Introducing the 2025 APNA Annual Awards Recipients
These nine outstanding nurses have been chosen by their peers to receive this year’s prestigious APNA Awards for psychiatric-mental health nursing excellence:
Matthew Tierney, MS, CNS, ANP, CARN-AP, PMHNP, FAAN
APNA Psychiatric Nurse of the Year
Nominated by Laura Leahy, APN, FAANP, FAAN
Geraldine Pearson, PhD, APRN, FAAN
APNA Award for Distinguished Service
Nominated by Linda Beeber, PhD, PMHCNS, FAAN
Cornelius Metili, BSN, RN, PMH-BC
APNA Award for Excellence in Practice – RN
Nominated by Smitha Syamala Komatreddy, RN
Gabrielle Abelard, DNP, PMHNP, PMHCNS-BC, APRN, FNAP, FAAN
APNA Award for Excellence in Practice – APRN
Nominated by Carley Lemay, PMHNP-BC
Maxine M. Smalling, MS, BS(N), RN
APNA Award for Excellence in Leadership – RN
Nominated by Juanita Goyette, RN
Elizabeth Archer-Nanda, DNP, PMHCNS- BC, FAPOS
APNA Award for Excellence in Leadership – APRN
Nominated by Bethany Phoenix, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN
Kerry Peterson, PhD, DNP, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC, CNE, FAANP
APNA Award for Excellence in Education
Nominated by Aimee Techau, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, NE-BC, PhDc
Kathryn Phillips, PhD, APRN, CHSE
APNA Award for Excellence in Research & Scholarship
Nominated by Karen Corcoran, DNP, PMHNP, CHSE
Joanne Patterson DNP, MSN, PMHNP-BC
APNA Award for Innovation – Individual
Nominated by Kathleen McCoy, DNSc, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, FNP-BC FAANP, FNKF
The celebration of these remarkable professionals is just beginning! In the months to come, we’ll dive deeper into their stories and amazing contributions to the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing.
Please join me in congratulating these wonderful APNA colleagues!
Published April 2025
