Emory School of Nursing announces 2026 alumni award recipients

The Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing recognized six alumni for outstanding contributions to the school, profession and community during its annual Nurses' Alumni Association Awards dinner.

The following honorees were recognized at the celebration, held Feb. 26 at the Miller-Ward Alumni House on Emory's main campus.

Distinguished Nursing Lifetime Achievement Award: Linda A. McCauley 79MN, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN

From 2009 until her retirement as dean in 2025, McCauley led the Emory School of Nursing through a strategic transformation that propelled the school to national prominence. During her tenure, the school earned the No. 1 ranking in U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Nursing Schools and the No. 1 ranking for undergraduate nursing programs.

She expanded the school's academic offerings, increased enrollment to more than 1,500 students - making Emory Georgia's leading producer of registered nurses - and spearheaded major initiatives such as the Emory Nursing Learning Center, the Center for Data Science, the Emory Nursing Experience professional development program, and the Georgia Nursing Workforce Center. Under her direction, the school also grew in research capacity, securing more than $121 million in NIH support from 2010-2025 and ranking among the top 5 nursing schools in NIH funding for 10 consecutive years.

McCauley has also built a distinguished 35-year career as a nurse scientist focused on environmental and occupational health. She serves on the National Academy of Medicine Governing Council and the EPA Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee and is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Hall of Fame and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing.

Emerging Nursing Professional Award: Jasmine Ofodu 24MN, RN

A dynamic early-career nurse, Ofodu is a pediatric registered nurse in the Tech-Dependent Intensive Care Unit at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, where she delivers care to medically complex patients.

She earned her bachelor's degree at Spelman College and then pursued her MN at Emory, where she served as a peer mentor and school ambassador. She also serves as a content creator, sharing insights on nursing, wellness and lifestyle and empowering newly licensed and aspiring nurses.

Excellence in Nursing Education Award: Curry Bordelon 07MSN, DNP, MBA, CRNP, NNP-BC, CPNP-AC, CNE, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN

As an associate professor and interim department chair at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, Bordelon is recognized nationally for his work in leadership, clinical practice, curricular development, and interprofessional education.

He is an advocate for workforce diversity, serving as president-elect of the American Association for Men in Nursing, and a founding member of the American Men's Health Nursing Alliance, where he advances efforts to designate men's health as a specialty area. He is a Certified Nurse Educator and a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, National Academies of Practice, and Academy of Nursing Education.

Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award: Breanna Lathrop 08MSN 08MPH, DNP, FNP-BC

Lathrop is the CEO and nurse practitioner at the Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta, where she provides executive leadership and hands-on patient care for those facing barriers to health insurance and essential services.

A double Emory graduate with master's degrees in nursing and public health, she is also a consultant, educator, national speaker, and co-author of the book How Neighborhoods Make Us Sick: Restoring Health and Wellness to Our Communities. Her service and achievements have earned her recognition as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader.

Excellence in Nursing Practice Award: Ariel Esteves 10MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

With more than two decades of clinical and leadership experience, Esteves is the founder of WestsideMed, a community-focused urgent and primary care practice in Atlanta. A graduate of the school's MSN in emergency nursing program, she previously served as a clinic practice manager and regional director of operations.

Her clinical expertise is complemented by her commitment to community service, including work on the board of Warming Embraces, Inc., an Atlanta-based nonprofit focused on prenatal care.

Excellence in Social Responsibility Award: Augustina Delaney 12BSN 16PhD, RN, CNM

Delaney works at the intersection of global health, maternal and child health, infectious disease surveillance, and implementation science, serving as a research scientist for the CDC Foundation.

With a clinical foundation as a Certified Nurse Midwife at the Atlanta Birth Center, she also served as a senior nurse consultant for the CDC, working on Zika birth defect surveillance, HIV medication adherence research, and community engagement in Cambodia, among other issues. Delaney is also a noted leader in teaching and training, data analysis and use, and program implementation, with a special focus on maternal and child health.

30 Years at Emory Healthcare

The evening also included a recognition of the School of Nursing alumni who are celebrating 30 or more years of service with Emory Healthcare:

• Wendy Braswell 95BSN, RN, Nurse Clinician, Emory University Hospital Midtown 71 ICU
• Gloria A. Thompson 96BSN, Advanced RN Clinician, Emory University Hospital Midtown Nuclear Cardiology
• Amy B. Knight 95BSN, WEO, Advanced Scholar RN, Emory University Hospital Midtown CCU Unit 41
• Lisbeth Higgins 09MSN, Advanced Practice Provider, Emory Heart & Vascular Center at Decatur
  
  

About the Emory School of Nursing

The Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is a top nursing school committed to educating visionary nurse leaders and scholars. Home to the No. 1 master's, No. 2 BSN, and No. 8 DNP programs nationwide, the school has been recognized as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League of Nursing. The school offers undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and non-degree programs, bringing together cutting-edge research, distinguished faculty, top clinical experiences, and access to leading health care partners to shape the future of nursing and impact the world's health and well-being. Learn more at nursing.emory.edu.