Carolina Nursing recognizes Alumni Award recipients

Outstanding Alumni Award recipient

Yolanda M. VanRiel, PhD ’09

This award recognizes a Carolina Nursing graduate who is known for their outstanding leadership and service to the field of nursing, either through scholarly efforts in research or teaching, promotion of health care or excellence in patient care and practice.

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Yolanda M. VanRiel, PhD, RN, MEDSURG-BC, OCN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN, is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Nursing at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), where she leads an HBCU nursing program dedicated to health access, workforce readiness, and student success. She earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; BSN and MSN degrees in Nursing Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing Administration from Queens University of Charlotte.

Dr. VanRiel’s scholarly work focuses on health communication, cancer care, health disparities, and nursing education. Her research and publications examine physician–patient communication, health literacy, and disparities in cancer screening and survivorship, as well as innovative strategies to prepare practice-ready nurses through competency-based education, simulation, and resuscitation quality improvement.

She has secured extramural and foundation funding, including a UNC System Workforce Expansion Grant and multiple NIH collaborations, to strengthen clinical training capacity, expand nursing pathways, and promote culturally responsive care in historically marginalized communities.

A nationally recognized nursing education leader, Dr. VanRiel serves as Chair of the National League for Nursing (NLN) Board of Governors and is a Fellow of both the NLN Academy of Nursing Education (ANEF) and the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN). She has held influential roles on state and national boards, including the North Carolina Board of Nursing, the NC Future of Nursing Action Coalition, Duke University advisory boards, and the American Diabetes Association’s State of Diabetes Executive Leadership Team, advancing policy, regulation, and academic–practice partnerships that center health access and excellence in nursing.

Frequently sought after by national media and professional organizations, Dr. VanRiel is a prominent voice on the nursing workforce, diversity in the profession, and the vital role of HBCUs in preparing the next generation of nurse leaders.

Outstanding Alumni Service Award recipient 

Betty (Betsy) M. Bradshaw, BSN ’74

This award recognizes a Carolina Nursing graduate who has demonstrated outstanding voluntary leadership or public service on a local, national or global level.

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Betty (Betsy) M. Bradshaw, FNP, ITFS is a distinguished nurse practitioner, educator, and community leader who has dedicated more than five decades to advancing pediatric, maternal, and family health in North Carolina. Celebrating 50 years in nursing, Betsy’s career reflects a sustained commitment to clinical excellence, education, and public service.

She began her nursing career at North Carolina Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill, where she served for three and a half years in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. After completing her Family Nurse Practitioner internship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Betsy returned to her hometown of Fayetteville to begin a 26-year tenure at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. There, she held leadership and educational roles across the newborn nursery, pediatrics, neonatal intensive care, and postpartum units.

A recognized innovator in neonatal and developmental care, Betsy developed and coordinated the Neonatal and Pulmonary Developmental Follow-Up Clinics at Cape Fear Valley. She successfully authored and secured multiple grants focused on maternal-child health, adolescent motherhood, neonatal outreach education, and early childhood development. Her work has directly strengthened services for vulnerable infants and families across the region.

In addition to her clinical and grant-writing accomplishments, Betsy has designed and delivered numerous professional education courses for healthcare providers, with a particular focus on child development, prematurity, breastfeeding, and family-centered care.

Betsy currently serves full time as a Family Nurse Practitioner with the Children’s Developmental Services Agency of the Cape Fear, where she has spent over 20 years exemplifying clinical expertise, professionalism, and a passion for teaching both parents and colleagues.

Beyond her professional roles, Betsy has demonstrated extraordinary civic leadership through service on numerous boards at the local, state, and university levels, including chairing the Cape Fear Valley Health System Board of Trustees. Her lifelong service reflects a deep commitment to improving health outcomes and strengthening communities throughout North Carolina.

Outstanding Nurse Innovator Alumni Award recipient 

Louise Fleming, PhD ’16

This award recognizes a School of Nursing graduate who is applying new ideas and methods to the field of nursing to improve patient experiences, health outcomes and nursing practice, research and/or education.

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Louise Fleming is currently UVA School of Nursing’s inaugural associate dean for academic operations. She has expansive experience in academic and operational leadership, research, and advocacy. An award-winning educator and scholar, she is deeply engaged across a variety of practice and research communities, including as a nurse scientist and scholar of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) who creates systems, technological supports, including a mobile health app focused on preventing adrenal crisis events (PACE), and care and training protocols that support families and children with CAH.

Because of her research in and connections to CAH communities, Fleming was appointed in 2019 to the American Psychological Association’s seven-member Task Force on Differences in Sex Development (DSD), where she continues to collaborate on work to guide increased education, training, practice, and policy related to many DSD conditions, including CAH. She is also a consultant for the CARES Foundation and is its immediate past chair.

Previously, Louise was at UNC Chapel Hill, where she was associate dean of its School of Nursing’s undergraduate division and programs. She earned a PhD from UNC Chapel Hill in 2016, an MSN-Ed from Duke University, and baccalaureate degrees from both the University of South Carolina and Clemson. Named a UNC Nursing Faculty of the Year and among the “Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina” for her work during the pandemic, she is an AACN Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing Fellow alumna, a 2026 Fellow in the ACC Academic Leaders Network, and a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

Outstanding Early Career Alumni Award recipient

Emily D. Murray, BSN ’21

This award recognizes a recent Carolina Nursing graduate who has exhibited excellence as an emerging nurse leader.

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A double Tar Heel originally from Winston-Salem, Emily Murray earned her first degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2012 with majors in Psychology and French. After eight years working in a corporate setting in Charleston, she felt a long-standing call to nursing and returned to Carolina to pursue her Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, graduating in 2021.

In the short time since entering the profession, Emily has emerged as an exceptional clinician, leader, and advocate. As a CN3 in the Surgical Trauma Critical Care Unit, she has distinguished herself not only through her compassionate, highly skilled bedside care, but also as a culture-builder on her unit.

Emily’s dedication to nursing extends well beyond her work at the bedside. She is also actively engaged in philanthropy, contributing to initiatives that advance scholarship and research and reflect her commitment to strengthening the profession. She also serves on the School of Nursing Alumni Board, lending her voice to advocacy, engagement, and the advancement of Carolina Nursing.

Nominees

It is an honor to recognize all of our esteemed Carolina Nurses nominated for a 2025 Alumni Award:

Anderson “Andy” Bradbury, BSN ’10, MSN ’14
Braxton Nowell, BSN ’22
Gloria Huss Peele, BSN ’55
Jennifer Snead Simmons, MSN ’02
Wendy Woodall, MSN ’08
Jill Forcina, BSN ’01, PhD ’08
Sarah Chaires, MSN ’04
Linda A. McCauley, BSN ’71
Sierra Moore, BSN ’24

For a list of past recipients, please visit our Alumni Awards page.