Barbara and Donald Jonas Recognized as FAANP Honorary Fellows

AANP announces that Jonas Center Co-Founders, Barbara and Donald Jonas, have been named FAANP Honorary Fellows.

AANP Fellows Announce 2017 Honorary Fellows and Loretta Ford Award Recipient
by The American Association of Nurse Practitioners

Austin, TX (May 18, 2017) – The Fellows Executive Committee of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Loretta Ford Award and the 2017 Honorary Fellows. The following individuals will be honored at the 2017 FAANP Induction Ceremony on Thursday, June 22, during the AANP 2017 National Conference in Philadelphia.

2017 Honorary Fellows

The 2017 FAANP Honorary Fellows are Mr. Donald Jonas, Mrs. Barbara Jonas, and Dr. Michael McGinnis. The Honorary Fellow is a non-nurse practitioner who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in at least one of the following areas of importance to nurse practitioners: Practice, Education, Policy and Research.

Mr. Donald Jonas and Mrs. Barbara Jonas are the founders of the Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare. Through their philanthropic support and leadership of the Jonas Center, Donald and Barbara Jonas have advanced the NP role, providing future nursing leaders with tools, education and support to carry the role to a bigger, brighter future.

Dr. Michael McGinnis is the Executive Officer of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), formerly the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Dr. McGinnis’ collaborative nature has led to the inclusion of NPs at the table of the NAM/IOM, influencing NAM/IOM reports and recommendations leading to state and federal policies that have improved opportunities for NPs.

2017 Loretta C. Ford Award

Dr. Penny Kaye Jensen is the recipient of the 2017 Loretta C. Ford Award. The Loretta C. Ford Award is presented annually to an NP who demonstrates participation in health care policy development at an international, national or local level; sustained and specific contribution to clarification of the role and scope of practice of NPs; and/or creative and effective action to turn a challenge to the NP role into an effective opportunity to advance practice and improve patient outcomes. Among her many contributions, Dr. Jensen has served as the Liaison for National APRN Policy for the Veterans Administration (VA) Office of Nursing Service (ONS) since 2013, demonstrating exemplary national leadership in health care policy leading to the approval of full practice authority (FPA) for advanced practice nurses (APRN) in the VA. This national health policy change will have an unparalleled synergistic effect for NP scope of practice across the nation.


The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 222,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NP patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate a nurse practitioner in your community, go to npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.

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