Legendary Nurse Awards

The Legendary Nurse Awards began in 2015 as a way to honor exemplary nurses across the Legendary State of North Dakota. With over 18,000 nurses statewide, nurses form the backbone of the health care system and are a vital part of many different settings as reflected by each year’s award winners.

2019 Legendary Nurse Award Winners

Leadership Award

Julianna Lindgren (Fargo VA Health Care System),
Deborah Howland (Fargo VA Health Care System)
Jane Matejcek (Fargo VA Health Care System)

Clinical Practice Excellence Award

(Late) Bonnie Cook (St. Alexius)
Anne Hersch (Fargo Cass Public Health)
Cray Eppler (Fargo VA Health Care System)

Faculty Achievement Award

Sharon Nelson (NDSU at Sanford Health)
Ruth Gladen (ND State College of Science)

Nurse Executive Leadership Award

Cheryl Faulkner (McKenzie County Healthcare System)
Barbara Diederick (ND State College of Science)

Rising Star Award

Caleb Behm (Sanford Health Fargo)
Joseph Dirks (Sanford Health Fargo)

Advocacy Award

Gail Pederson (Sisters of Mary of the Presentation)

Preceptor Award

Debra Thingstad (Jamestown Regional Medical Center)

2018 Legendary Nurse Award Winners

Crystal Nemar, BSN, MSN, Fargo, ND, Leadership Award
Mary Jane Olson, RN, MSN, Fargo, ND, Leadership Award
Marsha Mitchell, RN, Rolla, ND, Clinical Practice Award
Julie Klein, PhD, MSN, BSRN, Bismarck, ND, Faculty Achievement Award
Holly Sandhurst, Ed.D., RN, Fargo, ND, Faculty Achievement Award
Trisha Jungels, MS, BA, RN, Jamestown, ND, Nurse Executive Award
Jo Burdick, MSN, BSN, Fargo, ND, Nurse Executive Award
Alena Schweiger, BSN, RN, Bismarck, ND, Rising Star Award
Jean Roland, CPHQ, BSRN, Minot, ND, Evidence Based Practice Award
Jason Decker, BSN, Fargo, ND, Evidence Based Practice Award
Kelly Buettner-Schmidt, PhD, MSN, BSN, Fargo, ND, Research Award
Deb Hodous, CHI St. Alexius Health, Devils Lake, ND, Preceptor Award

2017 Legendary Nurse Award Winners

Kim Mertz, BNSc, Bismarck, ND, Leadership Award
Billie Madler, BSN, MSN, DNP, FAANP, Bismarck, ND, Leadership Award
Carla Hansen, MSN, CENP, CCRN, Fargo, ND, Leadership Award
Annie Eliason, MSN, RNC-OB, Bismarck, ND, Leadership Award
Jenna Herman, DNP, MS, BA-RN, Bismarck, ND, Faculty Achievement Award
Deborah Swanson, MSN, BSRN, Grand Forks, ND, Nurse Executive Award
Doris Vigen, BSRN, Mayville, ND, Nurse Executive Award
Sara Stetz, MSRN, Fargo, ND, Evidence Based Practice Award
Megan Carlblom, MS, BSRN, SCRN, Fargo, ND, Evidence Based Practice Award
Tara Brandner, DNP, FNP-MS, Ashley, ND, Advocacy Award
Christopher Lunde, BSRN, Jamestown, ND, Preceptor Award
Tara Wilkens, BSRN, Bismarck, ND, Volunteer Award
Senator Tim Mathern, Fargo, ND, Champion for Nursing Award
Amanda Remynse, Bismarck, ND, Champion for Nursing Award

2016 Legendary Nurse Award Winners

Jamie Hammer, MSN, BSNR: Leadership Award
Lois Ustanko, MSN, BSRN: Leadership Award
Annie Paulson, MS, BSRN: Faculty Achievement Award
Julie Bruhn, MSN, BSRN: Nurse Executive Award
Carla Gross, PhD, BSRN: Nurse Executive Award
Tamsen Star O’Berry, BSRN: Rising Star Award
Lucy Kappel, BSRN: Rising Star Award
Danielle Olauson, BSRN: Rising Star Award
Joyce Schmaltz, MSN, BSRN: Evidence Based Practice Award
Kristin Roers, MN, BSRN: Advocacy Award
Leah Beekman, BSRN: Preceptor Award
Susan Pederson, MSN, BSRN: Volunteer Award
Mary Anne Marsh, PhD, BSRN: Founder Award
Kyle Martin, BS: Founder Award
Tara Brandner, MSN, BSRN: Research Award
Kathy Roth, MSN, BSRN: Research Award

2015 Legendary Nurse Award Winners

Constance Kalanek, PhD, RN, FRE: Founder Award
Patricia Moulton, PhD: Founder Award
Margaret Reed, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN: Founder Award
Linda Shanta, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN: Founder Award
Evelyn Quigley, MN, BSN, RN: Advocacy Award
Cheryl Rising, FNP: Advocacy Award
Stacey Hutzenbiler, MSN, RN: Faculty Achievement Award
Lonna Milburn, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN: Leadership Award
JoAnn Sund, MS, BSN, RN, CENP: Leadership Award
D’Aryln Bauer, PhD, MS, BSN, RN: Nurse Executive Award
Jan Kamphuis, PhD, MS, BSN, RN: Nurse Executive Award
Margaret Reed, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN: Nurse Executive Award
Becky Graner, MS, BSN, RN: Volunteer Award
Karen Urban Baatz, MS, BSN, RN, CNS: Research Award
Karen Robinson, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN: Research Award
Stacey Pfenning, DNP, APRN, FNP: Evidence Based Practice Award