Nominations open for BHECN annual awards – Due Friday November 6
You are invited to submit nominations for the BHECN Annual Awards.
The BHECN Annual Awards recognize individuals whose leadership, service, advocacy and lived experience are strengthening Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce and improving behavioral health across the state. Community members are invited to nominate deserving students, trainees, professionals, advocates and partners for awards recognizing mentorship, service, emerging leadership, courage and enduring impact.
Nominations for all awards are due Friday, November 6, 2026.
Ambassador Award
The Ambassador Award recognizes a behavioral health professional or post-graduate trainee whose mentorship, outreach and workforce development efforts help prepare and support Nebraska’s future behavioral health professionals.
Criteria
- Focus on rural and/or underserved populations.
- Demonstrated commitment to practice in Nebraska.
- Activities related to workforce recruitment and mentoring activities.
- Commitment/recognition of a multidisciplinary approach to behavioral health.
Past recipients:
2014 – Marin Broucek, MD, and Nate Bruce, DO.
2015 – Melissa O’Dell, MD, and Tara Sjuts, PhD.
2016 – Anitra Warrior, PhD, and Catherine Jones-Hazledine, PhD.
2017 – No award given.
2018 – Nancy L. Foster, PhD, and Kristen C. Hembree, PhD.
2019 – Shanna Rosentrater, LMHP and Ciera Afrank
2020 – Carrie Howton, PhD, LIMHP and Kim Hill, PhD, LP, NCSP
2021 – No award given
2022 – Narayana M Koduri, MD
2023 – Robin Conyers and Cecilia Poon, PhD
2024 – Melissa Lafferty, PhD
2025 – LuLu Rangel, LICSW, LIMHP
Access the Ambassador Award nomination form.
Bridge Builder Enduring Impact Award
- Connection: The program or effort creates meaningful connections among people, programs, organizations, professions or communities in support of Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce.
- Collaboration: The work brings partners together around shared workforce needs, opportunities or solutions.
- Enduring impact: The program or effort has been active for at least five years and has produced benefits, relationships or opportunities that continue over time.
- Behavioral health workforce development: The work strengthens awareness of, pathways into or success within behavioral health careers in Nebraska through education, training, mentorship, supervision, recruitment, professional development or retention.
- Reach and significance: The program or effort demonstrates broad impact across Nebraska or deep, sustained impact within a community, region or population.
- Sustainability: The work has continued, adapted or influenced future behavioral health workforce development beyond its initial launch or funding period.
Past recipients:
2026 – Ann Kraft & Adrienne Van Winkle
Access the Bridge Builder Enduring Impact Award nomination form.
Champion Award
The Champion Award recognizes a behavioral health professional or post-graduate trainee who demonstrates outstanding service, outreach and commitment to improving behavioral health and supporting individuals and communities across Nebraska.
Criteria
- Ongoing service to the behavioral health community in Nebraska.
- Impact on education and awareness of behavioral health issues in the broader community.
- Ongoing consumer focus.
- Scope of impact/sustainability of actions.
Past recipients:
2020 – Ann Young, PMHNP, APRN and Chelsea S. Turner
2021 – No award given
2022 – Celeste Akers
2023 – Ken Shaffer, MD
2024 – Laura Sanchez, LICSW
2025– Kristen Rose, LIMHP
Access the Champion Award nomination form.
Courage Award
The Courage Award recognizes a person with lived experience of behavioral health challenges or a family member whose advocacy, service and outreach have increased awareness, supported others and strengthened Nebraska’s behavioral health community.
Criteria
- Ongoing service to the behavioral health community in Nebraska.
- Impact on education and awareness of behavioral health issues in the broader community.
- Ongoing consumer focus beyond the needs of self/loved one.
- Scope of impact/sustainability of actions.
Past recipients:
2014 – Kristi Barth
2015 – Amie Nelson
2016 – Robert Donlan
2017 – No award given
2018 – Jennifer Alquicira, CPSWS
2019 – Emily and Ryan Kaufman
2020 – Havalynn Russell and Marion Perry-Burse
2021 – No award given
2022 – Mary E. Angus
2023 – Laurie Halpenny
2024 – Janetta Lenstrom
2025 – Jamie Legates & Matt Martinosky
Access the Courage Award nomination form.
Emerging Leader Award
The Emerging Leader Award recognizes an undergraduate or graduate student who demonstrates leadership, initiative and a strong commitment to advancing behavioral health and serving Nebraska communities.
Criteria
- Undergraduate or graduate-level student in good academic standing whose education is behavioral health-oriented.
- A track record of championing behavioral health issues and creating awareness within their community.
- Demonstrated commitment to serving Nebraska
- Engagement in leadership activities in their home program or their community related to behavioral health.
Past recipients:
2024 – Hayden Wallace
2025 – Brittany Jones & Mariah Seim
Access the Behavioral Health Emerging Leader Award nomination form.
Distinguished Service Award
BHECN’s highest honor recognizes an individual whose inspirational leadership, service, advocacy and heart have made an exceptional and lasting contribution to behavioral health workforce development in Nebraska. The Distinguished Service Award will not be open for public nominations but is included here to list the past winners and complete the BHECN Annual Awards Program
Past Recipients:
2013 – Michael J. Rice, PhD, APRN-NP, FAAN
2014 – Senator Amanda McGill
2015 – Rhonda Hawks
2016 – Senator Kathy Campbell
2017 – No award given
2018 – Joseph H. Evans, PhD
2019 – Susan J. Boust, MD & Howard Y. Liu, MD
2020 – Hugo Gonzalez Nieto, MD
2021 – No award given
2022 – Bob Bartee
2023 – Senator John Stinner
2024 – Annette Dubas
2025 – Hugo Gonzalez Nieto, MD