Nine individuals and a community partnership received the Tennessee Hospital Association’s (THA) 2026 Awards of Excellence for accomplishments in patient care, hospital leadership, workforce development, and community health. THA recognized the recipients at its 88th Annual Meeting, held September 24-25 at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
“Every day, Tennessee’s hospitals are making a difference for patients and communities through the dedication, leadership, and innovation of their people. This year’s honorees exemplify that commitment,” said Wendy Long, MD, MPH, THA President and CEO. “From improving emergency care and patient safety to strengthening our healthcare workforce and building partnerships that address the needs of our communities, they are turning challenges into meaningful solutions. We are proud to recognize their accomplishments and the impact they are making across Tennessee.”
THA recognized the following recipients of this year’s awards:
- President’s Award: Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally
- CEO of Distinction Award: Gordon B. Ferguson, FACHE, President and CEO (retired), Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford
- Senior Executive of Distinction Award: Cara Beard, MSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis
- Trustee of Distinction Award: Crissy Haslam, Board Member, University Health System Inc. (UT Medical)
- Nurse Leader of Distinction Award: David Winter Gutierrez, MSN, RN, Director of Emergency Services, Methodist University Hospital, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
- Clinical Nurse of Distinction Award: Holly Donesky, BSN, RN, Staff Nurse, Emergency Department, Erlanger Baroness Hospital, Erlanger Health
- Patient Safety Leadership Award: Sherry Baierl, BSN, RN, BS, AS, CPQPS, Quality Patient Safety Program Manager for Sepsis, CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital
- Community Health Impact Award: CommonSpirit Community Partnership with Catholic Charities
- Organizational Excellence Award: Jill Steelman, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Organizational and Workforce Development, Erlanger Health
Videos of award winners are available here, and photos are available here.
The following provides details on each award and the recipients, including highlights from their nomination materials:
The President’s Award recognizes an individual or group whose work represents an extraordinary commitment to Tennessee hospitals and the patients we serve.
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally is honored for nearly five decades of public service and longstanding support of Tennessee hospitals. First elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1978, he has served continuously in the General Assembly and, since 2017, as lieutenant governor and speaker of the Senate. A pharmacist by profession, McNally spent more than 30 years serving patients at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge. His leadership on fiscal and healthcare policy has helped secure significant state investments in TennCare and hospital funding, strengthening hospitals and access to care across Tennessee.
The CEO of Distinction Award recognizes leadership and service by an individual member in addition to contributions to the healthcare industry.
Gordon B. Ferguson is honored for nearly four decades of healthcare leadership in Tennessee, including 19 years as president and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford before retiring in 2025. He led the hospital’s 2010 relocation and subsequent expansions, oversaw the opening of Westlawn Neighborhood Hospital, and expanded access to specialty care. His service to THA includes a former role on the THA Innovative Solutions board and years of hospital advocacy, including engagement with state legislators on key healthcare policy issues. He also helped launch the Dispensary of Hope and supported care for uninsured patients through the Saint Louise Clinic.
The Senior Executive of Distinction Award recognizes leadership and service by an individual in support of a THA member hospital or health system.
Cara Beard is honored for nursing and executive leadership that has strengthened patient care and workforce development at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. Her career with Baptist began as a nurse technician and intern and progressed to chief nursing officer. She has supported nurse residency programs with a 98% retention rate and academic partnerships that help employees advance their careers. Her leadership has also contributed to reductions in hospital-acquired infections and expanded access to advanced cardiovascular and stroke care for patients in Memphis and the surrounding region.
The Trustee of Distinction Award recognizes an active or recently retired member of the board of directors or associate/advisory board of a THA member institution.
Crissy Haslam is honored for healthcare governance and service to Tennessee families. A University Health System Inc. board member since 2020, she chairs the Corporate Citizenship Committee. Through her fundraising leadership, she has inspired support for emergency and trauma care, nursing education, and medical education and research. She also advocated for UT Medical’s engagement in the Transforming Western Heights initiative, resulting in an outreach clinic. Her work builds on statewide literacy and child welfare initiatives she championed as Tennessee’s first lady.
The Nurse Leader of Distinction Award recognizes outstanding contributions by a registered nurse leader employed at a THA member hospital or health system.
David Winter Gutierrez is honored for improving emergency care at Methodist University Hospital through hands-on leadership, staff development, and practical solutions to patient flow challenges. Under his leadership, average emergency department boarding time and arrival-to-discharge times have been nearly cut in half. He established a shared decision-making council and created a Patient Experience Olympics to strengthen communication and staff engagement. During an ice storm, he remained at the hospital and transported employees to work to help maintain emergency services.
The Clinical Nurse of Distinction Award recognizes outstanding contributions by a registered nurse employed at a THA member hospital or health system.
Holly Donesky is honored for skilled, compassionate bedside care and patient advocacy in Erlanger Health’s emergency department. She provides calm, attentive care across a wide range of patient needs, including trauma and psychiatric emergencies, and helps patients and families understand treatment plans. After joining Erlanger as a patient care technician in 2021, she earned her nursing degree in 2023 and became a registered nurse. She mentors new staff, supports improvements in patient care, and extends her service through volunteer work with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue Service.
The Patient Safety Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has taken extraordinary and innovative steps to make patient safety and quality a top priority in their organization.
Sherry Baierl is honored for advancing sepsis recognition, education, and care at CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital. A sepsis survivor, she brings personal insight to her work as quality patient safety program manager for sepsis. She develops practical educational tools for hospital staff, works with physicians to improve documentation, and shares sepsis education with the community. Her efforts helped increase sepsis bundle compliance from 57.1% in January 2025 to 100% in July 2025. She also shares effective practices through THA and co-leads regional sepsis improvement efforts across CommonSpirit.
The Community Health Impact Award recognizes an organization or individual for demonstrated impact on the health and well-being of a community.
The CommonSpirit Community Partnership with Catholic Charities is honored for providing a safe place for patients experiencing homelessness to recover after they leave the hospital. Through the partnership, CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee offer medical respite at the Home Place in Chattanooga. The program combines temporary housing with home health services, medication assistance, and connections to primary care, behavioral health services, and longer-term housing. A $131,000 hospital investment supported the program’s development. The partnership helps address the medical and social needs that can make recovery difficult without stable housing.
The Organizational Excellence Award recognizes an individual for excellence in advancing overall organizational performance and effectiveness.
Jill Steelman is honored for strengthening Erlanger Health’s workforce through education partnerships, professional development, and organizational leadership. She created the Erlanger Institute of Healthcare and Innovation at The Howard School and helped expand the health system’s partnership with Hamilton County Schools to the North River Future Ready Center. She also developed a licensed practical nurse program for high school students. Within Erlanger, she helped establish a dedicated workforce development department, launched a summer nurse externship, and led work to secure accreditation for the nurse residency program. Her efforts connect students and nurses with opportunities to build healthcare careers.