AONL President to receive NLN President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement

AONL President Ena Williams, PhD, RN, will receive the 2026 National League for Nursing President’s Award, which recognizes prominent leaders in nursing education. Williams started her career as a frontline operating room nurse in Jamaica and worked 33 years at the Yale-New Haven Health System in Connecticut, where she became the first internal nurse and first nurse of color to serve as senior vice president and system CNE, leading 9,000 nurses across seven hospitals. The New York Academy of Medicine recently designated Williams as a Fellow. “These honors reflect the breadth of her influence as a visionary nurse leader, trusted mentor and steadfast advocate for patients, caregivers and communities,” said AONL CEO Claire Zangerle, DNP, RN. “Her commitment to advancing nursing leadership, strengthening the workforce and transforming care continues to inspire those around her and elevate our profession.” (National League for Nursing news release, 7/27/26)