Distinguished Service in NANN Award
The Distinguished Service in NANN Award recognizes outstanding and dedicated service to the association. The award honors an individual that has advanced the mission of NANN in a significant and lasting way.
The nomination period for the 2025 Awards is January 20—March 31, 2025.
Candidates will be able to meet the following criteria:
Demonstrate contributions to NANN through innovative and/or exceptional performance of duties incident to the offices, SIGs, committees, and/or task forces on which (s)he has served.
Nomination and Selection Process:
Nominees will be members of the NANN Board, NANNP Council, committee or task force chairs or members, and SIG facilitators. NANN's Board of Directors will review the nominations and select the awardee. You may not self-nominate for the Distinguished Service in NANN Award.
Recognition and Reimbursement:
The awardee will receive complimentary conference registration, airfare/ground transportation stipend of $600, housing stipend of $500, $250 honorarium, and a trophy at NANN's Annual Conference.
2024 Recipient:
Gail Bagwell, DNP APRN CNS FAAN FNAP
Click below to read more about Gail.
Gail Bagwell is a highly esteemed leader in neonatal nursing with 35 years of membership in the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. Gail has contributed significantly through her service on various task forces and committees, including the Advance Practice Nurse White Paper Committee, Clinical Nurse Specialist Task Force, Annual Conference Planning Committee, Education Strategic Coordinating Committee, and Nominations Committee. She has authored numerous publications on topics such as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Safe Sleep, the neonatal nursing shortage, the neonatal CNS, and neonatal APRNs. Additionally, she has been a longstanding reviewer for NANN's journal, Advances in Neonatal Care.
Gail's leadership and service extends beyond committee work. She played a pivotal role in the creation of the CNS Special Interest Group and shared her expertise on NANN's podcast, NANNCast, following her participation in NANN's delegation to the UAE. Her dedication culminated in her election as NANN President in 2019, where she served as a mentor and leader to Board members, nurses, and APRNs. Gail's exceptional interpersonal communication skills and active listening fostered collaboration among a diverse group of neonatal professionals, advancing NANN's strategic plan and mission.
Gail embodies the values behind the Distinguished Service Award, demonstrating unwavering dedication to neonatal nursing and ensuring that nurses have evidence-based tools to provide the best care for mother-infant dyads. Her contributions and outstanding leadership have left an indelible mark on the field, making her a deserving recipient of this prestigious award. Congratulations to our 2024 Distinguished Service in NANN Award winner, Gail Bagwell!
Past Recipients:
2022 - Joan Rikli, MBA MSN RN CPNP-PC NE-BC
2021 - Jill Beck, MSN RNC-NIC C-NNIC
2020 - Media Esser, PhD NNP-BC APNP CWN
2019 - Ksenia Zukowsky, PhD CRNP NNP-BC
2018 - Ann Gibbons Phalen, PhD CRNP NNP-BC
2017 - Deborah Brandon, PhD RN FAAN CCNS
2016 - Cheryl Carlson, PhD APRN NNP-BC
2015 - Donna Dowling, PhD RN
2014 - Lori Baas Rubarth, PhD APRN NNP-BC
2013 - Pamela Heaberlin, MS NNP-BC
2012 - Terri Russell, DNP APN NNP-BC
2011 - Carol Polinski, MS RN APN NNP-BC
2010 - Kristine Karlsen, PhD NNP-BC
2009 - Patricia J. Johnson, DNP MPH RN NNP
2008 - Jacqueline M. McGrath, PhD RN FNAP FAAN
2008 - Laurie Roselli, CRNP BSN MSN