NCANA Achievement (NCANA Lifetime Achievement) Award

The NCANA Lifetime Achievement Award honors a distinguished CRNA whose career has significantly shaped the profession of nurse anesthesia in North Carolina. Presented by the North Carolina Association of Nurse Anesthetists, this award recognizes a lifetime of leadership, advocacy, mentorship, and clinical excellence. Recipients are visionary leaders who have advanced the role of CRNAs, strengthened professional unity, and elevated standards of care. Their enduring contributions—through legislative advocacy, education, organizational service, and clinical innovation—have left a measurable and lasting impact on patients, colleagues, and the future of nurse anesthesia. This award is reserved for individuals whose professional legacy reflects extraordinary dedication and transformative influence.

Purpose:

To recognize a career of sustained, transformative impact on nurse anesthesia in North Carolina.

Eligibility Criteria:

  1. Minimum of 20 years as a CRNA (recommended benchmark).
  2. Current or former NCANA member in good standing.
  3. Demonstrated long-term leadership at the state and/or national level.
  4. Career contributions spanning multiple domains (e.g., advocacy, education, clinical excellence, organizational leadership).
  5. Cannot be currently serving on the NCANA BOD or the NCANA Nominating Committee.
  6. Must not have previously received the award.

Selection Criteria:

Nominees should demonstrate all of the following:

  1. Sustained impact over decades, not a single initiative.
  2. Significant leadership roles within NCANA and/or national organizations.
  3. Measurable influence on legislation, policy, education, workforce development, or scope of practice.
  4. Mentorship of future CRNAs and leaders.
  5. A professional legacy that continues to shape the profession.

Key Distinctions:

  1. Career-spanning impact.
  2. Not limited to a single year or specific project.
  3. Focused on legacy and transformative influence.

Frequency:

May be awarded annually; however, the Board may elect not to present the award in a given year if no nominee meets the standard of distinction.

Past Award Winners: 

1990 Narda D. Croughwell
1991 Leola A. Glenn
1993 Evelyn DeRoche
1994 Sandra M. Maree
1995 Nancy Bruton-Maree
2000 Josephine Payne
2001 Patricia R. Fleming
2003 Helen P. Vos
2008 Valeria Byrd
2009 Stephen Ciraulo
2016 Nancy Bruton-Maree
2017 Anne Penland
2019 Frank Titch
2020 Cathy Briggs
2021 Linda Moore


Information needed to submit a nomination for this award:

Section I: Nominee Information

  • Full Name
  • Credentials
  • Employer/Position
  • Years as a CRNA
  • Phone
  • Email
  • NCANA Membership Status

Section II: Nominator Information

  • Full Name
  • Credentials
  • Relationship to Nominee
  • Phone
  • Email
  • NCANA Membership Status

Section III: Narrative Statement

Provide a detailed narrative (maximum 1000 words) addressing how the nominee meets the criteria for this award. Include measurable outcomes, leadership roles, and specific impact.

Section IV: Supporting Documentation

  • Curriculum Vitae or Resume of Nominee
  • Letters of Support from NCANA Members (2)
  • Documentation of Impact or Outcomes
  • Media/Program Materials (if applicable)