AONL Names Robyn Begley Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Chicago  – The American Organization for Nursing Leadership announced Robyn Begley as the 2026 recipient of its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors an AONL member recognized by the nursing community as a significant leader in the nursing profession who has served AONL in an important leadership capacity. AONL will honor Begley March 30 at the AONL annual conference in Chicago.

Begley served as AONL’s chief executive officer and the American Hospital Association’s chief nursing officer, senior vice president of workforce until her retirement in December 2024. She currently serves as a on the Board of Directors for AtlantiCare Health System in Atlantic City, N.J. and is an inaugural member of Georgetown University’s Nurse Executives in Residence program.

During her influential career spanning four decades, Begley held leadership positions in hospitals and schools of nursing and contributed extensively through volunteer roles. Prior to leading AONL, she served as vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer at AtlantiCare, where she guided AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center to achieve Magnet® designation four times from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Begley has received numerous honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Organization of Nurse Leaders of New Jersey. AONL named her chief executive officer emerita and Modern Healthcare recognized her as one of the 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and is board certified as an advanced nurse executive by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Begley earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, master’s degree from Widener University and bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University.

About the American Organization for Nursing Leadership

As the national professional organization of more than 12,500 nurse leaders, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) is the voice of nursing leadership. Our membership encompasses nurse leaders working in hospitals, health systems, academia and other care settings across the care continuum. Since 1967, the organization has led the field of nursing leadership through professional development, advocacy and research that advances nursing leadership practice and patient care. AONL is an affiliate of the American Hospital Association. For more information, visit AONL.org/AONL.