Back to News Meet the 2026 GNSA Visionary Leader Award Recipients Tuesday, May 12, 2026 | Students Your Peers. Your Inspiration. Your 2026 GNSA Visionary Leaders. The GNSA Visionary Leader Award was created to spotlight the next generation of nursing leaders, and our inaugural recipients are nothing short of extraordinary. Meet the 2026 Visionary Leader Award Recipients MSN Visionary Leader Ehren Strohm, MSN, APRN, FNP Caregiver. Educator. Advocate. Leader. Ehren is a Family Nurse Practitioner program graduate of St. John Fisher University, completing the program in May 2026. Since earning a BSN in 2018, Ehren has built a dynamic and impactful career as an emergency room nurse, clinical instructor, and correctional nurse. Her career demonstrates resilience, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care, even in the most challenging environments. DNP Visionary Leader Dylan Wayne Carpenter, MSN, RN, CWOCN, PCCN, MEDSURG-BC Executive Leader. Innovator. Community Advocate. Dylan is an MSN to DNP student concentrating in Executive Nursing Leadership at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing. He recently completed a Certificate in Healthcare Quality and Safety from the UAB School of Health Professions. Additionally, he earned an MSN in Nursing Education from the University of North Alabama and a BSN from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dylan’s work has been recognized nationally through awards from the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society and the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel for innovation and quality improvement. Beyond his clinical and academic roles, he serves as Vice President of the Central Alabama WOC Nurses Association, consults with national healthcare organizations, and is an Albert Schweitzer Fellow leading a community foot health initiative focused on underserved populations. PhD Visionary Leader Joy King, DNP, MBA, APRN, NP-C, FAIHM Equity Champion. Nurse Leader. Visionary. Dr. King is a Family Nurse Practitioner, nurse scholar, and transformative nurse leader committed to advancing health equity through clinical practice, policy, and community engagement. She currently serves as President of the Georgia Nurses Association, where she leads statewide initiatives focused on strengthening the nursing workforce, advancing legislative priorities, and improving population health outcomes. With over a decade of experience, Dr. King is recognized for her ability to bring diverse stakeholders together to drive meaningful and sustainable change across healthcare systems and communities. As a fourth-year PhD student at Georgia State University, her research focuses on sleep quality, body image, and social media use among rural African American women. Through her leadership, scholarship, and advocacy, Dr. King is actively shaping the future of nursing at both the state and national levels. This Is Your Room. Be In It. Award recipients will be honored live at the 2026 Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA) Conference to be held July 30-31 in Washington, DC. We want you there to celebrate with them. This year's theme, Legacy of Care: Leadership and Innovation for a Sustainable Future, sets the stage for two days of immersive experiences designed exclusively for graduate nursing students. Register & Celebrate With Us Why This Award Matters The GNSA Visionary Leader Award recognizes graduate nursing students whose leadership, innovation, scholarship, and service are helping shape the future of healthcare. From advancing health equity and strengthening communities to improving patient care and influencing policy, this year’s recipients reflect the extraordinary impact emerging nurse leaders are making nationwide. In its inaugural year, the award received more than 50 applications from graduate nursing students across the country. Recipients were selected by members of the GNSA Leadership Council for their demonstrated commitment to leadership, vision, and meaningful change within the nursing profession.