National League for Nursing honors Penn Nursing Dean with 2026 President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement
image: Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania
Credit: Penn Nursing
PHILADELPHIA (July 29, 2026) – The National League for Nursing (NLN) has selected Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, as a recipient of the prestigious 2026 NLN President’s Award. This distinctive national honor recognizes prominent leaders in nursing education whose lifetime career achievements deserve public and professional acclaim. Dean Villarruel will formally accept the award alongside co-recipient Dr. Ena Williams during a special presentation at the 2026 NLN Education Summit in Washington, DC, taking place September 23 through 25.
As Dean of Penn Nursing, Villarruel leads the institution in meeting its core mission of advancing science, promoting equity, and demonstrating practice excellence. A bilingual and bicultural researcher, her career has been deeply grounded in these values, laying the groundwork for extensive research and clinical practice focused on improving health outcomes and health equity for marginalized Latino communities. Alongside her deanship, she also serves as the Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Nursing and Midwifery Leadership at Penn Nursing, the only Collaborating Center on Penn’s campus.
Villarruel advances health equity in nursing education through an interdisciplinary approach. As a member of the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Committee on Educating Health Professionals to Address the Social Determinants of Health, she co-authored the 2016 framework prioritizing long-term infrastructure over short-term programs. This model directly informed the Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program at Penn Nursing, establishing a first-of-its-kind, tuition-free program to prepare primary care nurse practitioners to work in under-resourced communities nationwide. Across Penn, NAM, and other national nursing and health professions organizations and committees, she drives policy and curriculum reforms to broaden workforce diversity, advance cultural and linguistic competence, and set national best practices for institutional inclusion.
"I am deeply honored to receive the NLN President's Award and to be recognized alongside such esteemed colleagues who are dedicated to preparing nurses at all levels to care for individuals, families and communities," said Villarruel. "This recognition reflects the collective efforts of the extraordinary faculty, students, and partners at Penn Nursing who work tirelessly every day to transform health care and prepare the next generation of nurse leaders."
Villarruel’s distinguished career spans key leadership positions across nursing, government, and national health care organizations. She is an inducted Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, a member of both the National Academy of Medicine and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, former Chair of the National Academy of Medicine Culture of Health Program Advisory Committee, and former Co-Chair of the Strategic Advisory Council for the AARP/RWJ Future of Nursing Campaign for Action. She is an invited member of the Aspen Health Strategy Group at The Aspen Institute, and a member of the Task Force for the Vision for American Science & Technology.
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About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) is a global leader in nursing education, research, and practice, and is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS World University (2026), a distinction it has held nine prior times. Penn Nursing also consistently earns top national rankings from U.S. News & World Report for its BSN and graduate programs and is the top National Institutes of Health (NIH)–funded nursing research institution in the United States. By integrating innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based practice, Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists, clinicians, and leaders to meet the complex health needs of a global society. Follow Penn Nursing: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram.