McKnight's Long-Term Care News, McKnight's Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care are thrilled to once again recognize women making their marks in skilled nursing, senior living and home care, inspiring others and having a powerful effect on the lives of the individuals they serve.

Building on the success of the McKnight’s Women of Distinction program’s previous seven years, we’re pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the eighth annual awards program, which once again will include related events.

ENTRY DEADLINES + FEES 

STANDARD NOMINATION DEADLINE: 

Friday, January 9, 2026

EXTENDED NOMINATION DEADLINE: 

Friday, January 23, 2026

*all submissions need to be in by 11:59 pm EST

ENTRY FEES

STANDARD NOMINATION FEE: $135

EXTENDED NOMINATION FEE: $155

*The late fee will be implemented on January 10

SAVE THE DATE 

Date: Monday, May 4, 2026

Program:
FORUM
1:00 pm-4:30 pm

AWARDS CEREMONY
6:00 pm-9:00 pm

Venue: Hyatt Regency Chicago

151 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601 

Collette Gray 2025

Lynn Hood 2024

Marilynn Duker 2023

Patricia Will 2022

Mary Ousley 2021

Wendy Simpson 2020

Lynne Katzmann 2019

Lori Alford, 2019

Eleanor Alvarez, 2020

Mitze Amoroso, 2022

Brenda Bacon, 2019

Lucinda “Cindy” Baier, 2020

Leigh Ann Barney, 2021

Jennifer Bartscht, 2024

Samira Beckwith, 2020

Winsome Bent, 2019

Maribeth Bersani, 2020

LaShuan Bethea, 2023

Akia Blandon, 2020

Becky Bodie, 2024

Gale Boice, 2023

Crystal Bowens, 2019

Robin Bradley, 2021

Joanne Braeunle, 2020

Lorraine Breuer, 2024

Amy Bucher, 2023

Carol Burnell, 2020

Vassar Byrd, 2020

Anne Campbell, 2025

Leslie Cunningham Campbell, 2019

Pilar Carvajal, 2019

Denise Chadwick Wright, 2021

Teresa Chopoorian, 2021

Lisi Coleman, 2022

Brenda Connelly, 2022

Patti Cullen, 2022

Terri Cunliffe, 2021

Tammy Curry, 2025

Sheila Davis, 2025

Rhonda Dempsey, 2025

Andrea Devoti, 2023

April Diaz, 2022

Jamie Dlatt, 2019

Sharon Donaghue, 2025

Lisa Eckley, 2024

Kim Estes Elliott, 2019

Shelley Esden, 2023

Sharon Eyster, 2024

Mary “Molly” Forrest, 2020

Nathalie Francois, 2021

Tana Gall, 2021

Kathy Gallin, 2024

Gabrielle Genauer, 2024

Genevieve Gipson, 2023

Kirsten Goulde, 2023

Collette Gray, 2023

Kimberly Green-Yates, 2019

Susan Grigg, 2022

Holly Harmon, 2023

Demetress Harrell, 2022

Marilyn D. Harris, 2025

Stephanie Harris, 2019

Alyssa Herman, 2025

Lynn Hood, 2021

Nancy Hooks, 2021

Carol Hulgan, 2020 

Ruth Katz, 2024

Donna Kelsey, 2023

Jennifer Kennedy, 2022

Lisa King, 2024

Nancy Koha, 2024

Emily Kopsias, 2025

Mary Knapp, 2020

Cathy Krege, 2024

Dawn Kussow, 2025

Brooke Ladner, 2025

Bonnie Laiderman, 2022

Mary Leary, 2020

Andrea Leebron-Clay, 2019

Luz Libeskind, 2022

Cindy Longfellow, 2023

Patricia Lutzky, 2023

Rita Mabli, 2020

Beth Burnham Mace, 2020

Jane Mack, 2024

Kelly MacNeill-Cooney, 2023

Sharon Roth Maguire, 2024

Barb Masella, 2019

Denise McQuown-Hatter, 2025

Deborah Meade, 2020

Aimee Middleton, 2023

Cassie Mistretta, 2022

Robin Mitchell, 2024

Cynthia Morton, 2020

Lauren Murray, 2024

Joylin Nation, 2022

Wendy Nowokunski, 2020

Kimberly Nystrom, 2023

Alla Onitskansky, 2019

Connie Ortega, 2020

Tammy Jo Painter, 2019

Kristen Palumbo, 2024

Danielle Parker, 2024

Mary Sue Patchett, 2021

April Payne, 2023

Karen Peck, 2024

Sevy Petras, 2025

Annie Pineda-Eiland, 2024

Lori Porter, 2023

Katherine “Katie” Potter, 2020

Melissa Powell, 2021

Eileen Rainer, 2024

Catie Ramp, 2025

Aimee Rathka, 2025

JoAnne Reifsnyder, 2020

Tammy Retalic, 2020

DeLaine Rice-White, 2022

Meera Riner, 2021

Jolene Roberts, 2019

Kathryn Roberts, 2019

Barb Rode, 2022

Mary Alice Ryan, 2020

Tina Sandri, 2023

DeeAndra Sandgren, 2025

Amy Schectman, 2022

Wendy Schrag, 2022

GeLynna Shaw, 2025

Rachel Shearer, 2024

Gail Sheridan, 2021

Donna Silbert, 2025

Carol Silver Elliott, 2022

Melinda Skirvin, 2024

Katie Smith Sloan, 2019

Melissa Sorensen, 2021

Jill Sorenson, 2023

Rayvelle Stallings, 2023

Nicole Steck-Waitt, 2021

Robyn Stone, 2021

Lizzy Straus, 2019

Shelly Sun, 2023

Kim Te Brugge, 2021

Laura Templeton, 2025

Sara Terry,  2022

Amanda Tilton, 2024

Kimberly Townsend, 2020

Bryanna Wegner, 2022

Patricia Will, 2021

Sharon Wilson, 2024

Fran Witt, 2025

Illene Arroyo, 2023

Loretta Barnes, 2025

Christiana Bonsu, 2021

Charlene Boyd, 2021

Johnnie Brooks, 2021

Amanda Brown, 2021

Jean Bryan, 2021

Traci Bullens, 2021

Kari Casey, 2025

Mary Grace (Grace) Crisostomo, 2023

Elizabeth Dauch, 2022

Karen Devaney, 2022

Joan Devine, 2022

Estela Divino, 2021

Teresa Edge, 2024

Michele Ellis, 2025

Cathy Farmer, 2024

Juliet Fountain, 2023

Barbara Galindo, 2021

Jaclyn Gardner, 2024

Erin Grant, 2025

Bryce Gray, 2025

Sophia Guel-Valenzuela, 2023

Danielle Gustin, 2025

Diane Johnson, 2024

Doreen Kelley, 2025

Juliet Holt Klinger, 2022

Sarah Laloyan, 2023

Tammi Lehto, 2025

Miriam Levi, 2024

Susan Levy, 2022

Angel Loyd, 2024

Kristal MacNeil, 2025

Nancy Maina, 2024

Lindsay Martin, 2022

Isha Mathis, 2022

Monica McAfee, 2023

Sabrena McCarley, 2025

Mary Jean McKeveny, 2022

Kenya O’Neal, 2025

Gina Mizzoni, 2023

Morgan Mulvany, 2024

Sandra Mundy, 2022

Rebecca Murray, 2023

Robin Nelson, 2023

Vicki Nordby, 2023

Nemse Paguntalan, 2021

Jacki Pappalardi, 2023

Janice Pate, 2021

Brenda Perkins, 2023

Judy Plantinga, 2023

Myra Punla, 2024

Shellie Rachal, 2024

Debra Reed, 2022

Tina Reed, 2022

Maureen Rizzo, 2024

Cameo Rogers, 2024

Kim Schardan, 2025

Sandy Skerda, 2021

Jamie Smiley, 2021

Lauren Snyder, 2025

Gail Spencer, 2021

Sheree Lee Spencer, 2023

Julie Stangel, 2025

Diana Sturdevant, 2025

Cyndi Taplin, 2025

Heather Turner, 2024

Jacqueline Vance, 2024

Cheryl Wallen, 2024

Cheryl Welch, 2021

Elizabeth Wheatley, 2024

Carol Williams, 2023

Jonna Wisnieski, 2025

Stacy Yosko, 2023

Tracy Zamora, 2021

Kara Abdala, 2021

Trisha Atkinson, 2025

Jiane Bassi, 2021

Sarah Bateman, 2022

Lindsey Beagley, 2024

Sarah Belmont, 2019

Dina Besirevic, 2020

Diamond Boone, 2024

Jessie Bosshard, 2024

Alison Bouchard, 2025

Hayley Boutte, 2020

Jaime Brady, 2021

Vanessa Brookes, 2019

Amanda Brooks, 2023

Patricia Bush, 2022

Kate Catizone, 2020

Jill Chang, 2025

Robyn Childs, 2020

Shilpi Choni, 2020

Jennifer Cisneros, 2019

Hemwattie “Hemi” Clough, 2021

Darlene Corporan, 2023

Kristy Ruppe Craddock, 2019

Katie Davis, 2023

Erica Dewan, 2024

Kari Dick, 2019

Lauren DiZio, 2024

Erin Donaldson, 2019

Keri Dunlop, 2024

Josiane Dusabe, 2021

Amanda Elliott, 2021

Emily Erickson, 2023

Debora Erksa,2019

Jodi Eyigor, 2021

Michelle Feng, 2021

Elizabeth Ann Fetner, 2022

Felichia Fields, 2019

Anne-Marie Fitz, 2022

Amber Foster, 2025

Katie Gallenstein, 2023

Berenice Galvez-Soto, 2019

Scarlet Star Gardner, 2019

Jessica Garvin, 2019

Erika Gennari, 2020

Jennifer George, 2023

Shadi Gholizadeh, 2025

Kate Gilday, 2024

Bre Grubbs, 2019

Christian Grunder, 2024

Audra Gutierrez-Ritari, 2020

Emily Hanson, 2025

Kristin Harris, 2021

Marissa Harth, 2021

Alicia Hartnett, 2020

Jodi Hill, 2020

Heather Hudson, 2020

Raven Jackson, 2020

Katie Jayne, 2019

Nicole Jemming, 2025

Marissa Kalama, 2021

Kendra King-Smith, 2021

Shelly Koch, 2024

Natalie Law, 2019

Meghan Linehan, 2025

Carly Loewus, 2023

Margaret “Meg” Lutze, 2019

Mandy Lynch, 2020

Jennifer Mack, 2020

Jennifer Maina, 2019

Pamela Maloney, 2020

Lesly Martinez, 2024

Stephanie Maupin, 2022

Marcy McNeal, 2021

Ahkira McPherson, 2020

Jamie Merill, 2022

Morgan C.B. Milesl 2022

Melinda Monasterski, 2024

Rachel Monger, 2019

Stephanie Mussman, 2025

Kelly Ornberg, 2020

Jana Pauldin, 2021

Kelly Pero-Petty, 2024

Stephanie Popp, 2020

Renee Porter, 2021

Jaclyn Pritchett, 2020

Sarah Randolph, 2020

Rebecca Scott Rawn, 2019

Holly Artkamp Romie, 2022

Tina Sadarangani, 2021

• Alexandra Schuster, 2025

Rhonda St. Onge, 2023

Crystal Shelby, 2022

Magen Shelton, 2022

Julia Shiner, 2022

Sharell Shippen, 2023

Amy Silva-Magalhaes, 2020

Destiny Sisk, 2023

Hannah Sizemore, 2023

Mary Cate Spires, 2024

• Tonie Stoen, 2025

Majid Tabassum, 2019

Krystal Thoe, 2025

Desirae Toomey, 2023

Rose Trevino, 2023

Carrie Tyson, 2025

Stephanie Uhrmacher, 2024

Christina Ulbricht, 2019

Melanie Washington, 2020

Shannon Watson, 2020

Theresa Watts, 2022

Izabella Wells, 2023

Victoria Wenick, 2022

Addison Wilczak, 2024

Nadia Williams, 2021

Trista Wilson, 2022

Kristina Wright, 2022

Shamin Wu, 2019

Amanda Young, 2023

Taylor Zelnio, 2023

Cassie Zielke, 2025

Jennifer Barnes, 2025

Mary Franklin, 2023

Carol Gordon, 2024

Christina Harris,2022

Amy Hewes, 2025

Necia Jeske, 2023

Danuta Jurgowska, 2024

Pauline Lindo, 2025

Nancy McCune, 2022

Nadeen Moore, 2023

Cassie Morris, 2022

Barbara Richards, 2022

Sandy Rivera, 2025

Kendra Roberts, 2023

Lena Robinson, 2022

Janet Simpson, 2024

Christine Slater, 2024

Natalie Spencer, 2023

Rosita Taylor, 2022

Lynn Weidner, 2022

Janie Whipple, 2023

Pat Winkelman, 2025

Jeanine Ruda Genauer, 2025

Kelly Hamilton, 2025

Genice Hornberger, 2025

Mindi Manuel, 2025

Arlene Maxim, 2025

Stephanie Parks, 2025

Jiani Zeng, 2025

Please contact Robin Broomer at robin.broomer@mcknights.com and Ginger Crawford at ginger.crawford@mcknights.com.