Friday, May 21, 2027
In Person at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, 655 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201
The Maryland Action Coalition (MDAC) Exemplary Leadership Award was created in 2022 to recognize and celebrate the leadership and accomplishments exhibited beyond one’s day to day role.
In 2023, the award was renamed in memory of Peggy Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN.
The nominee embodies the core values of MDAC; honors diverse experiences and perspectives; and sets an example of including others while exploring new ideas and partnerships to achieve large-scale goals.
The nominee’s achievements enhance MDAC’s strategic mission and advance access and opportunities for others.
About Peggy Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN
Peggy E. Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN, served for 12 years (from 2010 - 22) as Nurse Support Program II grant administrator at the Maryland Higher Education Commission. In this position, she marshaled resources of the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, the Maryland Higher Education Commission, and the Maryland Deans and Directors of Schools of Nursing to create a statewide lattice of educational Nurse Support Program grants, which changed the structure of educational financial support in Maryland to expand the nurse educator workforce. She was the architect and developer of nine different types of continuous nurse educator grants, academic-practice partnerships, and statewide resource grants totaling over $200,000,000 and funded through 2025.
Her work promoted rapid expansion of the associate-to-bachelor’s programs. Her efforts resulted in new statewide funding for the Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource Consortium, providing clinical simulation equipment statewide and establishment of simulation quality guidelines; the Nurse Leadership Institute, which prepares nurse faculty and clinicians for leadership positions and collaborative partnerships between academia and practice; the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center; and many other forward-thinking programs.
Most importantly, Daw developed a supportive working collaboration of academic and practice nurse leaders across the state to communicate; inform; and mutually create, implement, and continuously improve initiatives to strengthen and advance nursing in Maryland.
Daw passed away in December 2022.
Recipients
2026 Recipient: Lisa Seldomridge, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, Founder/PI, Faculty Academy and Mentorship Initiative; Professor, Salisbury University
2025 Recipient: Mary Etta C. Mills, ScD, RN, FAAN, Professor Emerita, University of Maryland School of Nursing
2024 Recipient: Lisa Rowen, DNSc, RN, CENP, BCC, FAONL, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive, University of Maryland Medical System
2023 Recipient: Peggy E. Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN, Former Director, Maryland Higher Education Commission, as presented to her family
2022 Inaugural Recipient: Joan Warren, PhD, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, FAAN, Executive Director, MONL Inc./MNRC
Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, NNP, FNAP, FAAN
The Bill and Joanne Conway Dean and Professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Co-Chair, Maryland Action Coalition
Patricia Travis, PhD, RN, CCRP
Senior Associate Director, Clinical Trials, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Secretary, American Nurses Association
Co-Chair, Maryland Action Coalition
Lynn Marie Bullock, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Assistant Professor and Director, Office of Professional Education, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Crystal DeVance-Wilson, PhD, MBA, PHCNS-BC
Assistant Professor and Director, Maryland Nursing Workforce Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Mary Etta Mills, RN, ScD, FAAN
Retired Professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Imani Payne, BS
Senior Program Specialist, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Giordana Segneri, MA
Assistant Dean for Marketing and Communications, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Sonia Smith, BS
Manager, Office of Events, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Enjoli Sonnier, MBA, MS
Associate Director of Events, University of Maryland School of Nursing
This year’s summit is supported in part by the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center at the University of Maryland School of Nursing through the Nurse Support Program II, which is funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
For questions regarding MDAC, email us at pe.nursing@umaryland.edu.