For the second year in a row, the Louisiana State Nurses Association has honored some of the top young professionals in the state with its Rising Star Awards.
Nominees under age 40 are accepted from healthcare leaders, family members, patients and others. An LSNA awards committee evaluates each nominee based on criteria such as leadership capabilities, community service and their overall contributions to patient care.
“We really wanted to recognize up-and-coming nursing leaders, influencers and change-makers in our state,” said Ahnyel Burkes, DNP,RN-BC,NEA-BC, executive director of the LSNA and Louisiana Nurses Foundation. “One of our focuses as an organization is to make sure that nurses feel seen, heard and valued. We felt that these awards were a great way to engage the next generation of nurses and highlight the wonderful work that they are doing.”
This year’s LSNA Rising Star honorees are:
- Dominique Anderson, Baton Rouge Clinic, Baton Rouge
- Devin Austin, East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie
- James Blankenship, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette
- Amy Booth, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge
- Alicia Boudreaux, , Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank Campus, Gretna
- Brooke Callahan, Manning Family Children’s, New Orleans
- Ashlynn Capace, Our Lady of the Lake Head and Neck Center, Baton Rouge
- Cole Clement, East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie
- Vanessa Davidson, Terrebonne General Health System, Houma
- Katelynn Dietz, Lake Charles Memorial Health System, Lake Charles
- Callie Dorn, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Baton Rouge
- Kalleigh Flucke, East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie
- Angela Foley, St. Tammany Health System, Covington
- James Foley, Northshore Technical Community College, Covington
- Amanda Gassie, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge
- Cari Granier, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux
- Alyssa Hicks, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge
- DeAngela Francis-Johnson, David Raines Community Health Center, Bossier City
- Jordan Kahan, Ochsner Health, New Orleans
- Amanda Knight, Our Lady of the Angels, Bogalusa
- Candace Koelling, Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank Campus, Gretna
- Brittany Malinovsky, Willis Knighton Health System, Shreveport
- Jarvis Malveaux, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge
- Meghan Mattison, East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie
- Ashley McCammon, North Oaks Medical Center/Southeastern Louisiana University School of Nursing, Covington
- Danika Mills, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center/Grand Canyon University, Baton Rouge
- Katherine Newell, North Oaks Health System, Hammond
- Elise Ortolano, East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie
- Caroline Richardson, East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie
- Brittney Sanders, Louisiana Department of Health/Office of Public Health/Bureau of Community Preparedness, Baton Rouge
- Liz Sanderson, East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie
- Ashley Singleton, Humana, Metairie
- Heidi Smith, Our Lady of the Angels, Bogalusa
- Megan Smith, East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie
- Chase Tassin, Our Lady of the Lake, Greenwell Springs
- Cindi Taylor, University Medical Center, New Orleans
- Misty Theriot, Lake Charles Memorial Health System, Lake Charles
- Courtney Travis, Lane Regional Medical Center, Zachary
- Porsche Uche, The Carpenter Health Network (Homedica, LLC), Baton Rouge
- Meghan Young, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, Lafayette
In addition to recognizing Louisiana’s nursing professionals, the LSNA also serves as an advocacy, education and networking organization. It is open to all registered nurses, regardless of their specialty or degree level. Recently, the LSNA organized more than 250 nurses for a visit to the state capitol to engage with lawmakers and discuss how legislation affects them. LSNA actively partners with affiliate nursing organizations that support nurses across various specialties, including operating room and emergency room care. Through these collaborations, LSNA offers ongoing education and training to equip nurses with the skills needed to address urgent and emerging healthcare challenges—such as the identification and treatment of sexual assault survivors.
“At LSNA, our top priority is Louisiana nurses—their voices, their needs, and the issues that matter most to them,” said LSNA President Lesley Tilley, DNP, RN,NE-BC. “We are proud to collaborate with affiliate nursing organizations to strengthen our collective impact and ensure that nurses across all specialties feel supported. We invite every nurse in Louisiana to join us in membership and be a part of advancing the profession through education, connection, and powerful advocacy.” Visit https://lsna.nursingnetwork.com/ to learn more about getting involved with the Louisiana State Nurses Association.