is proud to announce that Kenya Beard, EdD, AGACNP-BC, ANEF, FADLN, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing will be honored with the Mary Elizabeth Carnegie Leadership Award by the American Academy of Nursing (Academy). The award recognizes a Fellow whose significant and sustained contributions have advanced the organization’s core values of equity, diversity and inclusivity in nursing and health care.
“What an incredible honor,” said Kenya Beard, EdD, AGACNP-BC, ANEF, FADLN, FAAN, dean of ’s School of Nursing. “Indeed, Dr. Carnegie opened doors and paved the way for us to advance the nursing profession and improve the health of our society. I would like to thank the Academy and all those who have mentored me, shared their wisdom and influenced by journey.”
Dr. Beard is a nationally recognized leader in health equity, policy, and nursing education. Rooted in her deep commitment to justice, she has spent her career building inclusive pathways to improve care outcomes and systems. A former Chair of the NY State Board of Nursing and a 2012 Macy Faculty Scholar, Dr. Beard co-produced healthcare disparity segments on WBAI-FM, reaching over 400,000 listeners. Featured in the documentary “Everybody’s Work: Healing What Hurts Us All,” she elevated nursing’s power to create equity-driven systems. Additionally, Dr. Beard serves on the editorial board of the American Journal of Nursing and teaches transformational leadership at the Harvard Macy Institute. She continues to transform purpose into impact through initiatives like the National Black Nurses Association’s National Academy for Diversity Leaders in Nursing and ’s Health Equity Influencer Program.
She will be among five distinguished leaders recognized at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, Impact Through Integrity and Trust: Our Role as Navigators and Translators, which will be held October 16–18, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The conference celebrates professionals whose work has significantly advanced the Academy’s mission of promoting healthy lives for all people.
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is an independent, coeducational institution serving more than 9,000 students each year across campuses in Westchester, the Bronx, Manhattan, as well as online. It is a federally designated minority-serving institution and the largest private Hispanic Serving Institution in the state of New York. offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificate programs within six schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Social and Behavioral Sciences. was founded in 1950 by the Sisters of whose mission of transformative education remains strong. For more information, visit .