NAHN Presents 2019 Awards at 44th Annual Conference Gala

Angie Millan (left) presents NAHN's Nurse of the Year Award to Michele Crespo-Fierro

Michele Crespo Fierro, Phd, MPH, RN, AACRN was named the National Association of Hispanic Nurses’ Nurse of the Year at the association’s 44^th Annual Conference in Reno, Nevada.  Fierro, who is a member of NAHN’s New York Chapter, received the recognition during the association’s Scholarships and Awards Gala on Friday, July 19. 

The NAHN Nurse of the Year Award is for a nurse, who has developed a creative and innovative program, intervention, or strategy in one of the following areas:

• Improving the quality of health care in the Hispanic community (narrowing health care disparity) 
• Recruitment, retention, professional career development (increasing the number of Hispanic nurses at all educational and professional levels) 
• NAHN organizational development at local, state, and/or the national level (growth, effectiveness, and communication within NAHN organizations, and with the community it serves)

Awards were also presented as follows:

Awards were presented to NAHN members (pictured l-r above). Top row: Henrietta Villaescusa Community Service Award, Gloria Barrera; Ambassador Awards: Sylvia Pelroy for Esther Ibarra, Rose Lopez and Susanna Gonzalez; Nurse of the Year, Michele Crespo-Fierro; Latino Legacy Award, Mimi Gonzalez; Viajero Award, Isis Reyes; Janie Menchaca Wilson Leadership Award, Adrian Espinosa; Ildaura Murillo-Rhode Award, Nora Hernandez-Pupo; Sarah Gomez Erlach Humanitarian Award, Ledys Janett Perez; 40 Under 40 Award, Jasmine Ruiz.

NAHN Latino Legacy Award presented to Mimi Gonzalez, BS, RN (New York Chapter) for her contributions to the nursing profession with commitment to advancing the health in Hispanic communities.

Ildaura Murillo-Rohde Award for Education Excellence presented to Nora Hernandez Pupo, PhD, RN, TNCC (Miami Chapter) for her contributions to nursing education, research and practice, commitment to excellence in nursing and distinguished clinical expertise.

Henrietta Villaescusa Community Service Award presented to Gloria Barrera, MSN, BSN, RN, PEL-CSN (Illinois Chapter) for her contributions to the improvement of health in Hispanic communities.

Janie Menchaca Wilson Leadership Award presented to Adrian Espinosa, MPH, MS, PHN, RN, FNP-BC (San Jose Chapter) for outstanding leadership contributions at the local, state and national levels, and leadership in creating programs that have positively impacted Hispanic communities.

Sarah Gomez Erlach Humanitarian Award presented to Ledys Janett Perez, RN (New York Chapter) for seeking ways to improve health delivery to the rural poor and migrant farm workers and their families through implementation of health programs, and advocacy and commitment to public health service to the financially disadvantaged. 

Viajero Award presented to Isis Reyes, MSN, AG-ACNP-BC on behalf of the Illinois Chapter.

Ambassador Awards: 2nd Place, Esther Ibarra, BSN, RN (Yuma Chapter); 1st Place, Rose Lopez, BSN, RN (Phoenix Chapter); 3rd Place, Susanna Gonzalez, MSN, RN, MPH, CNML (Illinois Chapter).

In addition, NAHN President Norma Cuellar, PhD, RN, FAAN presented President’s Awards to Linda McCauley, RN, PhD, FAAN, FAAOHN of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University in Atlanta and Terri E. Weaver, PhD, RN, FAAN, ATSF, Dean of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing.

Roxana Chicas, BSN, RN, a PhD student at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University received the ACT PhD Award and scholarship and Linda Maldonado, PhD, RN received the Sigma Theta Tau Award and scholarship.

In the 40 Under 40 Awards program, three NAHN members were recognized: Alison K. Hernandez, PhD, RN-BC (Illinois Chapter); Jasmine Ruiz, MSN, RN, FNP-C (San Jose Chapter); and Dulce Santana Gonzalez, BSN, RN, PHN (San Jose Chapter).