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.
2020 Legendary Nurse Award Winners
Leadership Award
- Brittney Mueller, NDSU Nursing at Sanford Health Bismarck
Clinical Practice Excellence Award
- Amy Gotvaslee, Sanford Health Bismarck
- Brittany Larson, Essentia Health Fargo
Faculty Achievement Award
- Margaret Mackowick, North Dakota State University Fargo
- Becky McDaniel, North Dakota State University Fargo
Nurse Executive Leadership Award
- Shelby Quinn, Fargo VA Health Care System
Rising Star Award
- JoAnn Wierson, ND State Department of Health
Evidence Based Practice Award
- Kendra Roloff, Pelican Health Bismarck
Champion for Nursing Award
- Michelle Reitan, Fargo VA Health Care System
- Jennifer Ernst, Fargo VA Health Care System
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