American Nurses Credentialing Center Announces 2026 National Magnet Nurse of the Year® Award Recipients
Five nurses recognized at the Magnet & Pathway Conference® in Chicago for advancing excellence in practice, leadership, innovation, and patient outcomes
CHICAGO, IL — Today, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) announced the recipients of the 2026 National Magnet Nurse of the Year® Awards during the Magnet & Pathway Conference® in Chicago.
The National Magnet Nurse of the Year Awards recognize the outstanding contributions of clinical nurses whose achievements exemplify excellence in leadership and innovation across the five Magnet® Model components: Transformational Leadership; Structural Empowerment; Exemplary Professional Practice; New Knowledge, Innovations and Improvements; and Empirical Outcomes.
“These honorees demonstrate how nurses turn clinical expertise, evidence, and innovation into meaningful improvements in care,” said Brad Goettl, DNP, DHA, RN, FAAN, FACHE, chief nursing officer of the American Nurses Enterprise. “By leading change, strengthening collaboration, and addressing the needs of the people they serve, they advance nursing excellence and make a lasting difference for patients, families, and communities.”
Congratulations to the 2026 honorees:
- Transformational Leadership: Christine Steen, BSN, RN, CBRN — Registered Nurse IV, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore.
- Structural Empowerment: Danielle Fogel, BSN, RN, CCRN — Acute Care RN, Providence Saint John’s Health Center, California. The Structural Empowerment award is sponsored by Emory Healthcare.
- Exemplary Professional Practice: Janice Dryden Kelch, BSN, RN, CBC — Senior Clinical Nurse II, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore.
- New Knowledge, Innovations and Improvements: Mary Beth Bass, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, NE-BC — Advanced Practice Team Lead, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville. The New Knowledge, Innovations and Improvements award is sponsored by Compass Healthcare.
- Empirical Outcomes: Colleen Marie Ianni, MSN, CRNP, AGACNP-BC — Advanced Practice Provider–Nurse Practitioner, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia.
Collectively, these nurses exemplify the impact of nursing excellence on patients, families, organizations, and communities.
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About American Nurses Credentialing Center
The American Nurses Credentialing Center partners with the nation’s largest group of healthcare professionals to uphold the highest standards of nursing excellence. With a comprehensive suite of individual certifications and organizational accreditation programs designed to foster research, innovation, career growth, and leadership development, the credentialing center equips nurses to achieve safer, patient-centric outcomes both nationally and internationally. Committed to harnessing The Power of Nurses® to elevate care standards worldwide, the credentialing center continuously sets the benchmarks that support excellence in every facet of nursing practice.