Nominations are now open for the 2027 Texas Nurses Foundation Excellence in Nursing Awards, recognizing excellence in nursing and those who support and advocate for nurses. 

For a complete list of award categories, see below. 

Awardees will be announced during National Nurses Week in May. They, along with the 25 Outstanding Texas Nurses recipients, will also be honored during the TNF Excellence in Nursing Gala on June 10, the first night of the 2027 Texas Nurses Association’s Annual Conference.  

Details on each award’s eligibility requirements, the nomination process, required supporting documentation and key selection criteria can be found by clicking on the following links. 

Clinical Excellence in Nursing Award (Awarded to a RN and LVN)

Awardee Honors:

• The recipient will be honored at the Texas Nurses Foundation Annual Awards Gala and will receive a trophy recognizing their outstanding achievement. 
• The recipient's accomplishments will be publicly highlighted on the TNF/TNA websites, social media pages and CheckUp, the official TNA newsletter. 
• The recipient will receive an award/stipend covering the cost of registration to attend the 2027 TNA Annual Conference. 
• The recipient will be featured in Texas Nursing Magazine. 
  

Rising Star in Nursing Award (Awarded to an early career nurse)

Awardee Honors:

• The recipient will be honored at the Texas Nurses Foundation Annual Awards Gala and will receive a trophy recognizing their outstanding achievement. 
• The recipient's accomplishments will be publicly highlighted on the TNF/TNA websites, social media pages and CheckUp, the official TNA newsletter. 
• The recipient will receive an award/stipend covering the cost of registration to attend the 2027 TNA Annual Conference. 
• The recipient will be featured in Texas Nursing Magazine.
  

Nursing Faculty Excellence Award (Awarded to a full-time nursing faculty)

Awardee Honors:

• The recipient will be honored at the Texas Nurses Foundation Annual Awards Gala and will receive a trophy recognizing their outstanding achievement. 
• The recipient's accomplishments will be publicly highlighted on the TNF/TNA websites, social media pages and CheckUp, the official TNA newsletter. 
• The recipient will receive an award/stipend covering the cost of registration to attend the 2027 TNA Annual Conference. 
• The recipient will be featured in Texas Nursing Magazine.

Nursing TEAM Excellence Award (Awarded to a nursing team)

Awardee Honors:

• The recipients will be honored at the Texas Nurses Foundation Annual Awards Gala and will receive a trophy recognizing their outstanding achievement. 
• The recipients’ accomplishments will be publicly highlighted on the TNF/TNA websites, social media pages and CheckUp, the official TNA newsletter. 
• The recipients will receive up to three awards/stipends to attend the 2027 TNA Annual Conference. The team members attending must reflect the composition of the team described in the application. 
• The recipients will be featured in Texas Nursing Magazine.
  

TPAPN Lighthouse Award (Awarded to a supporter of TPAPN)
* Nominations can only be submitted by TPAPN staff members and/or active Peer Support Partners. 

Awardee Honors:

• The recipient will be honored at the Texas Nurses Foundation Annual Awards Gala and will receive a trophy recognizing their outstanding achievement. 
• The recipient's accomplishments will be publicly highlighted on the TNF/TNA websites, social media pages and CheckUp, the official TNA newsletter. 
• The recipient will be featured in Texas Nursing Magazine.

TNF Champions of Nursing (Awarded to a non-healthcare person or organization that supports nurses)

Awardee Honors:

• The recipient will be honored at the Texas Nurses Foundation Annual Awards Gala and will receive a trophy recognizing their outstanding achievement. 
• The recipient's accomplishments will be publicly highlighted on the TNF/TNA websites, social media pages and CheckUp, the official TNA newsletter. 
• The recipient will be featured in Texas Nursing Magazine.  

The last date to submit a nomination is Dec. 31, 2026.

Previous Winners

2025

Clinical Excellence in Nursing Award - LVN
Courtney Mosley, LVN. Athena Medical Group, San Antonio, Texas

Clinical Excellence in Nursing Award – RN
Abigail Alaniz Cases Fuller, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, CMSRN. University Health and Chamberlain University, San Antonio, Texas

Rising Star in Nursing Award 
Dana Grubbs BSN, RN. Children’s Health, Dallas, Texas

Nursing Faculty Excellence Award
Jennifer Woo, PhD, CNM/WHNP, FACNM. The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas

Nursing TEAM Excellence Award
Institute for Nursing Excellence, Memorial Hermann Health System, Houston, Texas
Caitlin McVey MBA, RN, CPHQ, CLSSBB – AVP Institute for Nursing Excellence 
Daphne Savva MIB, MBA– AVP Business Development and Research
Jody Collins DNP, RN, NPD-BC – Director Clinical and Professional Excellence
Jessica Peterson PhD, RN – Nurse Scientist
Taj Bhaloo PhD, MHA – Research Scientist
Beth Cook DNP, RN, CNL, NPD-BC, CHSE, CCRN – Simulation Education Specialist
Austin Burk MBA – Lead Data Analyst
Tendeka Smith BSN, RN, RNC-MNN – HEAL Program Manager
Kemi Banigo MBA – Program Manager
Heather Mahon – Clinical Operations Coordinator
Debbie Davis – Administrative Assistant

TPAPN Lighthouse Award 
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas

TNF Champions of Nursing
Sara Suzanne Masoud, PhD, MPH, The University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas