Tipton Health, the nation’s leading nursing consultancy, is proud to announce the recipients of its first Vision Awards for Excellence in Nursing.
The honorees have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing the nursing profession by championing innovative, evidence-based strategies that empower nurses to be at their best! Their leadership has fostered environments that enhance nurse engagement and satisfaction, while measurably improving patient outcomes in every measurable way.
“We are fortunate to work with so many of the nation’s top nursing leaders and teams and see their exception work and commitment each day,” said Dan Tipton, president of Tipton Health. “The Vision Awards for Excellence in Nursing recognize the best of the best–nurses who have a passion and never-ending commitment to their profession and to providing the very best patient care.”
“We have the privilege to bear witness to the unrelenting love and dedication the nurses we serve share with their patients and their team.” said Mary DelGuidice, vice president and chief nursing officer of Tipton Health. “The Vision Awards for Excellence in Nursing enable us to exalt and celebrate nurses of extraordinary talent, expertise, and unrelenting dedication to making things better each day for their patients and team.”
The 2025 recipients of the Tipton Health Vision Awards for Excellence in Nursing are the following nursing leaders and nursing teams:
- Brenda Pinder, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, Chief Nursing Officer, Montefiore Health, Einstein Campus, and the CNO Advisory Board, Montefiore Health, Einstein Campus;
- Ariam Yitbarek, DNP, MHA, RN , NEA-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and the MedStar Washington Hospital Center Nursing Team; and
- Jennifer Simonetti, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CPN, CPXP, Senior Director, Patient and Client Experience, Magnet Program and Cultural Leader, Northwell Health Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
Meet the 2025 Vision Awards for Excellence in Nursing Honorees:
Brenda Pinder, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, Chief Nursing Officer, Montefiore Health and the CNO Advisory Board, Montefiore Health, Einstein Campus
“Brenda is a loving leader who cares deeply for her team,” DelGuidice said. “Brenda identified an opportunity to strengthen trusting relationships between clinical nurses and leaders and partnered with Tipton Health to form a CNO Advisory Board comprised of clinical nurses.”
The CNO Advisory Board has helped Montefiore Einstein to improve leader communication and has led to breakthroughs in patient care. In just one example, by working together, Brenda and the CNO Advisory Board developed solutions that reduce hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) by 88%.
Ariam, Yitbarek, DNP, MHA, RN , NEA-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, and the MedStar Washington Hospital Center Nursing Team 
“Ariam is an inspirational leader who led her team last night to be one of just three organizations world-wide to achieve (ANCC) Magnet® and Pathway to Excellence® Designation,” DelGuidice said. “Thank you for your many contributions to your team, community and profession of nursing.”
In addition to the ANCC designations, Ariam and the MedStar Washington Hospital Center nursing team have also achieved many other accolades that reflect their unrelenting commitment to excellence in nursing such as the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nursing Prism award, NICHE with exemplar status, multiple AACN Beacon Awards, CCNE designation and Baby-Friendly designation.
Jennifer Simonetti, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CPN, CPXP, Senior Director, Patient and Client Experience, Magnet Program and Cultural Leader, Northwell Health Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
“Jennifer role models what empowered nurses can do, by helping to build a culture of nursing excellence at Cohen Children’s and through the Northwell Health system,” DelGuidice said. “You make everyone around you better, including all of us at Tipton Health.”
As Magnet program leader, Jennifer led Cohen Children’s to its initial Magnet designation in 2016 and subsequent re-designations in 2020 and 2024. She created the innovative BEE MINDFUL program, which focused on caring for children with special needs. The program won the Magnet prize in 2020.
About Tipton Health
Tipton Health is the nation’s premier nursing consultancy, providing strategic, evidence-based nursing solutions that drive outcomes, efficiency, patient and nurse experiences, and revenue. Tipton has successfully guided more than 300 nursing teams to nursing excellence, often using the evidence-based Magnet®, or Pathway to Excellence® frameworks. Tipton Health’s clients have a nearly 100% success rate in achieving designation. Tipton is committed to advancing nursing practice. For more information, please visit tiptonhealth.com.