Each year, the School of Nursing Alumni Board of Directors recognizes alumni and honorary alumni who make outstanding contributions to nursing, the community, the School, and health care. This year’s winners were recognized at the Alumni Awards and Recognition Reception held at the Paul J. Rizzo Conference Center in Chapel Hill on February 27.
Katherine (Kathy) Moore BSN ‘78, MSN ‘90 received the Distinguished Alumna Award in recognition of her unparalleled guidance and care for Carolina nurses as they move from applicants to alumni. She is a registered nurse, clinical assistant professor, and assistant dean of student affairs at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing. As assistant dean and during her time as director of the School’s Office of Admissions and Student Services, she has overseen student recruitment, application processing, and admissions for all academic programs. Generations of students have benefitted from her wisdom, compassion, and leadership.
The Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) award went to Dr. Audra Rankin, BSN ’05, assistant professor at the University of Louisville School of Nursing and pediatric nurse practitioner at the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics. Her outstanding contributions were recognized by Louisville’s Business First, which named her as a “40 under Forty” honoree, and by the commonwealth of Kentucky, which appointed her as a Kentucky Colonel and Outstanding Kentuckian. In 2014, she co-authored the children’s book Gordon Galloway’s Mealtime Makeover, which encourages healthy lifestyle changes in families.
Patty Hill, BSN ‘69, MEd ‘74 was honored with the Carrington Award for Community Service. Dr. Hill served her community as a representative for the N.C. Health Services Commission (appointed by Governor Easley), the N.C. Commission of Public Health, and the Orange County Human Services Commission and was elected to the Charles House Foundation Board. In addition to her appointment to the UNC Board of Visitors, Dr. Hill was a School of Nursing Foundation Board Director and secretary/treasurer of the School of Nursing Alumni Board.
The Honorary Alumna of the Year award went to Megan P. Williams, MSN, RN, FNP, clinical assistant professor at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing. She served as secretary and president for the Triangle Region of North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA) and is currently leading the 4,000-member NCNA’s as its 51st president. Ms. Williams has represented North Carolina at the American Nurses Association Lobby Day and membership assembly and has served as faculty advisor for the School’s Association of Nursing Students since 2007.
Interim Dean Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN, presided over the ceremony, which included remarks from Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Professor of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Victoria Soltis-Jarrett, PhD, PMHCNS/NP-BC, FAANP.