Leaders & Legends Award Nominations 

View previous honorees here.

The purpose of the biennial Leaders & Legends award is to recognize members, both living and deceased, whose volunteer service to the association significantly contributed to TNA and health transformation locally, state-wide, and nationally.

Categories

Living Legends: Members, or individuals who are not nurses, whose work illustrates a significant and sustained 
achievement of influence, impact, and advocacy for nursing and the mission of the Texas Nurses Association. 
Members should have long-term service on a committee, task force, special work group or the Board of the Texas 
Nurses Association or have represented the association through their appointment to a statewide committee, 
task force, coalition, or other policy group.
Posthumous Legends: *Same criteria as Living Legends but no longer living.

Criteria

1. Nominations should be made by submitting information that shows the nominee meets these criteria. 
2. Nominee should be a member of TNA or a non-nurse who has contributed significantly to the 
   association’s mission, vision and purpose.
3. Nominee may be living or deceased.
4. The nominee’s dates of service to the organization should have begun at a minimum 20 years prior to 
   their nomination.
5. The nominee should have exhibited outstanding contributions in one or more of the following areas:
   a. Distinguished service that spans an entire career as demonstrated by a strong commitment to TNA and active involvement in local, state, national or international nursing organizations and other health-related organizations through elected office, committee service or contributions to program development. 
   b. Exceptional leadership in nursing practice, nursing education, nursing leadership or nursing research that positively impacted the health or social and political history of Texas and that have had an enduring value to nursing. 
   c. Sustained commitment to mentoring as demonstrated by a commitment to guiding, supporting, and promoting the development of others. 
   d. Long-standing engagement in advocacy on behalf of the nursing profession and registered nurses that has advanced the nursing profession.
   e. Future-oriented leader that prepared for the evolution of the nursing profession and nursing practice by embracing technology, fostering innovation, developing partnerships, and encouraging collaboration across disciplines and settings.
6. The name of the TNA committee(s), task force(s), coalition(s) or Board(s) that the nominee participated in; or the stakeholder group(s) that the nominees served on as a TNA representative.
7. The significant milestones of the association during the nominee’s tenure.
8. Other documentation or comments to support the nomination, including letters of support from other members. No more than three letters of support for the nomination should be submitted.
   
   

Submission Requirements

Each submission should include a cover sheet with the name, address, telephone number and email of the individual Living Legend being nominated or the name and contact information for Posthumous Legend’s family if known. 

The cover sheet should also include the name of the individual or group making the nomination, as well as a 
phone number and email for the primary contact.

Nominators

TNA accepts nominations from individual members, committees, task forces, TNA Districts or the 
TNA Board of Directors.

Process

Nominations will be reviewed and evaluated by the TNA Awards Committee and recommendations will 
be made to the TNA Board of Directors for final selection.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Leaders and Legends of Texas Nursing are recognized biennially in the even 
numbered years at TNA’s annual meeting and the TNF Gala. A maximum of four Living Legends and three
Posthumous Legends will be recognized at each event

Submissions close Oct. 15, 2025.

Click Here to Download the Submission Form