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AONN+ Awards

The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) Awards grant prestigious recognition to oncology navigators, researchers, employers, and individuals for their contributions to better patient care and their professions.

The 2022 AONN+ awards nominations period has concluded. Winners were announced during the AONN+ Annual Conference. Stay tuned for the next awards nomination opening!

AONN+ Awards Categories

The AONN+ Leadership Council is delighted to present the Awards categories.

Open Categories

AONN+ Ambassador Award

The Ambassador Award recognizes an AONN+ member’s dedicated ambassadorship of the Academy’s core values to oncology patients, their families, and professional communities.

AONN+ Evidence into Practice Award

The Evidence into Practice Award recognizes an AONN+ member who has conducted evidence-based research that builds on the body of work in oncology navigation.

AONN+ Oncology Navigation Excellence Award

The Oncology Navigation Excellence (ONE) Award recognizes an oncology navigator for his or her outstanding contributions to oncology navigation, patient care, or education.

AONN+ Organizational Recognition Award

The Organizational Recognition Award acknowledges the employers who recognize and support oncology navigation.

AONN+ Outstanding Local Navigator Network Award

The Outstanding Local Navigator Network Award recognizes a Local Navigator Network’s outstanding effort in the establishment of a forum for professional development and networking that aligns with the Academy’s mission.

Hero of Hope Patient Award

The Hero of Hope Patient Award annually recognizes an individual whose life is touched by cancer for his or her outstanding contributions to the cancer community.

Lillie D. Shockney Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an AONN+ member for his or her career achievements and outstanding contributions to cancer care.

2021 AONN+ Award Winners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award recognizes an AONN+ member who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of Oncology Navigation and to the Academy. This awardee exemplifies the mission and vision of AONN+.

Linda Fleisher, PhD, MPH

Principal Investigator
Fox Chase Cancer Center

Outstanding Local Navigator Network Award

This award recognizes a Local Navigator Network’s exceptional work in establishment of an open forum for professional development and networking that aligns with the AONN+ national mission.

Fairfield County Patient Navigation Network - (FCPNN) Connecticut

Ambassador Award

Ambassador Award

This award recognizes exceptional leadership and devoted service sharing the AONN+ mission to oncology patients & families & professional communities.

Zarek Mena, OPN-CG

Women's Health Program Manager
Whittingham Cancer Center/MSK Physicians at Norwalk

Evidence Into Practice Award

Evidence Into Practice Award

This award recognizes the contributions of an AONN+ member who has conducted and promoted evidence-based research, which has augmented the field of oncology navigation.

Tricia Strusowski, RN, MSN

Independent Oncology Contractor

Organizational Recognition Award

Organizational Recognition Award

This award acknowledges employers who embrace the critical role of oncology navigators and foster their growth.

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Miami, FL

Oncology Navigator Excellence (ONE) Award

Oncology Navigator Excellence (ONE) Award

This award recognizes an oncology navigator for his or her outstanding contributions to oncology navigation, patient care, or education.

Kellie Mitchell, BSN, RN, OCN

Oncology Nurse Navigator
Wellstar Paulding

Hero of Hope™ Patient Award

Hero of Hope™ Patient Award

In partnership with CONQUER: the patient voice® magazine, the Hero of Hope Patient Award annually recognizes an individual whose life is touched by cancer for his or her outstanding contributions to the cancer community.

Megan Knight


2020 AONN+ Award Winners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award recognizes an AONN+ member who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of Oncology Navigation and to the Academy. This awardee exemplifies the mission and vision of AONN+.

Danelle Johnston, MSN, RN, HON-ONN-CG, OCN

Senior Vice President, Mission Delivery
Cancer Support Community

Outstanding Local Navigator Network Award

This award recognizes a Local Navigator Network’s exceptional work in establishment of an open forum for professional development and networking that aligns with the AONN+ national mission.

Central Indiana Local Navigator Network

Ambassador Award

Ambassador Award

This award recognizes exceptional leadership and devoted service sharing the AONN+ mission to oncology patients & families & professional communities.

Elizabeth Franklin, PhD, MSW

Executive Director, Cancer Policy Institute
Cancer Support Community,
Washington, DC

Evidence Into Practice Award

Evidence Into Practice Award

This award recognizes the contributions of an AONN+ member who has conducted and promoted evidence-based research, which has augmented the field of oncology navigation.

Jennifer Klemp, PhD, MPH

Associate Professor, Medicine,
Division of Clinical Oncology,
Director, Cancer Survivorship
Co-Program Leader for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship,
University of Kansas Cancer Center

Organizational Recognition Award

Organizational Recognition Award

This award acknowledges employers who embrace the critical role of oncology navigators and foster their growth.

Sarah Cannon

Nashville, TN

Oncology Navigator Excellence (ONE) Award

Oncology Navigator Excellence (ONE) Award

This award recognizes an oncology navigator for his or her outstanding contributions to oncology navigation, patient care, or education.

Margaret Rummel, RN, MHA, OCN, NE-BC, HON-ONN-CG

Abramson Cancer Center,
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Hero of Hope™ Patient Award

Hero of Hope™ Patient Award

In partnership with CONQUER: the patient voice® magazine, the Hero of Hope Patient Award annually recognizes an individual whose life is touched by cancer for his or her outstanding contributions to the cancer community.

Khadijat Fatai-Banwo

HER2 Triple-Positive Breast Cancer Survivor
Co-Founder, Project PINK BLUE
Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria


2019 AONN+ Award Winners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award recognizes an AONN+ member who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of Oncology Navigation and to the Academy. This awardee exemplifies the mission and vision of AONN+.

Sharon Gentry, RN, MSN, CBCN, CBEC, HON-ONN-CG

Breast Nurse Navigator
Novant Health Derrick L. Davis Cancer Center
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Outstanding Local Navigator Network Award

This award recognizes a Local Navigator Network’s exceptional work in establishment of an open forum for professional development and networking that aligns with the AONN+ national mission.

Upstate South Carolina

Ambassador Award

Ambassador Award

This award recognizes exceptional leadership and devoted service sharing the AONN+ mission to oncology patients & families & professional communities.

Jo Maria Watson Weathers, RN, BSN, OCN, CBCN

Oncology Multidisciplinary Center Supervisor for Navigation
Greenville Hospital System
Greenville, South Carolina

Evidence Into Practice Award

Evidence Into Practice Award

This award recognizes the contributions of an AONN+ member who has conducted and promoted evidence-based research, which has augmented the field of oncology navigation.

Clara Lambert, BBA, OPN-CG

Oncology Financial Navigator
Bhorade Cancer Center Advocate
Good Samaritan Hospital
Downers Grove, Illinois

Organizational Recognition Award

Organizational Recognition Award

This award acknowledges employers who embrace the critical role of oncology navigators and foster their growth.

Masonic Cancer Alliance

KU Clinical Research Center
University of Kansas
Fairway, Kansas

Oncology Navigator Excellence (ONE) Award

This award recognizes an oncology navigator for his or her outstanding contributions to oncology navigation, patient care, or education.

Susie Ulloa, RN, OCN, ONN-CG

Breast Oncology Nurse Navigator
North Florida Regional Center powered by Sarah Cannon
Gainesville, Florida

Hero of Hope™ Patient Award

In partnership with CONQUER: the patient voice® magazine, the Hero of Hope Patient Award annually recognizes an individual whose life is touched by cancer for his or her outstanding contributions to the cancer community.

Kirsten Arbon

Breast Cancer Survivor
Founder of the KM3 Project
Placentia, California


2018 AONN+ Award Winners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

Recognition of an AONN+ member who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of Oncology Navigation and to the Academy.  This awardee exemplifies the mission and vision of AONN+.

Lillie Shockney, RN, B.S., MAS, ONN-CG

University Distinguished Service Professor of Breast Cancer
Professor of Surgery , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Co-Developer, Work Stride- Managing Cancer at Work
Johns Hopkins Healthcare Solutions

Outstanding Local Navigator Network Award

Recognizing a Local Navigator Network’s exceptional work in establishment of an open forum for professional development and networking that aligns with the AONN+’s national mission.

Virginia Cancer Patient Navigator Network

  • Meets a minimum of 50% of active AONN+ members
  • Meets all requirements for LNN ( quarterly meetings, submission of meeting reports and annual report)
  • Aligns with national AONN+ mission and vision
  • Demonstrates active engagement with local community and industry partners

Ambassador Award

Ambassador Award

This award recognizes exceptional leadership and devoted service sharing the AONN+ mission to oncology patients & families & professional communities.

Pamela Goetz, BA, OPN-CG

Oncology Survivorship Navigator
Center for Patient and Family Services
Sibley Memorial Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine

  • AONN+ Leadership Council since 2013– ensuring the voice of the patient navigator is represented within the association
  • Leadership on AONN+ National Committees: EIP, Newsletter and AQUIRE
  • Several Publications in the Journal of Oncology Navigation and Survivorship and CONQUER
  • 2018 - facilitated 2 webinars focused on abstract submission and presentation
  • Development of first of kind AONN+ National Pre-Conference Workshop to offer mentorship and support to attendees focused on “Demystifying the Research Process: Workshop for Patient Navigators, Social Workers, and Administrators”

Evidence Into Practice Award

Evidence Into Practice Award

This award recognizes the contributions of an AONN+ member who has conducted and promoted evidence-based research, which has augmented the field of oncology navigation.

Linda Burhansstipanov, MSPH, DrPH

Founder, Native American Cancer Research Corporation
President, Native American Cancer Initiatives, Inc

  • Actively involved with her population health and wellness endeavors nationwide – currently is the principal investigator and subcontractor for 5 NIH grants
  • Serves on numerous national and local advisory boards and committees to promote research and programmatic efforts to assist Native People in obtaining higher levels of health.
  • Founder and president of the Native American Cancer Research Corporation
  • 100 peer-reviewed publications, of which most address Native American cancer, public health and data issues.
  • Member of the National Institutes of Health national advisory council on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Organizational Recognition Award

Organizational Recognition Award

This award acknowledges employers who embrace the critical role of oncology navigators and foster their growth.

Miami Cancer Institute

Oncology Navigator Excellence (ONE) Award

Oncology Navigator Excellence (ONE) Award

The AONN+ Oncology Navigation Excellence, or ONE Award, recognizes an oncology navigator for his or her outstanding contributions to oncology navigation, patient care, or education.

Ashley Marks, RN, BSN, CHPN, CBCN

Gynecologic Oncology Nurse Navigator, Woman’s Hospital

Hero of Hope™ Patient Award

Hero of Hope™ Patient Award

In partnership with CONQUER: the patient voice magazine, the Hero of Hope Patient Award annually recognizes an individual whose life is touched by cancer for his or her outstanding contributions to the cancer community.

Jessica Morris

Glioblastoma Survivor
Co-Founder of OurBrainBank nonprofit organization and OurBrainBank app

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