UNMC College of Nursing faculty, staff and students celebrated recent accomplishments.
The following CON faculty were inducted into the Interprofessional Academy of Educators on September 10: Kelly Gonzales, PhD, Tiffany Hunt, EdD, Ashton Neelans, DNP, Melina Olerich, and Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, DNP.
Jill Reed, PhD, was the recipient of the 2026 American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) State Award for Outstanding Contributions at the AANP National Conference in Las Vegas on June 26. Awarded to one practitioner per state, this award honors an individual whose exemplary clinical care, advocacy and leadership have strengthened the NP profession and improved the health of communities nationwide.
Krystal Davis, EdD, Alyson Hansih, PhD, and Robin Lally, PhD, were members of the 2026 Interprofessional Leadership for Excellence and Academic Development (iLEAD) graduating class.
The following CON faculty were honored at the University of Nebraska Circle of Distinction ceremony on Oct. 7. This ceremony is in recognition of the endowed chair or professorship that the faculty member holds. Breanna Hetland, PhD, Gail and Jim Anderson Professor of Nursing; Mary Isaacson, PhD, Christine Heide Sorensen Professor of Nursing; Tracie Kirkland, PhD, Kenneth E. Morehead Endowed Chair in Nursing; and Elizabeth Mollard, PhD, Dorothy Hodges Olson Chair in Nursing.
Sheri Rowland, PhD, was selected as a 2026 NU DEAL fellow. The NU System’s Developing Excellence in Academic Leaders (NU DEAL) program is sponsored by all four campuses with support from the Office of the President.
Kirsten Hepburn, PhD, received two awards from the 2026 National Center for Advancing Translation Sciences at their annual AIM AHEAD Health Data Science Training Program meeting in July. She received the individual Health Data Science Interprofessional Communication Award. Her team also received the Top Poster Presentation Team Award.
Mary Isaacson, PhD, Christine Heide Sorensen Endowed Professor in Nursing and Associate Professor, has received a new NIH R01 awardfor her project, “Testing Implementation Strategies and the Effectiveness of a Culture-Centric Intervention Addressing Health-Related Social Needs for Reservation-Dwelling American Indians with Serious Illness.”
The 5-year NIH R01 award totals $3,516,604 and represents an extraordinary achievement for Dr. Isaacson, her team, and the UNMC College of Nursing. The study will advance culturally grounded, community-engaged science focused on improving care and addressing health-related social needs among reservation-dwelling American Indians living with serious illness. This award is a powerful example of the kind of rigorous, meaningful, and community-responsive research that has the potential to improve health outcomes, strengthen care delivery, and generate knowledge with real-world impact. It also reflects Dr. Isaacson’s sustained commitment to Indigenous health, serious illness care, and the development and testing of interventions that are both scientifically strong and culturally centered.
Heidi Keeler, PhD, was elected to become the next President Elect of District 1 in the Nebraska Organization for Nursing Leadership (NONL). The term of Dr. Keeler’s appointment will begin Jan. 1, 2027.
Breanna Hetland, PhD and Lynne Buchanan, PhD will both be inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing in October 2026.
Kristine Benda received her PhD from UNMC in August 2026
Georgia Ryba received her MPA from UNO in August 2026
Jade Rice, PhD student, will receive the 2026 40 Under 40 Award from the Nebraska Nurses Association in October.