GREAT IOWA NURSES ANNOUNCES 2026 HONOREES
January 10, 2026
AMES, IA — One hundred thirty-one Iowa nurses have been recognized as 2026 Great Iowa Nurses.
The program annually honors Iowa nurses for their contributions to the nursing profession. Nominations for the honor are reviewed by a committee of individuals from a variety of healthcare organizations across Iowa. Great Iowa Nurses are chosen on the basis of demonstrated service to patients, leadership, and mentoring or serving as a role model.
If you are interested in nominating a nurse for recognition in 2027, volunteering for the selection committee, or donating to the program please visit greatiowanurses.org.
100 Great Iowa Nurses was established in 2004 and hosted by the University of Iowa until 2020. In 2022, with the support of Mary Greeley Medical Center, the program was revived and renamed Great Iowa Nurses.
For more information, contact the Great Iowa Nurses program connect@greatiowanurses.org.
Great Iowa Nurse 2026 Honorees
| Michelle | Aasen | Blank Children’s Hospital |
| Kristy | Algarin | St. Lukes Hospital |
| Lauren | Anderson | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Andrea | Anglin | Unity Point Finley Hospital |
| Brooke | Arey | MercyOne Clinton Medical Center |
| Paula | Bahl | Iowa City VA Health Care System |
| Diane | Baker | Iowa City VA Medical Center |
| Harper | Bean | UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Douglas | Bean | Iowa City VAHCS |
| Amy | Beckmann | Iowa Health Care | Stead Family Children’s Hospital |
| Deb | Bemer | UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Katey | Bignall | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Megan | Bogard | UnityPoint Health St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Camie | Bolletta | Unity Point-Iowa Lutheran |
| Brandi | Bresson | Virginia Gay Hospital |
| Stephanie | Brincks | St Anthony Regional Hospital |
| Lindsey | Brocka | UPH-Allen Hospital |
| Lauren | Burrough | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Steven | Bush | Mercy Center |
| Angela | Carlile | UPH St. Luke’s |
| Donna | Carlson | Bettendorf Community School District- Bettendorf High School |
| Rylee | Chapman | UnityPoint Methodist Hospital |
| Tracey | Chesmore | Unity Point St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Elizabeth | Chipera | St Lukes Hospital |
| Lindsey | Clifford | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Karina | Copeland | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Crystal | Danger | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Jasmin | Deitrick | ChildServe |
| Connie | Dietiker | Helen G Nassif Community Cancer Center- UnityPoint Cedar Rapids |
| Tammy | Dietrich | UnityPoint Health St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Amber | Dixon | University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics |
| Sarah | Douglas | St. Anthony Nursing Home |
| Tina | Eden | Virginia Gay Hospital |
| Jordann | Egbers | Mary Greeley Medical Center and Unity Point – Lutheran DSM |
| Jessi | Ehrsam | Greater Regional Health |
| Rebecca | Ellis | ChildServe |
| Kelli | Engel | UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s |
| Elizabeth | Ennis | Iowa Specialty Hospital Emergency Room |
| Leanna | Feldmann | Good Neighbor Home |
| Aurora | Flavel | Iowa Healthcare |
| Holly | Flynn | Unitypoint St. Luke’s Hospital Cedar Rapids |
| Carol | Freeman | Grundy County Memorial Hospital |
| Cathy | Gabbard | Allen Hospital |
| Cody | Gassmann | UI Health Care |
| Andrea | Gaumer | Blank Children’s Hospital |
| Renae | Grell | UnityPoint Health, St. Luke’s, Sioux City |
| Brittany | Grimm | University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics |
| Mary Lou | Gudenkauf | Regional Medical Center |
| Tanya | Halverson | Unity Point |
| Eric | Hamer | UnityPoint Health – Des Moines |
| Sharon | Hanson | MercyOne |
| Grace | (Hanson) Knight | Mercy Medical Center Cedar Rapids |
| Jessica | Harrison | Boone County Hospital |
| Sheryl | Haverman | Broadlawns Medical Center |
| Faith | Hendricks | Iowa Healthcare |
| Courtney | Hitchon | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Jacque | Hollingshead | Mary Greeley Medical Center |
| Nichole | Huisman | Grundy County Memorial Hospital |
| Kris | Hurst | Mercy Medical Center |
| Tiffany | Jackson | Adair County Health System |
| Marissa | Johnson | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Mackenzie | Kane | University of Iowa College of Nursing |
| Melissa | Kiger-Bell | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Susan | Kock | St. Anthony Regional Hospital |
| Lori | Konrardy | Iowa City VA Health Care System |
| Nicole | Koshatka | Iowa Healthcare |
| Cindy | Lampe | UnityPoint Health St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Brittney | Langston | UnityPoint Health – St Luke’s Hospital |
| Deborah | Lawrence | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Abigail | Lee | Mary Greeley Medical Center |
| Megan | Lewis | University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics |
| Dana | Linze | Iowa City VA Health Care System |
| Mallory | Lonergan | ChildServe |
| Michelle | Luntadila | UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Abigail | Madden | Spencer Hospital |
| Kimberly | Malinowski | Iowa City VA Medical Center |
| Angel | Martin | Regional Medical Center |
| Tracy | Maury | Iowa Health Care |
| David | Maxwell | University of Iowa, SNICU |
| Ashley | McAllister | Mercy One Dubuque |
| Tara | McAuliffe | UnityPoint Health – Finley |
| Desiree | McDonough | Ottumwa Regional Health Center |
| Kristyn | Mercer | Every Step Hospice |
| Katelyn | Meyer | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Tiffany | Milder | Department of Veterans Affairs |
| Kathryn | Moltzan | UnityPoint-St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Jennie | Montgomery | Unitypoint Health- ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL |
| Kristin | Moore | UnityPoint Health St. Luke’s |
| Anna | Moss | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Janice | Mussell | Unitypoint-St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Megan | Nikolish | ChildServe |
| Leann | Nunnikhoven | Pella Regional Health Center |
| Cassie | Olesen | Spencer Municipal Hospital |
| Cathy | Penn | Mount Mercy University and UnityPoint St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Brianna | Pickel | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Sarah | Pierce | UI Healthcare – Medical Center North Liberty |
| Lisa | Preuschl | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Elizabeth | Pryor | Greater Regional Health |
| Marisela | Quezada De Magana | UnityPoint Health |
| Kristina | Rappaport | University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics |
| Susan | Recker | Iowa City VAHCS |
| Rachel | Reed-Kenney | Iowa City VA Medical Center |
| Liz | Reedy | Palo Alto County Health System |
| Brittney | Rogers | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Kristen | Rude | Knoxville Hospital and Clinics |
| Carla | Sankot | Iowa City VA Health Care System |
| Brittni | Schmidt | Cass Health |
| Dawn | Schwartz | ChildServe |
| Crystal | Shannon | St. Lukes Hospital |
| Erika | Shaw | MercyOne Clinton Medical Center |
| Courtney | Shaw | UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital |
| Amy | Sheehan | University of Iowa |
| Dianna | Shie | MercyOne Genesis |
| Brooke | Stackhouse | UnityPoint Health |
| Nathalee | Stemper | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Karen | Stenger | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Ronie | Stevenson | MercyOne |
| Sommer | Stotler | University of Iowa Healthcare |
| Teagan | Stych | University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics |
| Angie | Thumann | Iowa City VA Health Care System |
| Jamie | Tilton | Cedar ridge village |
| Jessica | VanWaus | Iowa City Ambulatory Surgery Center |
| Lacy | Waltz | UnityPoint Health – Des Moines |
| Allie | Wampler-Sagaga | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Jennifer | Weisinger | University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics |
| Jessica | Wheeler | Unity Point Allen Hospital |
| Brittany | (Wicks) Wetjen | University of Iowa Health Care |
| Christine | Wildrick | Iowa Methodist Medical Center |
| Jaime | Wilson | Iowa City VA Medical Center |
| Jennifer | Woods | Mercy Medical Center |
| Jeanne | Zylstra | PARC Hall |