They Shine as they Serve: Announcing the 2026 APNA Annual Awards Recipients

Congratulations to these outstanding nurses honored by their peers with APNA Annual Awards for excellence in psychiatric-mental health nursing.

Chizimuzo (Zim) Okoli, PhD, MPH, MSN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN
Psychiatric Nurse of the Year
Nominated by Lora Peppard, PhD, DNP, PMHNP-BC

Kathleen Delaney, PhD, APRN, PMH-NP, FAAN
Award for Distinguished Service
Nominated by Matthew Tierney, MS, CNS, ANP, PMHNP, FAAN

Karen Corcoran, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, CHSE
Award for Excellence in Education
Nominated by Katy Phillips, PhD, APRN, CHSE

Valerie Esposito-Kubanick, PhD, RN, PMH-BC
Award for Innovation – Individual
Nominated by Jasmine Bratton-Robinson, PhD, RN, MSN-Ed, PMH-BC

Jennifer Jimenez, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Award for Excellence in Leadership – APRN
Nominated by Bethany Phoenix, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN

Lynnette Morris, MSN, RN, PMH-BC, NE-BC
Award for Excellence in Leadership – RN
Nominated by Joshua Moran Jimenez, DNP, PMHNP, CARN, CPHQ, NE-BC

Pedro Morante, DNP, PMHNP-BC,FNP-BC, LNC, FSIEN, FADLN, GERO-BC, Medsurg-BC, PMH-BC, APRN, EDS-C
Award for Excellence in Practice – APRN
Nominated by Rohzan Altre, BSN, RN

Gabrielle Mathis, MSN-Ed., RN, PMH-BC, CPN, CPHQ, CNEcl
Award for Excellence in Practice – RN
Nominated by Marcus Henderson, MSN, RN, FNAP

Heeyoung Lee, PhD, PMHNP-BC FAAN
Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship
Nominated by Jung-Ah Lee, PhD, MN, RN, FAAN, FGSA, FADLN

We’ll learn more about their inspiring stories in the coming months! Congratulations to these fantastic colleagues on this remarkable achievement.

Published March 2026