Cele Cohen Nursing Excellence Award

The Cele Cohen Award was established for the purpose of recognizing the contributions of Cecelia Cohen to public health nursing and the Arizona Public Health Association’s Nursing Section. Today, this award recognizes a public/community health nurse within Arizona that has made an outstanding contribution. The Cele Cohen Nursing Award recognizes a public health or community health nurse who has made an outstanding contribution to public health in Arizona. All Arizona licensed registered nurses are eligible for this award.

Nurse Cohen spent 40 years serving as a Peace Corps volunteer, nurse, and teacher. She served as clinical faculty for ASU’s Community Health Nursing program and as liaison to the ADHS Office of Local and Community Health. She was known for getting the job done, no matter what the obstacle.

  • 1975 | Clara Daley

  • 1976 | Ruth Brubaker; Aurelia Moser

  • 1978 | Jean McCollum; Marion Rosen

  • 1979 | Bea Steffl

  • 1980 | Imogene Eide

  • 1981 | Carol Lockhard

  • 1982 | Joan Douglas

  • 1983 | Betty Spaulding

  • 1984 | Mary Coleman

  • 1985 | Kay Cole

  • 1986 | Georgia Macdonough

  • 1987 | Susan Fifer

  • 1988 | Aileen McMinn

  • 1989 | Sister M. Rheinlander

  • 1990 | Pat Moore (Urban); Beverly Warne (Rural)

  • 1991 | Lo Ann Bell (Urban); Maxine McKee (Rural)

  • 1992 | Betty Finch (Urban); Sally Lewis (Rural)

  • 1993 | Kathleen Ford (Urban); Karen Liberante (Urban)

  • 1995 | Christena Fox (Urban)

  • 1996 | Elizabeth Siwarski (Urban)

  • 1997 | Kathy Malkin (Urban); Billie Brown (Rural)

  • 1998 | Jill Litrell (Urban); Cathy Burke (Rural)

  • 1999 | Janice Nusbaum (Urban); Dorene McElyea (Rural)

  • 2000 | Marilyn Neibergall (Urban); Joyce Hubbard (Rural)

  • 2001 | Johanna Kramer (Urban); Marilyn Atha (Non-member)

  • 2002 | Barbara Maack (Urban); Martha King (Rural); Rossana Radspinner (Non-member)

  • 2003 | Baraber Herber (Public Health Nursing); Judy Doan (Non-member)

  • 2004 | Mary Webb

  • 2005 | Christine Bonston

  • 2008 | Robert and Maureen Kappler

  • 2009 | Delores Patterson

  • 2010 | Joyce Goeller

  • 2011 | Barbara LaBrance

  • 2013 | Ramona Rusinak

  • 2014 | Kathi Ford

  • 2015 | Gail Petersen Hock

  • 2016 | Machrina Leach

  • 2017 | Heather Jordan

  • 2018 | Patricia Johnson

  • 2019 | Tracy Brooks (see award photo)

  • 2022 | Tascha Spears, RN Pinal County Health Department

Cele Cohen Nursing Excellence Award