APRN Rising Star Award
The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Rising Star is for an APRN who exemplifies passion for their work and is making a large impact in a short time through exemplary practice, leadership, service, and education. A Rising Star contributes to the growth of the profession in the early stages of their career by engaging in projects, publications, activities, and initiatives that demonstrate achievements that have a sustained and positive impact on his/her institution and the profession as a whole.
Applications for the 2025 awards are closed.
Candidates will be able to meet the following criteria:
• Must be a NANN and NANN-AP member in good standing.
• Within their first five years of practice.
• Demonstrate excellence in the practice and art of advanced practice neonatal nursing.
• Show creativity and innovation for change to improve outcomes.
• Exhibit leadership skills as appropriate for early career APRNs.
• Participates in projects, publications, and initiatives to demonstrate a steady increase in achievements.
Nomination and Selection Process:
NANN members can nominate a peer or self-nominate themselves for the APRN Rising Star Award. Nominations must include one letter of recommendation and a CV. Submitted applications are shared with the APRN Award Committee. Committee members review and score the applicants based on their ability to meet the award's criteria. View a template for the letter of recommenation here.
Recognition and Reimbursement:
The awardee will receive complimentary conference registration, airfare/ground transportation stipend of $500, housing stipend of $500, and a trophy at NANN's Annual Conference.
2024 Recipient:
Amanda Williams, MSN APRN CNS
Click below to read more about Amanda.
Amanda Williams has been a NICU nurse since 2009 and loves everything about neonatal nursing. Currently serving as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in a Level IV NICU in Los Angeles, Amanda earned her post-master’s certificate as a neonatal clinical nurse specialist in 2021 from East Carolina University. She began her CNS practice at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the NICU, where her dedication to neonatal care earned her the prestigious President’s Award in 2023.
Amanda’s influence extends beyond her workplace through her scholarly contributions. She has published extensively on the neonatal gut microbiome and its implications in nursing care and her research was recognized with the "best poster" award at the 2022 NANN annual conference for her work on addressing implicit bias and health disparities in a Level IV NICU. In addition to her clinical and research achievements, Amanda is actively involved in volunteer work focused on neonatal care. She is a member of the American Heart Association/American Academy of Pediatrics Writing Group, an article reviewer for the Neonatal Network, and a conference abstract reviewer for NANN.
Amanda’s innovative approach to neonatal education sets her apart. Through her platform, Amanda’s NICU Education, she offers an RNC-NIC review course, hosts webinars, and runs an Instagram page that simplifies major NICU concepts through concise posts and visuals. Amanda’s dedication to Cedars-Sinai, her scholarly achievements, passion for advancing neonatal care, and innovative educational methods highlight her as a rising leader and mentor in neonatal advanced practice nursing. Congratulations to our 2024 APRN Rising Star, Amanda Williams!
Past Recipients:
2023 - Jenna Staggs, DNP APRN NNP-BC RNC-NIC C-ONQS C-ELBW
2022 - Audrey A. Nervig, DNP NNP-BC
2021 - Chip LeDuff, DNP RNC-NIC NNP-BC
2019 - Priscilla Meyers, MSN APRN NNP-BC
2018 - Katherine Vincent, MSN APRN NNP-BC, NNP
2017 - Bresney Crowell, MSN NNP-BC