HPNA Announces 2025 Award Recipients

The 2025 HPNA Champion Award has been awarded to Carol Gallo, Executive Director of The Y.C. Ho/Helen & Michael Chiang Foundation. This award recognizes an individual who has made a significant impact on hospice and palliative care through advocacy, community involvement, or practice. Nominees can come from a field of practice other than nursing.

The 2025 HPNA Distinguished Nursing Practice Award has been awarded to Vanessa Battista, DNP, MBA, MS, CPNP-PC, CHPPN®, FPCN®, FAAN. This award recognizes a nurse who has long provided care for individuals with serious illness and their families in a manner that has clearly gone well beyond the usual and expected requirements.

The 2025 HPNA Distinguished Nursing Researcher Award has been awarded to Abraham Brody, PhD, RN, ACHPN®, FPCN®, FAAN. This award recognizes a nurse researcher who has demonstrated longevity and consistency in research that advances the mission and vision of HPNA through conducting high-quality research and research presentations and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

The 2025 HPNA New Investigator Award has been awarded to Rachel Wells, PhD, MSN, RN, CNL. This award recognizes the work of an individual at the beginning of their research career who has conducted quality research that can be implemented for a pilot or preliminary study.

The 2025 HPNA Vanguard Award has been awarded to Judith Paice, PhD, RN, ACHPN®, FAAN, FASCO. This award recognizes a nursing leader who has advanced the field of hospice and palliative nursing and has made a major contribution that has a national impact on hospice and palliative care.

The 2025 HPNA Volunteerism Award has been awarded to Nancy Dias, PhD, MSN, RN, FPCN®. This award recognizes an HPNA volunteer who demonstrates an ongoing commitment to serve the mission of HPNA through volunteerism.

These individuals will be recognized in-person at the 2025 Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care in Denver, Colorado.