Debra Lynch Kelly, PhD, RN, OCN, CNE, FAAN, was appointed as the UF College of Nursing’s associate dean for academic affairs – undergraduate education. Kelly has been with the college for six years and is a tenured associate professor with significant pedagogical expertise, having earned recognition from the National League for Nursing as a Certified Nurse Educator.

Kelly is an Oncology Certified Nurse whose program of research focuses on elucidating the biological mechanisms underlying symptoms of chronic illness, with a population focus in oncology. She currently conducts research with a team of multidisciplinary scientists from nursing, medicine, psychology, statistics, microbiology, metabolomics and genetics. Her research efforts focus on improving health outcomes for individuals living with chronic conditions to obtain and maintain optimal quality of life.

Staja Booker, PhD, RN, assistant professor, received the American Society for Pain Management Nursing Excellence in Nursing Award for Pain Management of the Older Adult and the 2020 Claudia J. Beverly Innovation Award from the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence.

Jane M. Carrington, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Dorothy M. Smith Endowed Chair and co-director of the Florida Blue Center for Health Care Quality, was named a 2021 fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association. Carrington is the first from the College of Nursing to receive this distinction and is among a class of 154 professionals being recognized for applying informatics skills and knowledge toward the goals of enhanced personal and population health, improved organizational performance and learning, and individual empowerment in health, care and research.

Karen Reed, MSN, DHSc, RN, CNE, CNL, CRREN, clinical assistant professor, was awarded a UF Faculty Enhancement Opportunity and also officially began her new role as director of the College of Nursing’s Office of Professional Nursing Development.

Anna M. McDaniel, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean and the Linda Harman Aiken Professor, was awarded the Indiana University Bicentennial Medal in recognition of her distinguished and distinctive service in support of the mission of Indiana University. McDaniel served as the associate dean for research at the Indiana University School of Nursing prior to becoming dean at the UF College of Nursing. She is also a graduate of their PhD program.

Jeanne-Marie Stacciarini, PhD, RN, FAAN, assistant dean of diversity, inclusion and global affairs, was awarded funding from Advancing Racial Justice Through Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access at UF to implement the Keys to Success program for first-year Black students to develop meaningful relationships with faculty and provide academic preparation, social support, mentoring and career exploration.

Patrick Nobles, DNP, FNP-BC, CNL, clinical assistant professor, was named the Magnet Nurse of the Year for UF Health. This award recognizes the outstanding contributions of clinical nurses in the areas of Magnet: transformational leadership, structural empowerment, exemplary professional practice, new knowledge/innovations/improvements and empirical outcomes.

Diana Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Prairieview Trust – Earl and Margo Powers Endowed Professor within the College of Nursing was named one of 33 University of Florida Research Foundation Professors for 2020. The UFRF recognition goes to faculty who have a distinguished current record of research and a strong research agenda that is likely to lead to continuing distinction in their fields. Wilkie was selected for her established research and leadership in palliative care and end-of-life issues.

Several College of Nursing students and a faculty member were 2020 Florida Nurses Foundation award recipients for the following scholarships:

· Tori Adams — Mary York Scholarship
· Taylor Bell — Charlotte Liddel Scholarship
· Melissa Loscalzo — Elizabeth Willis Nursing Scholarship
· Yansu Luo — Martha Russell Scholarship
· Jenna Rosenkrantz — District 4 Florida Nurses Scholarship
· Amanda Russ — District 14 Marcy Klosterman Scholarship
· Anita Stephen, MSN, RN, CNL, clinical assistant professor — Mary York Scholarship

Two DNP students, Malia Dersch and Amanda Dorr, were selected to serve as Florida Chapter Student Ambassadors by the national office of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Each will be part of the chapter executive committee and will lead teams of students in initiatives to impact pediatric health care around the state of Florida.

BSN senior Kayla Elliott was awarded the UF International Center Diana Fisher scholarship. This annual scholarship is given to international students who show exemplary service to UF and/or the Gainesville community.

DNP student Taylor Bell, BSN, RN, was awarded the inaugural Deborah E. Trautman Future Nurse Leader Scholarship from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. He will receive $3,500 and have the opportunity to participate in a one-on-one leadership development experience with Deborah Trautman, the AACN president and CEO.