In nursing education, administrative excellence often operates quietly in the background, unnoticed unless it falters. At the University of Calgary, the seamless operation of the nursing program is a direct reflection of the visionary leadership and tireless efforts of Dr. Catherine Laing, Dean of Nursing. Under her guidance, the program has not only navigated complex challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and severe budgetary pressures, but emerged stronger, more resilient, and nationally recognized as one of Canada’s top six nursing programs. Her ability to manage complexity with clarity and calm has allowed her team to thrive, even in times of uncertainty. Dr. Laing’s leadership style is both strategic and compassionate. She was recently successful in obtaining the University of Calgary’s highest governance approval to implement a lottery-based nursing admissions system in an effort to address the significant nursing shortage across Canada. She has consistently championed innovation in curriculum development; spearheaded initiatives to expand access to nursing education in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities; and embedded mental health and wellness supports for students and faculty alike. For example, nursing’s “grow your own” effort, in partnership with Alberta Health Services and local communities, is successfully addressing the rural/remote nursing shortage and increasing the number of Indigenous nurses in Alberta. A respected leader at the local, provincial, and national levels, Dr. Laing is praised by colleagues for her integrity, work ethic, and inclusive approach. She inspires those around her, not only as a skilled administrator but as a passionate advocate for high-quality nursing education and student success.

Dr. Sandy DeLuca has built a distinguished nursing career spanning over 5 decades. For the past 19 years, Dr. DeLuca has served as Associate Dean/Director of the Fanshawe College School of Nursing, following 35 years as a dedicated nursing faculty member. Dr. DeLuca’s long-term commitment to nursing education has significantly shaped nursing education and practice across Ontario and Canada. Dr. DeLuca has contributed to numerous provincial and national organizations, including the CASN Board of Directors, the Joint Provincial Nursing Committee representing the 24 colleges, and the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology, chairing the Provincial Heads of Nursing. Her commitment to advancing nursing education is evident in her mentorship of master’s and doctoral students and her unwavering support for research within the school of nursing. Dr. DeLuca has played a pivotal role in uniting college and university nursing educators, advocating for cohesive policy positions on critical issues such as the Nursing Graduate Guarantee Program, RN prescribing, support for internationally educated nurses, clinical education, and program approval processes. As the inaugural recipient of the Excellence in University-College Collaboration Award, Dr. DeLuca was recognized for championing partnerships that enhance baccalaureate nursing education. Her leadership has been instrumental in the development of Fanshawe College’s honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) 4-year degree, launching in fall 2026. Dr. DeLuca inspires innovation, collaboration, and visionary thinking. Her legacy of hard work and dedication has strengthened nursing education and the profession’s capacity for leadership, critical inquiry, and transformative change.

Dr. Debbie Rickeard is a transformative nurse educator with over 47 years of service in health care and academia. A proud graduate of the University of Windsor, she has dedicated her career to mentorship, curriculum innovation, and improving patient safety through simulation-based education. She has taught and mentored over 1,500 nursing students, secured funding for high-fidelity manikins and virtual reality integration, and contributed to one of the highest NCLEX pass rates in Ontario. Dr. Rickeard’s teaching philosophy centres on fostering a student-centred, inclusive, and evidence-informed learning environment. She empowers learners to become advocates for their patients and profession by integrating simulation, reflective practice, and real-world clinical decision-making into the curriculum. As an educator and mentor, she is committed to equity, accessibility, and creating psychologically safe spaces that cultivate resilience, collaboration, and lifelong learning. Dr. Rickeard is an exemplary choice for the CASN Excellence in Nursing Education Award due to her extensive contributions to nursing education. As a faculty member at the University of Windsor, she has consistently demonstrated high-quality teaching, earning multiple student-nominated awards. Her innovative approach is highlighted by her participation in developing a COVID-19 Virtual Simulation Game, CASN’s Nursing Residency Program, and various simulation-based learning tools. These innovations have significantly enhanced the learning experience for nursing students and registered nurses across Canada. Dr. Rickeard’s sustained excellence in teaching, mentorship, innovation, leadership, and engagement in nursing education makes her a deserving recipient of the CASN Excellence in Nursing Education Award.

As Senior Lab Instructor at the University of British Columbia (UNBC) School of Nursing, Heidi Dodenberg has made outstanding and sustained contributions to nursing education. As a rural and research-intensive yet smaller university, UNBC places nursing students in clinical settings that cover 600,000 square kilometres. Heidi is responsible for a wide range of education within labs, clinical, theory, and simulation contexts across four regional and rural campus sites. Heidi has skillfully blended clinical expertise with academic instruction to enhance holistic nurse education. Her innovative synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning strategies, when combined with her compassionate and creative leadership approach, result in immersive learning for students across a range of undergraduate programs, as noted in her student testimonials. Heidi has adeptly navigated the challenges of delivering consistent, high-quality education within hybrid learning environments. Her approach not only facilitates active learning but also supports critical thinking and reflective practice among students, bridging the theory–practice gap. Committed to educational equity, Heidi demonstrates leadership in creating safe and supportive teaching and learning environments, effectively reducing student anxiety and burnout exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and high clinical demands. Beyond the classroom, her active involvement in broader professional communities, such as the provincial pediatric asthma working group, the Canadian Alliance of Nurse Educators using Simulation, the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning, and the Western Canada Collaborative of Health Sciences Educators Society, further underscores her dedication to continuous advancements in nursing education. Heidi’s work not only epitomizes but also inspires excellence, innovation, and leadership in nursing education.

Dr. Shannon MacDonald is an internationally recognized nurse scientist leading a dynamic research program in immunization access and acceptance—making critical advancements in pediatric and public health nursing research. In 2024, she was awarded a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Applied Pediatric Immunization, amplifying nurses’ essential role in immunization practice, policy, and research. Her work prioritizes under-served populations, including Indigenous and structurally marginalized communities, with whom she partners directly. Dr. MacDonald has demonstrated impressive success in grant funding; over the past 10 years, she has held $41.3 million in grant funding, including $23.6 million as principal investigator or co-principal investigator and $17.7 million as co-investigator, from national and provincial agencies. Her impactful research has informed national policies, clinical guidelines, and immunization strategies—most notably national COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. She has published 135 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, with an h-index of 34, reflecting wide dissemination and scholarly impact. A committed research mentor, Dr. MacDonald supports trainees and early-career scholars, particularly from underrepresented groups, and fosters equity in all aspects of her program. Dr. MacDonald is the only nurse serving on the executive committees of both the Canadian Immunization Research Network and the Canadian Association for Immunization Research, Evaluation and Education. She was recently appointed to the Advisory Committee on Science for the Public Health Agency of Canada, further elevating the nursing perspective in national immunization leadership. Through these roles, Dr. MacDonald continues to strengthen the profile of nursing research across academic, policy, and service sectors.

Josée Bonneau is a professor at McGill University’s Ingram School of Nursing. In 2023, she obtained a doctorate in education (EdD) from the University of Western Ontario. Josée’s achievements reflect an ongoing and exceptional commitment to quality nursing education. She has extensive academic management experience, having taken on, among others, the role of associate director of her school’s nursing education programs. Her research work attests to her involvement in nursing pedagogy, as reflected in her advocacy for equity, diversity, and inclusion in nursing education and the trajectories promoting access to nursing education for Indigenous students. Josée also actively participates in various events associated with the CASN Accreditation program. She contributed to several accreditation visits in both francophone and anglophone environments as well as internationally and took on the role of team leader on more than one occasion. She also helped with the orientation of new reviewers. Josée stands out by virtue of, among other qualities, her professionalism, rigour, team spirit, and outstanding relational skills. Her deep understanding of the accreditation program and ability to grasp the realities of various teaching environments make her an exemplary role model for colleagues and an excellent ambassador for the accreditation program among schools of nursing. Her involvement is not limited to her role as a reviewer. Josée served on QRCASN’s Board of Directors (2020–2024) and is a member of CASN’s Advisory Committee on Accreditation Policy (2018–present).