Baltimore Magazine 2026 Top Nurses
15 Johns Hopkins Nurses Receive Excellence in Nursing Award from Baltimore Magazine
After an extensive nomination and review process, Baltimore magazine has named its 2026 Excellence in Nursing Award winners. This year’s honorees include 15 outstanding Johns Hopkins nurses from across our Greater Baltimore locations.
Selected from hundreds of nominations submitted by peers, supervisors and patients, these nurses were recognized for their exceptional compassion, clinical expertise and commitment to excellence in patient care. An expert panel of senior nurse advisers reviewed the nominations and selected this year’s winners.
The honorees are featured in the May 2026 issue of Baltimore magazine, and will be celebrated at the publication’s annual Excellence in Nursing Awards event.
Meet Johns Hopkins’ Excellence in Nursing Award winners, and read why each is proud to be a nurse:
Merle Joves Amparo, B.S.N., R.N., C.N.R.N.
Lead Clinical Nurse
Zayed 12 East in the Department of Neurosciences
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“I am proud about being a nurse as I can help people during the most vulnerable times of their lives. Nursing gives me the opportunity to advocate for patients in receiving the best care and use my education and skills to ensure patient safety. I value the relationships I build with colleagues and interactions with patients and their families. It feels great bringing joy to patients’ life journeys.”
Jennifer Brotherton, R.N., C.O.S.-C.
RN Case Manager III
Adult Skilled Home Health
Johns Hopkins Care at Home
“Few careers can afford one the opportunities to profoundly touch the lives of so many others in so many ways. I love knowing that, in some small way, I have made a difference in the lives of countless patients and families over the course of my career.”
Jessica Bruzdzinski, M.S.N., R.N.
Assistant Nurse Manager
Weinberg 4CD in the Department of Surgery
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“I am most proud about being a nurse working as a team to ensure patients receive the best care possible. Every day, I have the opportunity to learn something new. The endless opportunities, experiences and knowledge that come along with being a nurse are unmatched.”
Ethan J. Bryant, D.N.P., M.B.A., R.N.
Assistant Nurse Manager
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“What makes me most proud to be a nurse is the opportunity to advocate for patients and support families during their most vulnerable moments. As a nurse leader, I am also proud to support and empower the teams who deliver that care, helping create a culture of safety, collaboration and compassion.”
Shelby Cahill, M.S., R.N.
Nursing Practice and Professional Development Specialist
Office of Nursing Professional Practice
Johns Hopkins Health System
What makes me most proud to be a nurse is that no matter what nursing role I am in, the goal remains the same — give patients the best care possible. The adaptability and empathy of nursing always amazes me, and I am honored to be a part of such a workforce.
Melissa Johnson, D.N.P., R.N.C.-O.B., C.P.H.Q.
Director of Nursing
Department of Gyn/Ob
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“What makes me most proud as a nurse leader is ensuring that every decision we make keeps the patient and family at the center of care. Supporting nurses so they can deliver compassionate, safe and excellent care is both a privilege and a responsibility. When our teams feel empowered, our patients receive the very best we have to offer.”
Ciara McHugh, M.S.N., R.N., O.C.N.
Nurse Manager
Radiation Oncology
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“Providing hope, support, empowerment and advocacy to others during their most vulnerable moments is a true privilege. Supporting staff and watching them develop and grow in their careers makes the work even more rewarding.”
Olivia Rankin, B.S.N., R.N.
RN II
Weinberg ICU in the Department of Surgery
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“Nursing enables me to provide both clinical care and emotional support when patients need it most. Helping someone find hope or resilience during a difficult time is what makes this work so fulfilling. I consider it a privilege to serve in this role.”
Megan Schollenberger, M.S.N., B.S.N., C.R.N.P.
Senior Nurse Practitioner
Medical Oncology
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
“I love being a nurse because of the meaningful relationships I build with patients and their families, and the privilege of supporting them throughout their cancer journey. I also value being part of a clinical team that delivers cutting-edge therapies for patients with advanced skin cancer, helping bring the latest advances in care to those who need them most.”
Lisa Shoemaker, M.S., R.N., C.P.N., C.P.A.N.
Nurse Manager
Pediatric Preop/PACU in Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“I love being a nurse because it allows me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and families.
I am especially proud to support and mentor an incredible team of nurses who deliver compassionate, high-quality care every day. Seeing the impact our work has on patients, while helping nurses grow and thrive in their roles, is deeply rewarding.”
Gretchen Marie D. Siscar, B.S.N., R.N., O.N.C.
RN IV
Ortho-Wenz Unit in the Department of Surgery
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
“I take pride every day in advocating for the safest, most compassionate care — because every patient deserves nothing less than my best. I see challenges not as obstacles, but as opportunities to strengthen our practice and create lasting improvements. As a leader, I strive to keep our team focused, motivated and united in our mission while supporting one another through every shift. I’m deeply committed to mentoring new nurses, sharing my experience and passion so they can build the confidence, skills and compassion needed to keep our patients safe and our standards strong.”
Sonja Vozniak, B.S.N., R.N.
Nurse Manager
Apheresis Clinic in Department of Oncology/Pathology
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“I love being a nurse because caring for others has always been a part of who I am. There’s something special about being able to ease someone’s pain, calm their fears or just share in their joy when healing. Those moments remind me exactly why I chose this path and why I still love it today.”
Stefanie Widner, B.S.N., R.N., C.M.S.R.N., A.M.B.-B.C.
Triage Nurse
Internal Medicine and Family Practice
Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, Germantown
“I am proud of being an ambulatory nurse because it has led to many long-term relationships with patients. I am able to provide compassionate and empathetic care throughout their entire health journey. I have become the person they seek for comfort and help during difficult times, and this has been the most rewarding part of my 20-plus year career.”
Monica Wilt, M.S.N., R.N.
Clinical Program Director, Clinical Informatics, Cancer Service Line
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Johns Hopkins Health System
“I love seeing the impact our initiatives make on patient care, outcomes and safety. In my role, I get to participate in the system design to help maximize the benefit to the clinical user, and then analyze the data and visualize the benefit to our patients.”
Samantha Young, M.S., C.C.N.S., A.C.N.P.C., C.C.R.N.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Weinberg ICU in the Department of Surgery
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
“In my role as an APRN-clinical nurse specialist, I enjoy being able to identify a need for evidence-based practice and working to systematically implement the practice or de-implement a non-evidenced-based practice to improve patient outcomes.”
We congratulate our 2026 Baltimore magazine Excellence in Nursing Award winners and thank them — along with all Johns Hopkins nurses — for the skill, dedication and heart they bring to their work every day.