The annual CASN Awards recognize the hard work, creativity, and passion of the members of Canada’s schools of nursing.

CASN is committed to equity and diversity and welcomes nominations of persons across a diversity of gender identities, gender expressions, sexual orientations, Indigenous identities, racialized identities, and disabilities and/or neurodivergences.

Thank you for taking the time to celebrate the accomplishments and extraordinary dedication of nurse educators, researchers, and students across Canada and for recognizing the contributions of these leaders to nursing education excellence.

The CASN Awards are presented at the annual CASN Council Meeting.

Academic Administrative Excellence Award

Sarah Evans, RN, MN, CCNE, EdD – York University

Dr. Sarah Evans is exceptionally well suited for the CASN Academic Administrative Excellence Award due to her visionary leadership, innovative program development, and sustained impact on undergraduate nursing education at York University. During periods of significant institutional challenge, including program restructuring, staffing pressures, and administrative transitions, she assumed multiple concurrent leadership roles to ensure operational continuity and governance stability. Dr. Evans demonstrated innovation through the development of alternative study pathways for Internationally Educated Nurses to sustain program viability. She led development of an Accelerated Direct Entry BScN pathway to support enrolment sustainability and student access. In addition, she co-led implementation of a major BScN curriculum revision and introduced undergraduate streams to enhance student engagement and curricular relevance. Her leadership in NCLEX preparation resulted in the development of a comprehensive NCLEX Success Plan, which received $20,800 in funding funded, and provided individualized coaching to support student licensure success. Her administrative reforms, including centralized deferred examination management and a standardized course outline template, improved fairness and consistency across all undergraduate programs. As curriculum committee chair, she has advanced the integration of AI in nursing education, interprofessional competencies, and Next Generation NCLEX standards. Dr. Evans’s impact is recognized by peers and students alike, including the 2022 Sigma Theta Tau Award for Excellence in Nursing Administration and three consecutive Faculty Recognition Awards from students (2022–2024). Her leadership has made nursing education at York more equitable, innovative, and nationally relevant, making her an exceptionally deserving recipient of the CASN Academic Administrative Excellence Award.

Ethel Johns Award

Margaret Ann Purden, N., PhD – McGill University

Professor Margaret Purden is an exceptional candidate for the Ethel Johns Award, recognized for her sustained leadership, innovative contributions, and meaningful influence on nursing education in Canada. Her career reflects a rare combination of educational vision, scholarly depth, and a genuine commitment to mentorship and collaborative practice. A central challenge in health professions education has been preparing graduates for collaborative, patient centred care within complex systems. As the inaugural Director of McGill’s Office of Interprofessional Education, Dr. Purden addressed this need by developing curricula that bring together learners from multiple disciplines and embed collaboration as a core element of training. Her leadership has strengthened learner preparedness and fostered a strong culture of partnership across the health professions. Dr. Purden’s teaching approach further distinguishes her. She creates learning environments that are rigorous, inclusive, and grounded in critical thinking and an understanding of how research improves patient outcomes. Her excellence in teaching has been recognized through honours such as the McGill Medicine Alumni Global Award, the Faculty Honour List for Educational Excellence, and the 2025 Thank a Prof Recognition Program. As Scientific Director of the Centre for Nursing Research, she has advanced the integration of cutting edge research into nursing practice and patient care, strengthening the profession’s capacity for evidence informed innovation. Her national contributions to the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing have further advanced graduate education across the country. Through her leadership, innovation, and sustained national impact, Dr. Purden embodies the purpose and spirit of the Ethel Johns Award.

Excellence in Nursing Education (Permanent/Tenure-Track/Tenured/Term) Award

Mina Singh, BScN, MEd, PhD, RN, I-FCNEI – York University

Dr. Mina Singh is an exemplary candidate for the Excellence in Nursing Education (Permanent/Tenure-Track/Tenured/Term) Award, distinguished by over two decades of impactful scholarship, leadership, and service that have strengthened nursing education, research capacity, and community health at local, national, and international levels. As a Professor in the School of Nursing at York University, Dr. Singh has played a foundational role in developing academic and research infrastructure, including establishing clinical partnerships, advancing simulation-based learning, and contributing to the creation of the PhD program in Nursing, thereby significantly enhancing institutional research capacity. Dr. Singh’s research leadership is deeply rooted in collaboration and innovation. She has fostered interdisciplinary partnerships through initiatives such as the Jane–Finch–York University Research Collaborative, supporting community-engaged research that addresses health equity. Her work has bridged academic and clinical practice through the development of a Research Scientist role with York Central Hospital, where she mentored practicing nurses in research and quality improvement. Her expertise in program evaluation, particularly through the application of the CIPP model, has been widely adopted to strengthen accountability and quality improvement in nursing education nationally and internationally. Her contributions extend to global health and community service, including leadership roles with the Black Creek Community Health Centre and Guyana Help the Kids, where she has supported healthcare capacity building and education. Nationally, her work with CASN as an Accreditation Reviewer and scholar has influenced standards across Canadian nursing programs. This led to her receiving the Wendy McBride Accreditation Reviewer award in 2014. Collectively, Dr. Singh’s research excellence demonstrates sustained impact, innovation, and leadership that have advanced nursing knowledge, education, and practice. 

Excellence in Nursing Education (Simulation/Lab/Clinical Teaching) Award 

Laura Nicholson, RN, MN, EdD, CHSE – York University

Dr. Laura Nicholson is an exceptional candidate for the CASN Nursing Education Excellence Award, distinguished by her sustained leadership, innovation, and commitment to student success. As Director of the Nursing Simulation Centre (NSC) at York University, she has significantly advanced simulation-based education, transforming the NSC into a technologically sophisticated learning environment. Through the integration of augmented reality, virtual reality, and high-fidelity simulation across maternal-child and medical-surgical domains, she has strengthened students’ clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and preparedness for practice. Her contributions have positioned York University as a provincial leader in simulation education and aligned curricular approaches with evolving healthcare demands. Dr. Nicholson’s commitment to mentorship is equally impactful. She fosters inclusive, psychologically safe learning environments and provides individualized support to students, including tailored remediation and progression planning. Her leadership in initiatives such as the Nursing Student Tutoring and Mentorship Program and the Canadian Black Nursing Alliance York Chapter further demonstrates her dedication to equity, student development, and peer mentorship. She also mentors graduate students, supporting their growth in simulation pedagogy and professional practice.  An innovative educator, Dr. Nicholson integrates emerging technologies and advanced clinical scenarios to enhance engagement and learning outcomes. Her leadership extends to curriculum development, including co-leading a Ministry of Health-funded ($500,000) compressed BScN program, and contributing to institutional governance through key academic committees.  Nationally and internationally, she advances nursing education through her roles with the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and CASN. Overall, Dr. Nicholson’s contributions are exemplary, impactful, and deserving of national recognition.

Nursing Research Excellence Award

Dr. Ahtisham Younas, RN, PhD – Memorial University of Newfoundland

Dr. Ahtisham Younas, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Nursing, Memorial University of Newfoundland, is an exceptionally distinguished nurse scientist whose scholarly contributions and academic leadership make him an outstanding candidate for this recognition. Despite the considerable challenges of establishing a research program in a resource-intensive environment while simultaneously managing extensive teaching, supervision, and service responsibilities, Dr. Younas has demonstrated remarkable productivity and impact: he has authored 124 peer-reviewed publications, achieved an H-index of 40 with over 6,036 citations, and been ranked among the top 2% of scientists globally by the Elsevier/Stanford University list; positioning him 147th among 66,595 nurse scientists worldwide. His innovative program of research, organized around two synergistic streams addressing behavioural competencies for compassionate care and socio-structural determinants of health equity, has generated over one million in competitive external funding from CIHR, SSHRC, and international sources, directly translating into improved care for marginalized populations including 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities and ethnic minorities. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Creative Nursing (2022-2026) and Associate Editor of the Journal of Mixed Methods Research and International Nursing Review, Dr. Younas has shaped the national and international nursing research agenda. He will be taking on the position of Editor-in-Chief of Nurse Education in Practice beginning in January 2027. Assuming this role allows him to directly shape international pedagogical standards and amplify high-impact nursing education research on a global scale. His dedication to mentorship is evidenced by the successful supervision of multiple doctoral and master’s students across the globe, several of whom have secured their own competitive funding. Dr. Younas exemplifies the highest standards of academic nursing excellence, and his contributions to research, education, and equity focused scholarship reflect outstanding merit deserving of this award.

Wendy McBride Award for Accreditation Reviewer Excellence

Lynnette Leeseberg Stamler, RN, PhD, DLitt, FAAN – University of Nebraska Medical Center
Dr. Lynnette Leeseberg Stamler has a wide range of experience in nursing education, including both teaching and leadership roles. She has taught or led baccalaureate nursing programs in colleges and universities, and in collaborative programs with college partners. She has taught in or provided leadership in baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral programs in Canada and the United States.  Lynnette was a reviewer for CASN accreditation in the early 2000s, but was precluded by policy from being as reviewer while serving as a CASN Board member from 2003 to 2011. As a board member and President of CASN, Lynnette has been intensively involved in the development of and revision of the CASN accreditation process and standards, as well as setting the stage for International CASN accreditation. Unfortunately for us, she relocated to several American universities in a variety of leadership positions. Since returning to Canada in 2022, she has served as a CASN site reviewer as team member and team leader for Canadian and international baccalaureate programs. She has remained steadfastly committed to the encouragement of excellence in baccalaureate nursing education through accreditation in Canada and beyond.  She has also shared her expertise through her mentorship of others in the review process. Through her respectful interactions with school personnel and members of the review team, her insightful questions, her affirming interactions, her fairness, her openness to various opinions, and her obvious interest in site school’s educational programming, she has provided excellent leadership. She has modelled the exceptional CASN site reviewer.

 
 

Award Descriptions and Nomination Forms

Nursing schools have coped over the last several years with budgetary and human resources reductions, program changes and recruitment problems. Many schools have developed new approaches to nursing education and research and have incorporated emerging technologies into their programs. Some schools have entered into innovative and unique partnerships with colleges, the private sector, clinical sites, and other disciplines. The Academic Administrative Excellence Award aims to promote individuals who are leaders in academic nursing management within CASN.

 

CASN’s Ethel Johns Award is named after the founding Director of the first university nursing program in Canada. It is given in recognition of distinguished service to nursing education in Canada. CASN has presented this award to outstanding nursing education leaders since 1988. 

 

Fostering the highest standards in professional nursing education is a critical component of CASN’s mission. The objective of the award for Excellence in Nursing Education (Permanent/Tenure-Track/Tenured/Term Faculty Positions) is to acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments of individuals to the realization of our mission and to promote and disseminate good practices in nursing education. This award is presented annually at the Fall CASN Council meeting.

Fostering the highest standards in professional nursing education is a critical component of CASN’s mission. The objective of the award for Excellence in Nursing Education (Simulation/Lab/Clinical Teaching Positions) is to acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments of individuals to the realization of our mission and to promote and disseminate good practices in nursing education. This award is presented annually at the Fall CASN Council meeting.

The promotion of nursing research is a critical component of CASN’s mission. The recognition of individual accomplishments in the research arena is an important means by which CASN can acknowledge contributions to the growth of nursing as a scientific discipline. The award for Excellence in Nursing Research is presented annually at the Fall CASN Council meeting.

The Wendy McBride Award for Accreditation Reviewer Excellence was created by CASN to acknowledge the contribution of a former Executive Director, to CASN and to the CASN Accreditation Program.  Accreditation reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the quality, integrity, and credibility of the CASN accreditation program. As external peer reviewers, they assess nursing education programs against CASN accreditation standards using a fair, objective, and evidence-informed approach. Through their professional expertise and collegial engagement, reviewers contribute to quality assurance and continuous improvement in nursing education, while recognizing program strengths and identifying opportunities for enhancement in teaching, and scholarly activity.  Reviewers demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and respect throughout the accreditation process and commit to participating in accreditation reviews on a regular basis. 

Selection Process 

Nominations for CASN Awards go directly to the Awards & Nominations Committee for review. The committee keeps the nominations confidential, including from the executive director and the board of directors, until the winners are selected.

Each award has a separate rating scale to evaluate the candidates’ using criteria listed on the award nomination form.

Committee members submit their completed rating scales, and a statistical analysis is used to rank the nominees for each award.

The highest ranked individual for each award is submitted to the board of directors proposing that the person who ranked first in each category be named the winner. The board votes to ratify the proposed winners of each award.

The Academic Administrative Excellence Award was renamed in 2024 from the original Academic Administrative Excellence Award which was established in 2000.

Year Recipient
2025 Catherine M. Laing, University of Calgary
2024 Colleen Norris, University of Alberta
2023 José Côté, Université de Montréal
2022 Michael McGillion, McMaster University
2021 Roberta Woodgate, University of Manitoba
2020 Dawn Stacey, University of Ottawa and Joan E. Tranmer, Queen’s University
2019 Shannon Scott, University of Alberta
2018 Nancy Feeley, McGill University
2017 Nicole Letourneau, University of Calgary
2016 Kelli Stajduhar, University of Victoria
2015 Heather Laschinger, Western University
2014 Kelly Metcalfe, University of Toronto
2013 Pamela Ratner, University of British Columbia
2012 Kathryn King-Shier, University of Calgary
2011 Linda McGillis Hall, University of Toronto
2010 Brenda Cameron, University of Alberta
2009 Alexander Clark, University of Alberta
2008 Greta Cummings, University of Alberta
2007 Philippe Voyer, Université Laval
2006 Hélène Lefebvre, Université de Montréal
2005 Gina Browne, University of Toronto
2004 Nancy Edwards, University of Ottawa
2003 Andrea Baumann, McMaster University
2002 N/A
2001 N/A
2000 Diane Irvine, University of Toronto


The Ethel Johns Award was established in 1988.

Year Recipient
2025 Sandy DeLuca, Fanshawe College
2024 Annie Chevrier, McGill University
2023 Pauline Paul, University of Alberta
2022 Margaret Edwards, Athabasca University
2021 Jane Tyerman, University of Ottawa
2020 N/A
2019 Sioban Nelson, University of Toronto
2018 Sylvie Jetté, Université de Sherbrooke
2017 Ruth Martin-Misener, Dalhousie University
2016 Netha Dyck, Saskatchewan Polytechnic
2015 Janet Landeen, McMaster University
2014 Clémence Dallaire, Université Laval
2013 Sally Thorne, University of British Columbia
2012 Judith MacIntosh, University of New Brunswick
2011 Cécile Michaud, Université de Sherbrooke
2010 Gail Donner, University of Toronto
2009 Madeleine Buck, McGill University
2008 Marianne Lamb, Queen’s University
2007 Anita E. Molzahn, University of Victoria
2006 Diana Davidson Dick, SIAST
2005 Carole Orchard, The University of Western Ontario
2004 Janet Storch, University of Victoria
2003 Margaret Hart, University of Manitoba and Peggy Ann Field, University of Alberta
2002 Edith Cote, Université Laval and Louise Chartier, Université de Sherbrooke 
2001 Carole Jillings, University of British Columbia
2000 Shirley Stinson, University of Alberta
1999 Helen Glass, University of Manitoba and Marilynn Wood, University of Alberta
1998 Susan French, McMaster University
1997 Denise Alcock, University of Ottawa
1996 Alice Baumgart, Queen’s University
1994 Moyra Allen, McGill University
1993 Marie-France Thibaudeau, Université de Montréal
1992 Sister Jeanne Forest, Institut Marguerite d’Youville
1990 Joan Gilchrist, McGill University
1988 Dorothy Kergin, McMaster University


The Excellence in Nursing Education (Permanent/Tenure-Track/Tenured/Term) Award was renamed in 2024 from the original Nursing Education Tenured Award which was established in 2000.

Year Recipient
2025 Debbie Rickeard, University of Windsor
2024 Sherry Dahlke, University of Alberta
2023 Lorelli Nowell, University of Calgary
2022 Tracey L. Clancy, University of Calgary
2021 Christina West, University of Manitoba
2020 Jennifer L. Lapum, Ryerson University
2019 Nicole Harder, University of Manitoba
2018 Sandra Davidson, University of Calgary
2017 Deborah Tregunno, Queen’s University
2016 Wendy Hall, University of British Columbia
2015 Nancy Moules, University of Calgary
2014 Beth Perry, Athabasca University
2013 Judy Bornais, University of Windsor
2012 Lynne Young, University of Victoria
2011 Sherri Melrose, Athabasca University
2010 Star Mahra, Thompson Rivers University
2009 Louise Dumas, Université du Québec en Outaouais
2008 Sue Coffey, York University
2007 Florence Myrick, University of Alberta
2006 Johanne Goudreau, Université de Montréal
2005 Marion Clausen, University of British Columbia
2004 Judith MacIntosh, University of New Brunswick
2003 Jeanette Boman, University of Alberta
2002 N/A
2001 N/A
2000 Gwen Hartrick, University of Victoria


The Excellence in Nursing Education (Simulation/Lab/Clinical Teaching) Award was renamed in 2024 from the original Nursing Education Non-Tenured Award which was established in 2007.

Year Receipient

2025 Heidi Dodenberg, University of Northern British Columbia
2024 Louise-Andrée Brien, Université de Montréal
2023 Danielle Yaffe, University of Manitoba
2022 Laura A. Killam, Cambrian College of Applied Arts & Technology
2021 Madeleine Buck, McGill University
2020 Kelley Tousignant, University of Ottawa
2019 Jane Tyerman, Trent/Fleming
2018 Patricia M. King, University of Saskatchewan
2017 Shelley Cobbett, Dalhousie University
2016 Patricia Woods, Langara College
2015 Shannon Redmond, Langara College and Cheryl Pulling, Queen’s University
2014 Jane Mighton, Langara College
2013 Grace Ross, York University
2012 Jenn Salfi, McMaster University
2011 Patricia Bradley, York University
2010 Darlene Scott, Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology
2009 Elizabeth Burcher, University of Toronto
2008 France Poliquin, Université Laval
2007 Colleen Kiberd, Dalhousie University 


The Nursing Research Excellence Award was renamed in 2024 from the original Nursing Research Award which was established in 2000.

Year Recipient
2025 Shannon MacDonald, University of Alberta
2024 Sandra Davidson, University of Calgary
2023 Anita J. Gagnon, McGill University
2022 Joanna Pierazzo, McMaster University
2021 Lorna Butler, University of New Brunswick
2020 Cheryl Pulling, Queen’s University
2019 Teresa Petrick, Selkirk College
2018 Frances Gallagher, Université de Sherbrooke
2017 Anita Molzahn, 
2016 Mario Lepage, Université du Québec en Outaouais
2015 Dianne Tapp, University of Calgary
2014 Kathleen MacMillan, Dalhousie University
2013 Jennifer Medves, Queen’s University
2012 Francine Girard, Université de Montréal
2011 Lorraine Watson, University of Calgary
2010 Diane Morin, Université Laval
2009 Betty Cragg, University of Ottawa
2008 Kileen Tucker Scott, Ryerson University
2007 Linda Lepage, Université Laval
2006 Margaret Edwards, Athabasca University
2005 Dr. Susan French, McGill University
2004 Marianne Lamb, Queen’s University
2003 Rene Day, University of Alberta
2002 Chantal St-Pierre, Université du Québec- Outaouais
2001 David Gregory, University of Manitoba
2000 Angela Gillis, St. Francis-Xavier University

The Wendy McBride Award for Accreditation Reviewer Excellence Award was renamed in 2024 from the original Wendy McBride Award which was established in 2009.

Year Recipient
2025 Josée Bonneau, McGill University
2024 Kathy Watkins, Centre for Nursing Studies
2023 Kathleen White-Williams, Toronto Metropolitan University  
2022 Linda Ferguson, University of Saskatchewan
2021 Landa Terblanche, Trinity Western University
2020 N/A
2019 Suzanne Harrison, Université de Moncton
2018 Catherine Tompkins, McMaster University
2017 Chantal Saint-Pierre, Université du Québec en Outaouais
2016 Judith MacIntosh, University of New Brunswick
2015 Joanne Profetto-McGrath, University of Alberta
2014 Mina Singh, York University
2013 Mariann Rich, Athabasca University
2012 Lois Berry, University of Saskatchewan
2011 Ellen MacFarlane, St. Francis Xavier University 
2010 Sonia Acorn, University of British Columbia
2009 Lan Gein, Memorial University