Cunningham to Receive 2022 Norma M. Lang Award for Scholarly Practice and Policy
The award is given biennially to a Penn Nursing faculty member or a graduate from the School’s doctoral program who has made a distinguished contribution to nursing through scholarly practice. It honors Norma M. Lang, PhD, the Professor and Dean Emerita of Penn Nursing for her world-renowned contributions to health policy and practice. The 7th Norma L. Lang Lecture will take place on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 3:00 – 5:00 pm in the Ann L. Roy Auditorium.
Regina S. Cunningham, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Nursing Assistant Dean for Clinical Practice was selected for this award because of her impressive and extensive scope of influence on practice and health policy that is evident by her national and local executive leadership. The impactful nature of Dr. Cunningham is visible in her scholarly productivity and its impact on shaping scholarly practice and policy. She is a leader in the utilization of nursing resources across the care continuum.
Cunningham has excelled in an executive leadership role of a complex health system overseeing the new Patient Pavilion and HUP Cedar at Penn Medicine. Her clinical expertise in oncology, a master in systems-thinking and quality, and her commitment to patient and family centered care have been critical elements she has incorporated in her role as Chief Executive Officer. She has a prominent standing in the scientific and practice communities and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine’s Future of Nursing 2020-2030 committee. Her contributions to this prestigious committee were meaningful. She has been an avid leader in advancing the report recommendations. Cunningham is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including recognition as a distinguished lecturer by the Academic Orthopedic Consortium, one of 2021 Modern Healthcare’s 50 Most Influential Health Care Executives, and a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
Cunningham’s impact to the improvement of healthcare is substantial and includes key contributions to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the Macy Foundation, and other leading organizations. She has used her unique positions to exert her national leadership in shaping practice and health policy. Her expansive list of invited national presentations is an indication of her high-profile status in healthcare. Throughout Penn Medicine and the region, Cunningham’s work serves as a national model for health system integration and expansion.