ANCC Honors Susan Hassmiller with 2026 Margretta Madden Styles President’s Award
National nursing leader recognized for extraordinary contributions to nursing, health equity and leadership development
CHICAGO, Il., Oct. 29, 2026 – The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has announced Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, as the recipient of the 2026 Margretta Madden Styles President’s Award, recognizing her extraordinary contributions as a national leader in nursing, health equity and leadership development, during the Opening General Session of the 2026 Magnet & Pathway Conference® in Chicago, Illinois.
The award recognizes Hassmiller’s distinguished career advancing the nursing profession and improving the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities across the nation.
“Susan Hassmiller’s extraordinary leadership reflects the very best of nursing and the enduring impact nurses can have on health and health care,” said Laura Wood, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, ANCC President. “Her work has helped strengthen our profession, advance health equity and prepare generations of nurse leaders to drive meaningful change. It is my privilege to recognize her with the 2026 Margretta Madden Styles President’s Award.”
Over 25 years at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Hassmiller led strategies focused on advancing higher-quality health care for people, families and communities throughout the United States. She also served as Senior Adviser for Nursing and Senior Scholar-in-Residence/Senior Adviser to the President at the National Academy of Medicine, where she helped lead the development of two landmark reports, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health and The Future of Nursing 2020–2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity.
Hassmiller also established and directed The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, a nationwide initiative led by AARP, the AARP Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to transform health and health care through nursing. Earlier in her career, while serving with the Health Resources and Services Administration, she led the U.S. Public Health Service Primary Care Policy Fellowship as executive director and oversaw national and international primary care initiatives.
The award carries forward the legacy of Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, whose contributions helped establish the foundations of modern nursing credentialing.