Thirteen faculty and alumni from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON) have been honored by the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) for their exceptional careers and impact in advancing health, policy, and nursing education worldwide.
Eleven Hopkins Nursing faculty and alumni have been selected for fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing.
2025 JHSON Faculty Inductees
- Laura Lucas, DNP, APRN-CNS, RNC-OB, C-EFM, Assistant Professor; Director, Master of Science in Nursing Program; Coordinator, Birth Companions Program
- Shawna Mudd, DNP, MBA, CPNP-AC, PPCNP-BC, CNE, Associate Professor; Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
- Shaquita Starks, PhD, PMHNP-BC, Associate Professor; Track Director, PMHNP/PMHNP Certification
2025 JHSON Alumni Inductees
- Ivy Latoja Pacis, DNP, MSN, MHA, FACHE, CNE, NE-BC, CPHQ, CCRN-CMC, Adjunct Faculty, JHSON; Veterans Affairs Capitol Health Care Network
- Balkys Bivins, PhD, PMHNP-BC, Adjunct Faculty, JHSON; Monumental Health Partners
- Nakia C. Best, PhD, RN, University of California Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing
- Sondra Leiggi Brandon, DNP, MBA, MPH, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, NEA-BC, APRN, Queen’s Health Systems
- Carolyn Dickens, PhD, MBA, ACNP-BC, CNP-FPA, FAANP, FHFSA, University of Illinois Chicago
- Betsy Hassan, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, University of Vermont Medical Center
- Audra Rankin, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, University of North Carolina School of Nursing
- Amy Sawyer, PhD, RN, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
JHSON is also celebrating Phyllis Sharps, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor emerita, who has been named a 2025 Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing. This distinction recognizes Fellows who have made extraordinary contributions to nursing and global health.
Dr. Sharps is internationally known for her groundbreaking research on intimate partner violence (IPV) among pregnant and parenting women. Her Domestic Violence Enhanced Home Visitation (DOVE) intervention, funded by the National Institutes of Health, transformed how public health nurses identify and respond to IPV during pregnancy. Over her four-decade career, Dr. Sharps has advanced health equity, supported women of color affected by violence, and mentored hundreds of students and faculty.
The Academy also presented its highest individual honor, the President’s Award, to Patricia Davidson, PhD, MEd, RN, FAAN, former Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and current Vice Chancellor’s Fellow and Interim Co-Director of the International Centre for Future Health Systems at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. Dean Davidson was recognized for her extraordinary, lifelong contributions to improving the health of individuals, families, and communities.
“These recognitions from the American Academy of Nursing honor the remarkable breadth and depth of excellence within the Hopkins Nursing community,” said Sarah L. Szanton, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. “From our newest Fellows to our Living Legend and President’s Award honoree, each represents the spirit of innovation, compassion, and leadership that defines our school and advances the future of health and nursing around the world.”
The American Academy of Nursing officially inducted the FAAN class and honored award recipients during its Health Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. on October 18, 2025.
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Located in Baltimore, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is a globally-recognized leader in nursing education, research, and practice. In U.S. News & World Report rankings, the school is No. 1 nationally for its DNP program and No. 2 for its master’s. In addition, JHSON is ranked as the No. 3 nursing school in the world by QS World University. The school is an eight-time recipient of the INSIGHT Into Academia Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Distinction (HEED) Award and a six-time Best School for Men in Nursing award recipient. For more information, visit www.nursing.jhu.edu.
Media:
Sydnee Logan, MA
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