BECOME A SPONSOR
The March of Dimes celebrates nursing in the most meaningful way, through partnerships with hospitals, health care facilities, organizations, vendors and individuals. Sponsorship opportunities are available at a variety of levels for our Nurse of the Year event, providing integration and civic engagement while playing tribute to nurses. We look forward to discussing your partnership with the March of Dimes. If you'd like more information about being a sponsor or helping to celebrate our nominees and finalists - please reach out to Kristen at
[email protected].
EVENT DETAILS
Join us as we honor nursing excellence and pay tribute to the tireless efforts of nurses throughout the community while also raising valuable funds for the March of Dimes. Over the course of 10 to 12 weeks, nurses are nominated by colleagues, supervisors or the families they have served. At a culminating awards event, the March of Dimes then celebrates the profession and recognizes the most outstanding nurses in 10 diverse categories.
EVENT LEADERSHIP
Thanks to the leadership of our volunteer chairs and committee members, we are honored to present Nurse of the Year events. After months of hard work, these volunteers have taken the event to new heights, honoring more nurses than ever before. The March of Dimes and the families we support are grateful for the generosity and effort of the team that made this event possible.
Thank you to our amazing leadership:
Deann Edgers - EvergreenHealth - Event Chair
Carol Wissner - Providence Swedish
Debra Ridling - Seattle Children's
Jen Graves - Northwest University - Buntain School of Nursing - UW School of Nursing
Kelli Kennedy - Kaiser Permanente Washington
Kelli Vandagriff - Aya Healthcare
Kim Deynaka - Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
Michelle James - PeaceHealth
Renee Rassilyer-Bomers - Providence Swedish
Robert Loehr - Favorite Staffing
Toni Swenson - Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
Rising Star
Ashlyn Bacon
MultiCare - Auburn Medical Center
Her primary goal is to advance the nursing profession and improve patient outcomes, and she is already doing so through her contributions to evidence-based policy development and peer mentorship. Ashlyn is not only an exceptional new graduate nurse but also a future nurse leader whose influence will shape patient care and nursing practice for years to come.
Nursing Practice Excellence
Alexandra Truzzi
Providence Swedish - Cherry Hill
She mentors staff, leads quality initiatives and drives interdisciplinary collaboration across the health system. Her standout achievement includes launching the Pediatric CRRT and relaunching the Pediatric Hemodialysis program, where she unified teams, standardized protocols, and ensured safe, evidence-based care for critically ill children.
Nursing Administration and Leadership
Heather Martin
Providence Swedish - First Hill
A visionary leader and servant nurse, Heather redesigned the organization's quality escalation model following a NICU MRSA outbreak - mobilizing cross-disciplinary teams and earning praise from regulators. Her legacy includes spearheading mass COVID-19 vaccination efforts, mentoring clinical educators, and teaching at Seattle University.
Distinguished Nurse of the Year
Janet Dubois
Northwest University
Janet is a tenured nursing educator whose dedication to student success, clinical excellence, and leadership has made her a cornerstone of her program. She coordinates clinical placements, mentors faculty, and chairs the Curriculum and Evaluation Committee, all while modeling a tireless work ethic and deep compassion.
View our updated event acknowledgements and waivers here.
