Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes nurses who have made significant and sustained contributions to the profession of nursing through their leadership, advocacy, research and/or teaching. This designation was first awarded in 2021.
2023
Maureen Shekleton PhD, RN, NEA-BC
Dr. Maureen Sheckleton has devoted her career to shaping the healthcare landscape in Illinois, demonstrating a deep commitment to nursing leadership and education. Her leadership extends across numerous prestigious nursing organizations. Her service in elected and appointed positions within the American Nurses Association (ANA), Illinois Nurses Association (INA), American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and the Illinois Nurses Foundation. Through these organizations, she played pivotal roles in shaping nursing policy, practice, and philanthropy. Dr. Maureen Sheckleton’s influence on nursing education, practice, and policy has left an indelible mark on the profession. Her courage, evidence-based advocacy, and mentorship have empowered countless nurses to provide safe and quality care. Her legacy is not only in her impressive list of achievements but also in the thriving careers of those she has guided and inspired. She has served the Illinois Nurses Foundation for 22 years. She has been a historian, mentor, educator, and friend to many.
2021
Joan Bundley
Joan Bundley’s contributions to nursing have occurred over a long, productive, and distinguished career as both a nurse and a parliamentarian. She is widely recognized for her expertise and dedication to both. She has supported many initiatives that advanced the scope and practice of nursing through both direct and indirect advocacy. She mentored many nurses who drew on her expertise about the issues and the processes and became leaders in their own right. She has helped so many nurses be “heard.”