 48th Biennial Convention, 8–11 November 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
The Board Awards honor those who have made a lasting difference for the nursing profession and global health.
"On behalf of the Sigma Board of Directors, I want to personally recognize and congratulate this biennium's Board Award recipients who are leading the way and represent the best of the nursing profession. Your dedication to excellence is to be applauded and admired," said Sigma President Sandra C. Garmon Bibb, DNSc, RN, FFNMRCSI, FAAN. "To the recipients of the International Awards for Nursing Excellence, your commitment in all aspects of nursing from teaching to researching, innovating, leading, and serving, is an inspiration. Congratulations!"
Sigma's International Awards for Nursing Excellence reflect the organization's dedication to recognizing outstanding contributions in service, leadership, research, education, innovation, and practice.
"These awards recognize individuals whose vision, courage, and commitment elevate nursing and healthcare worldwide," said Sigma CEO Lucas M. Davis, MEd, CAE. "Their work touches lives, strengthens communities, and advances the profession in ways that will ripple across generations. On behalf of Sigma's members and leaders, I extend heartfelt congratulations to each of our 2025 honorees."
The 48th Biennial Convention is Sigma's largest event, attracting nearly 2,000 nurse leaders from more than 50 countries. This year's theme embraces Sigma's 2023–2025 organizational call to action: Represent. Attendees will engage in thought-provoking sessions, celebrate nursing excellence, and strengthen connections that drive global impact. To view details or register, visit SigmaNursing.org/Convention.
2025 Sigma International Board Awards
Archon Award
Florence Nightingale Foundation
Greta Westwood, CEO
The Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) supports nurses and midwives to promote health, improve care, and save lives. As a UK-based charity, the FNF is working across the UK and internationally to reach 1 million nurses and midwives by 2027. FNF's focus is on improving health, clinical outcomes, and patient experience through building nursing and midwifery leadership capacity and capability.
Nell J. Watts Lifetime Achievement in Nursing Award
Sally Wai-Chi Chan, PhD, MSc, BSc, RN, RMN, RN (Psy), FHKAN, FFNMRCSI, FAAN
President and Professor
Tung Wah College, Hong Kong
Homatin, Hong Kong
Kuei-Ru Chou, PhD, FAAN, FFNMRCSI
Distinguished Professor
College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University
President of Lambda Beta at-Large Chapter
Sigma Theta Tau International
Taiwan, R.O.C.
Pamela Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Past President, International Council of Nurses
Professor of Nursing and Public Policy
Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA, USA
Catherine Georges, EdD, RN, FAAN
Professor and Chairperson Emerita
Lehman College City University of NY Department of Nursing
Bronx, NY, USA
Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN
Co-CEO and President, Sulu Coaching and Consulting
Professor of Nursing
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Adjunct Associate Professor
School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Annette Kennedy, RN, RM, Dip Mgt, BNS, RNT, Dip HRM, MSC, FFNMRCSI, DPhil
President
International Council of Nurses
Geneva, Switzerland
Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN
President and Chief Executive Officer
National League for Nursing
Tim Porter-O'Grady, DM, EdD, APRN, FAAN, FACCWS
Professor
Emory University
Senior Partner and Registered Mediator
TPOG Associates, LLC, Atlanta/Phoenix
Atlanta, GA, USA
Elizabeth A. Rosser, DPhil, MN, Dip N Ed, Dip RM, RN, RM, RNT, PFHEA
Emeritus Professor
Bournemouth University
Dorset, England, United Kingdom
Franklin Shaffer, EdD, RN, FAAN, FFNMRCSI
Global Advisor on Health Workforce and Migration
Franklin Shaffer, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sharon M. Weinstein, MS, RN, CRNI-R®, CSP®, CVP, FACW, FAAN
Chief Executive Officer and Partner
SMW Group LLC and Diagnostic Think LLC
North Bethesda, MD, USA
2025 International Awards for Nursing Excellence
Amy J. Berman Geriatric Nursing Leadership Award
Evelyn Duffy, DNP, AGPCNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Florence Cellar Professor of Gerontological Nursing
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH, USA
Audrey Hepburn Award for Contributions to the Health and Welfare of Children
Christine Platt, PhD, DNP, FNP-C
Assistant Professor
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT, USA
Capstone International Nursing Book Award
Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement for Professional Nursing Practice: A Competency Based Approach
Jayne Jennings Dunlap and Julee Briscoe Waldrop
Cognella Academic Publishing
Creative Communications Award
Jennifer Fellows, MBA
Director of Operations & Communications
University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Daniel J. Pesut Spirit of Renewal Award
Jeanne Bryner, RN, BA, CEN
Retired Staff Nurse
Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital
Newton Falls, OH, USA
Dorothy Ford Buschmann Outstanding New Member Award
Emma Bingham, RN, MN, CNN(c)
Staff RN
University Health Network
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Episteme Award
Lilian Nuwabaine, MSc Nursing (Midwifery and Women's Health), BSc Nursing
Educator
Seed Global Health at School of Midwifery Makeni
Sierra Leone, Africa
Helen Henry Excellence of Care Award
Vascular Access Team
Care Medical Al Rawabi
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Lucie S. Kelly Mentor Award
Oisaeng Hong, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAAOHN
Professor and Director
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA, USA
Melanie C. Dreher Award for Outstanding Chapter Support
Lisa G. Smith, PhD, RN, CNE
Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Research Dissertation Award
Michael Joseph S. Dino, PhD, MAN, RN, LPT, FAAN, FFNMRCSI, ANEF
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL, USA
Director
Our Lady of Fatima University
Valenzuela City, Philippines
Virginia K. Saba Nursing Informatics Leadership Award
Rebecca Schnall, PhD, MPH, RN-BC, FAAN, FACMI
Mary Dickey Lindsay Professor of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Nursing)
Associate Dean of Faculty Development (Nursing)
Professor of Population and Family Health (Public Health)
Columbia University
New York, NY, USA
FOUNDERS AWARDS
Dorothy Garrigus Adams Award for Excellence in Service
Jane von Gaudecker, PhD, RN, AGCNS, FAAN, FAES, CGNC
Associate Professor
Indiana University School of Nursing
Indianapolis, IN, USA
Edith Moore Copeland Award for Excellence in Creativity and Innovation
Joseph S. Goode, Jr., PhD, MSN, CRNA
Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Department of Nurse Anesthesia
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Elizabeth McWilliams Miller Award for Excellence in Research
Shefaly Shorey, PhD, RN, FAAN
Associate Professor and Vice Dean
Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Singapore
Elizabeth Russell Belford Award for Excellence in Education
Deborah Lindell, DNP, MSN, RN, FAAN
Marvin E. and Ruth Durr Denekas Professor
Case Western Reserve University, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Cleveland, OH, USA
Marie Hippensteel Lingeman Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice
Michelle Munro-Kramer, PhD, CNM, FAAN
Associate Professor & Director of Global Programs
University of Michigan School of Nursing
Mary Tolle Wright Award for Excellence in Leadership
Carol Jorgensen Huston, MSN, MPA, DPA, FAAN
Professor Emerita, School of Nursing
California State University, Chico
Chico, CA, USA
About Sigma
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) is a nonprofit organization with the mission of developing nurse leaders anywhere to improve healthcare everywhere. Founded in 1922, Sigma has more than 100,000 active members and 600 chapters at institutions of higher education and healthcare partners from Armenia, Australia, and Botswana to Thailand, the United States, and Wales. Sigma members include clinical nurses and administrators, academic nurse educators and researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and others working to fulfill the organization's vision of connected, empowered nurses transforming global healthcare.