CELEBRATING NURSES AND MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH PROVIDERS

Kristen Miller
[email protected] | (206) 496-8645 [email protected] Kristen Miller

A wonderful morning of recognizing nursing excellence

DATE: Friday, November 6, 2026  |  TIME: 8 a.m.
LOCATION: Victory Hall at the Boxyard
ADDRESS: 1201 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134
 

Register

Can't join us? Help fund the mission.

event description image

Event description

The chefs, volunteers and guests who make up our Signature Chefs Events community are coming together in new, innovative ways to suport moms and babies this year.

We are following state mandated guidelines in response to COVID-19 and will not have an in-person event this year. So, we are preparing an exciting, new Virtual Gala for your 2020 March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction experience!

We need your help now more than ever. Your support funds:

  • COVID-19 interventions and support for moms and babies
  • Programs that promote health equity for moms and babies and directly combat racial disparities in maternal and child health
  • Free virtual NICU support program for families
  • Virtual prenatal programs for moms-to-be
  • Educational programs, including live Facebook panel discussions, to get info into the hands of moms and families
  • Necessary supplies for expectant mothers including blood pressure cuffs and masks and so much more!

Support the mission

Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide, and 1 million will die before their first birthday. Your gift helps the March of Dimes fund research, education, advocacy and programs that help more moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.

Make a Contribution

Become a sponsor

Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide, and 1 million will die before their first birthday. Your gift helps the March of Dimes fund research, education, advocacy and programs that help more moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.

Local Contact Person, Region
[email protected] | Phone # Contact Us

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

NOMINATE A NURSE

The March of Dimes is honored to pay tribute to the nursing profession by recognizing extraordinary
nurses throughout the community. Nurse of the Year events honor those who make a
difference in the lives of so many. Nominations are now closed.
Advanced Practice Nursing
Nurses who are nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives. The nurse nominated for this award consistently utilizes exemplary skills and advanced knowledge to manage and direct care of patient’s primary care providers, specialty care providers and health educators in the hospital and the community.  This practitioner promotes and integrates the use of evidence-based knowledge in every encounter, understands the standards of care for their specialty, promoting health and comprehensive care to patients/families.

Advancement in Health Equity
The nurse nominated for this award advances diversity, equity, and inclusion through practice, education leadership or research. They demonstrate some of the following characteristics: Diversity in Nursing encompasses disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, and veteran status, as well as differences in background, experience, education, and even thought. Provide education through literature and work groups; create a sense of belonging, encourage others to share their views and give them a voice in decision-making; foster individuality, treat people as individuals, and uphold dignity; provide opportunities for peers to learn and develop.

Behavioral Health  
The nurse nominated for excellence in behavioral health demonstrates vision, perseverance, dedication, initiative, and facilitation in the delivery of trauma informed mental health services to individuals, families, and their communities through compassion, sensitivity, and exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. A nurse who can see the human being in everyone and knows that a person isn't defined by their mental health condition. 

Community and Population Health Management: 
The nurse nominated for this award is a registered nurse who consistently practices excellence and who utilizes exemplary skills and knowledge in caring for patients in the community, skilled nursing centers, assisted living, home health, hospice, rehabilitation, ambulatory clinics, community outreach with a focus on prevention of disease in individuals, families and communities with a focus on health equity.  This nurse regularly promotes and integrates the use of evidence-based knowledge in every encounter, understands the standards of care for their specialty, promotes health through the care they provide to the patient/family.

Distinguished Nurse of the Year  
Nurses, with 20+ years of experience, whose contributions and accomplishments have had an extraordinary influence and significantly lasting impact within the nursing profession in Washington. These nurses, demonstrate leadership that provides a role model to inspire other nurses to improve and foster a positive public image of nursing as a profession. 

Front Line Leader  
The nurse nominated follows their inner compass to inspire, coach, and guide others with compassion, clarity, and purpose. They promote vision and values to inspire others to work together in pursuit of a common goal. As nominee in this category the nurse demonstrates exemplary transformational leadership with a proven record for achieving and sustaining excellent outcomes. This nominee could be a frontline leader such as charge nurse or supervisor or a member of the Leadership team such as ANM, manager, or director.

Nursing Administration and Leadership  
Includes CNE’s, CNO’s, VP’s, and Administrative Directors. This leader follows their inner compass to inspire, coach, and guide others with compassion, clarity, and purpose.  They promote vision and values and inspire others to work together in pursuit of a common goal. As nominee in this category the nurse demonstrates exemplary transformational leadership with a proven record for achieving and sustaining excellent outcomes.  They function as mentors to encourage the next generation of leaders in support of Professional Development and the future of the Nursing Profession.

Nursing Practice Excellence   
The nurse nominated for this award will be a registered nurse who consistently practices excellence and who utilizes exemplary skills and knowledge in caring for patients in the hospital and in the community.  This nurse regularly promotes and integrates the use of evidence-based knowledge in every encounter, understands the standards of care for their specialty, promotes health through the care they provide to the patient/family.

Professional Development Excellence  
The nurse nominated for this award demonstrates consistent leadership and contribution in the professional development of nurses.  They demonstrate a personal commitment to and encourage academic advancement and professional organization membership. Serve as a role model as a preceptor, and/or educator, fostering long-term learning and contributions to professional growth. Always attentive to individualized learning needs and innovation in teaching, providing feedback and encouraging and promoting growth.  The recipient is or could be certified in their specialty.

Rising Star  
This award is intended to recognize an RN who is new to the profession within the first 18 months of practice. An individual who demonstrates exceptional qualities and embodies the best of nursing through outstanding care, leadership, and professionalism. The nominee shows promise and is making a large impact in the short time in their profession.

NURSE OF THE YEAR AWARDS WINNERS

The March of Dimes is proud to honor the 2025 Nurse of the Year Award winners.

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.

Our Sponsors

Our Sponsor

View our updated event acknowledgements and waivers here.