Awards and honors

Clinical Professor Mary Benbenek, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, FNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP, was selected to receive the 2025 Award for Excellence in Academic Unit Service.

Assistant Professor Cynthia Bradley, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, ANEF, was selected to receive the 2025 Award for Excellence in Academic Unit Service.

Dean Connie White Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP, FACMI, was named to the list of 100 Most Influential Health Care Leaders by Minnesota Physician. The honor recognizes 100 leaders who help make health care in Minnesota a global model of excellence.

Clinical Associate Professor Stephanie Delkoski, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, was named a professional member of the National Academies of Practice Class of 2025.

Clinical Associate Professor Elena Geiger-Simpson, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, was selected to be in the inaugural cohort of University Psychedelic Education Program Faculty Fellows. 

Clinical Assistant Professor Stephanie Gingerich, DNP, RN, CPN, was appointed to executive editor of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies.

Clinical Assistant Professor Elizabeth Hopfenspirger, DNP, APRN, CNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, was selected to be in the inaugural cohort of University Psychedelic Education Program Faculty Fellows. 

Assistant Professor Fang Lei, PhD, MPH, RN, coached the team that won first place in the 2024 Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition. DNP student Lindsay Craig was a member of the team.

Assistant Professor Ryan Mays, PhD, MPH, FAHA, FSVM, received the 2024 Blue Ribbon Peer Reviewer Award from the Vascular Medicine journal, which is given to reviewers who exceed expectations for both quality and quantity of peer reviews.

Professor Christine Mueller, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, was awarded honorable mention at the American Association of Colleges in Nursing (AACN): Transform Education Conference for her poster Gerontological Nursing Competencies for Entry-Level Professional Nursing Education Programs.

Associate Professor Leso Munala, PhD, MSW, was accepted into the 2025 Cohort of the Environmental Health Research Institute for Nurse and Clinician Scientists.

Professor Susan O’Conner-Von, PhD, RN-BC, CHPPN, CNE, FNAP, was awarded a 2024 End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium Award for presenting four successful ELNEC courses, with a fifth planned for 2025.

Clinical Professor Judith Pechacek, DNP, RN, CENP, was named a recipient of the 2024-2025 Award for Outstanding Contributions to Graduate and Professional Education by the University of Minnesota, which is awarded to exceptional candidates nominated by colleges in their quest to identify excellence in graduate and professional education.

Professor Carolyn Porta, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, FNAP, was named the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Forensic Nursing.

Research completed by Associate Professor Sriprya Rajamani, PhD, MBBS, MPH, FAMIA, was showcased by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-funded research’s Digital Healthcare Research Program 2023 Year in Review.

Associate Professor Kristine Talley, PhD, RN, GNP-BC, FGSA, was elected treasurer of the Midwest Nursing Research Society Board of Directors and will begin serving in March.

Clinical Assistant Professor Angelica Walton, DNP, RN, is serving on the American Holistic Nurses Association Planetary Health Task Force. She is also serving on Board of Directors for the University’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships and was also appointed chair of the Resilient Communities Workgroup.

Clinical Associate Professor Misty Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN, was selected to receive the 2025 Award for Excellence in Academic Unit Service.