Centennial Awards

Future of Nursing Scholars Award

Claire Choi is a registered nurse at the Wilmot Cancer Center, caring for patients in the Adult Hematology/Oncology unit. A proud University of Rochester alumna, she has remained deeply connected to the institution through her undergraduate studies, graduate work at the Simon Business School, completion of the Accelerated Bachelor’s in Nursing (ABSN) program, and now as a part-time PhD student at the School of Nursing. With a non-traditional path into nursing, Choi integrates her background in business with her passion for oncology, clinical trials, and patient advocacy. Her research emphasizes cross-sectional collaboration to bridge clinical practice, health policy, and cancer care innovation, focusing on lung cancer awareness among adults under 50. Outside of her clinical and academic roles, she mentors upper-undergraduate students in professional networking through the UR Real Readers program.

Rising Star Award

Senior level 2 nurse, Strong Memorial Hospital Unit 4-9000 (Inpatient Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent), URochester Medicine

Maddi Peters is a dedicated pediatric nurse in an inpatient psychiatric unit at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She provides compassionate, patient centered care to children and families navigating complex mental health challenges. Serving as chair of the Unit Council, she plays a key leadership role in unit initiatives. She also oversees the coordination and distribution of donations that are given to the unit. As a trained charge nurse, she frequently steps into leadership roles ensuring smooth unit operations. Peters is also a part of the preceptor program and she serves as one of the lead preceptors for new nurses. She is passionate about her work, is committed to mentoring staff, fostering growth, and building meaningful therapeutic connections with patients and families.

Clinical Excellence Award

Level 2 nurse, Strong Memorial Hospital Unit 4-3400 (Cardiac Transplant), URochester Medicine

Sharese Reed began her journey at the University of Rochester Medical Center in the Cardiac Step-Down unit in 2011 as a Patient Care Technician, later earning her LPN in 2014, and achieving her proudest professional milestone of becoming a Registered Nurse in May 2025. As a dedicated mother of two college students, she takes great pride in leading by example and showing her children the value of perseverance and hard work. Reed is deeply passionate about holistic nursing care, she believes in building trust, establishing strong rapport, and providing compassionate, individualized care to support optimal patient outcomes.

Scholarship Innovation in Practice Award

Senior nursing professional development practitioner, URochester Medicine, Ambulatory Surgery, URochester Medicine

Chelsea Spaid is a registered nurse with 15 years of experience and a strong clinical foundation in neurosurgery and peri-anesthesia care. She serves as a Senior Nursing Professional Development Practitioner in Ambulatory Surgery and co-leads the Perioperative Readiness for Emerging Professionals Program, developing emerging leaders within the nursing profession. She has led the creation of a system-wide Perioperative Nursing Symposium and a New to Periop Nurse Residency Program, demonstrating a sustained commitment to education and professional growth. Spaid contributes to nursing advancement through active involvement in her institution’s Evidence-Based Practice Committee. She holds a Master of Science in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Nursing and Biology. Her academic training includes research and publications in opioid tolerance and neuropathic pain. Across clinical, academic, and leadership settings, she brings analytical expertise, educational skill, and dedication to improving patient care and nursing practice.

Resilient Leadership in Healthcare Award

Senior nurse manager, Strong Memorial Hospital Unit 7-3600 (Acute Medicine) URochester Medicine

Jennifer Dale is a dedicated nursing leader with 29 years of service at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She is Senior Nurse Manager for Unit 7-3600, an inpatient acute medicine unit specializing in peritoneal dialysis, where she fosters a culture of teamwork, safety, and excellence. Dale holds an ANCC Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification and is a 2016 graduate of the University of Rochester School of Nursing. Her leadership has earned recognition through the School’s Registered Nurse Award, the Board Excellence Team Award, and the News 8 First Responders Spotlight Award. In 2023, she collaborated with her unit’s Medical Director to win the TeamSTEPPS video challenge, which is now used nationally in training programs. Outside of work, Dale is married to her high school sweetheart, Scott, and is a proud mother of Katie, a nurse at URMC, and Ben, who will begin his general surgery residency in July. She enjoys reading, the outdoors, and relaxing with her dogs, Cooper and Henry.

Humanitarian Award

Janis Goodman, RN, MS, CPNP, is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner whose 45-year career reflects a deep commitment to clinical excellence, education, and compassionate advocacy. A graduate of the University of Rochester School of Nursing in 1980, she earned her master of science in parent–child nursing from the University of Michigan in 1984 and has maintained national certification as a pediatric nurse practitioner since 1985.

Goodman brings a broad and diverse background in pediatric and community-based nursing, with experience spanning primary care, hospital specialties, hospice, and academic instruction. She has held roles including clinical nurse manager in pediatric infectious disease, clinical nurse specialist in pediatric rheumatology, clinical nurse coordinator for a neuromuscular disorders program, and pediatric hospice nurse. While serving as a clinical nurse coordinator at Northwestern University, she contributed to groundbreaking ALS research—pairing scientific rigor with compassionate, family-centered care. As a faculty instructor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, she taught graduate and undergraduate pediatric nursing. Her scholarly work includes publications in The American Journal of Nursing and Nursing Spectrum, as well as presentations on child abuse, ethical issues in nursing, infectious disease control, autoimmune disorders, and care for patients with ALS.

In recent years, Goodman has focused her expertise on adults with intellectual, developmental, and mental health disabilities as a residential support nurse in the Jewish Children and Family Services Chicago Residential Program. In this role, she coordinates complex care, collaborates with families and providers, and ensures vigilant follow-through on medical needs. Recognized with the 2025 Ken Jacobsen Professional Excellence Award, Goodman continues to exemplify nursing leadership grounded in clinical skill, ethical practice, and unwavering compassion.

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Ann M. Dozier, RN, PhD, FAAN, is professor emerita of public health sciences and the former Albert D. Kaiser Chair of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Rochester. A three-time graduate of the University of Rochester School of Nursing, Dozier began her career at Strong Memorial Hospital, where she held senior nursing leadership roles and helped guide major innovations in maternity care before joining the School of Medicine & Dentistry faculty in 1999.

Over more than 25 years in academic medicine, Dozier built a nationally recognized program of research in maternal and child health, with a particular focus on breastfeeding, perinatal outcomes, and community-engaged implementation of evidence-based practices. She has led numerous federally and state-funded studies, including long-standing National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiatives, and currently serves as principal investigator of an initiative titled Breastfeeding, Chestfeeding, and Lactation Friendly New York. Her scholarship—spanning epidemiology, health services research, and evaluation—has informed policy and strengthened regional and national maternal health systems.

A fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Dozier has held multiple leadership roles within the American Public Health Association’s Maternal and Child Health Section and has chaired and served on several NIH review panels. Through her mentorship, teaching, and national service, she has advanced translational science, community partnership, and data-driven approaches to improving the health of women and children.

Legacy Award

Phyllis Arn Zimmer, MN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, is president and founder of the Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation (NPHF), clinical professor in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)–Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program at the University of Washington School of Nursing, and co-founder of America’s Nurses, PBC and Altrix Primary Care-Lashua, LLC. A life-long learner, Zimmer earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1972 from the University of Rochester and followed that up by earning an Adult Nurse Practitioner advanced certificate in 1974. She also earned her master’s in nursing from the University of Washington in 1982.

Zimmer has shaped the nurse practitioner profession at state, national, and international levels. As president of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and the American College of Nurse Practitioners, she advanced policy, education, and organizational leadership. She chaired the development of the first national Nurse Practitioner Curriculum Guidelines, establishing the standards that became the benchmark for NP education. She has been a national and international curriculum consultant in NP education. In recognition of this work, she received NONPF’s first Outstanding Nurse Practitioner Educator award. Through NPHF, she has led initiatives in chronic disease management, opioid policy, patient education, and public health engagement, producing influential white papers cited in national policy discussions. Specific to the University of Rochester, Zimmer serves on the School of Nursing National Council, a volunteer leadership advisory group to the dean. The Council brings together thought leaders with specialized knowledge and experience to help shape plans for the future of the school.

A fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Zimmer has received numerous honors, including the Loretta C. Ford Lifetime Achievement Award and the University of Rochester School of Nursing’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. Through scholarship, policy advocacy, and global consultation, Zimmer continues to advance innovation, leadership, and access in primary care.

Lifetime Achievement in Nursing Award

Assistant Nurse Manager, URochester Medicine Infectious Disease Clinic, AIDS Center

David Clinton is an experienced nursing leader with a career spanning over three decades in emergency and infectious disease care at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Beginning in ER/Trauma in 1994, he transitioned to the Infectious Disease Clinic, where he played a key role during the early years of HIV/AIDS treatment advancements, including the introduction of protease inhibitors. Clinton contributed to the transition from paper charts to electronic records and helped implement early outpatient systems. Rising to Senior Level 3 (safety nurse) during staffing challenges, he demonstrated strong leadership and resilience. Clinton received the Pat Burdick Award twice for excellence in AIDS care. He also helped develop outpatient antibiotic therapy programs and supported innovative COVID-19 treatment efforts. Currently, he helps oversee one of the largest HIV clinics in western New York, serving over 1,200 patients.

Dean's Medal

Kathy Rideout, EdD, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, was professor of clinical nursing and pediatrics and dean emerita at the University of Rochester School of Nursing. Over a career spanning more than 35 years at the University, she served as a nurse practitioner, educator, scholar, and administrator whose leadership shaped nursing education, clinical practice, and research across the region and nation.

After earning her master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Rideout joined the School of Nursing faculty and later completed her doctorate at the Warner School of Education in 1995. She advanced through a series of academic leadership roles, serving as senior associate dean for academic affairs, interim dean in 2011, and the School’s fifth dean in 2012. Named a vice president of the University of Rochester Medical Center in 2013, she strengthened partnerships between nursing education and physician training and helped guide the Medical Center’s strategic direction. During her two-term tenure, the school expanded research funding, enhanced simulation and learning facilities, and established the UR Medicine Center for Employee Wellness.

A board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner, Rideout maintained a clinical practice at Golisano Children’s Hospital throughout her University of Rochester career, ensuring that patient care remained central to her leadership. A champion of community, she advanced initiatives that broadened access to nursing education. Through an endowed scholarship established in her honor, her commitment to students will endure for decades to come.