For thirty years, Mount St. Joseph University has brought together the Greater Cincinnati community to recognize and honor outstanding nurses who go above and beyond to provide exceptional leadership.
Mount St. Joseph University, with 100 years of providing quality nursing education, has a rich heritage and commitment to preparing nursing leaders. We are proud to host the 31st Leadership in Nursing Awards Ceremony on October 21st, 2026, at the Drees Pavilion.
Four awards will be presented at the 2026 ceremony, along with leadership scholarships for nursing students.
2026 Leadership in Nursing Registration
Please RSVP by October 5, 2026
Special thanks to the sponsors of this event:
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
St. Elizabeth Healthcare
The Christ Hospital
TriHealth
The recipients for the 2026 leadership awards are:
2026 Leadership in Nursing Awards
Distinguished Nurse Administrator
Laurie Conkright, MSN, NE-BC
Senior Vice President, Chief Nurse Executive
St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Distinguished Nurse Administrator
Michele Huff, MSN, RN, CPHQ, GERO-BC, CMSRN
Manager, Nursing Quality & VAT
TriHealth
Distinguished Nurse Educator
Jamie Heidrich, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CNL, CEN
Director, Nursing Services - Magnet
The Christ Hospital Health Network
Distinguished Nurse Researcher
Lisa Pompeii, PhD, MS, FAAOHN
Director, Division of Patient Services Research
Cincinnati Children's
Lifetime Achievement in Nursing Leadership
Barb Tofani, MSN, RN, NEA-BC
Senior Vice President for Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer
Cincinnati Children’s
Lifetime Achievement in Nursing Leadership
Paul Lewis, PhD, FNP-BC, RN; Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired)
Professor (retired)
College of Nursing
University of Cincinnati