ISONG Founders Awards
The purpose of the ISONG Founders awards, established in 1996, is to honor individual ISONG members who have demonstrated excellence in genomic nursing education, research or service. ISONG members have the opportunity each year to nominate another ISONG member for a Founders Award. One of the highest forms of recognition one can receive is a tribute from one's peers. The ISONG Founders' Awards make it possible for ISONG as a professional organization to recognize members who have served ISONG and are leaders in genetic/genomic nursing and health care.
Congratulations to ISONG's 2011 Founders Award Recipients
ISONG Founders Service Recipient:
Jeanine Seguin Santelli, PhD,ANP-BC/GNP-BC
GNCC Executive Director
Nazareth College School of Health, chair of nursing
Rochester, New York, USA
ISONG Founders Education Recipient:
Susan Mahon RN DNSc AOCN APNG
Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology,
Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, USA
ISONG Founders Research Recipient:
Jacquelyn Taylor, PhD, PNP-BC, RN
Yale School of Nursing, Associate Professor
New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Dr. Jeanine Seguin Santelli has been a pioneer in facilitating the development and evolution of the credentialing of genetics nurses. Since its inception, she has been associated with the Genetic Nursing Credentialing Commission (GNCC) and since 2005 has led the credentialing process for nurses in genetics serving as the volunteer GNCC Executive Director. The GNCC webpage currently lists 48 nurses in 26 states with the Advanced Practice Nurse in Genetics or APNG credential and 15 nurses in 10 states with the Genetics Clinical Nurse or GCN credential. She began working with GNCC before she completed her dissertation, and her work for that centered around developing a valid and reliable comprehensive multiple choice exam to assess knowledge of pertinent genetic content for nurses seeking the certification credential. Options for operationalizing this tool will are being considered. She is a long time ISONG member and has also served as a liaison between ISONG and GNCC attending the annual conference, board meetings, conference calls, and providing written reports of GNCC activities.
Dr. Suzanne Mahon has been a leader in cancer genetics education and practice for the past 20 years with over 90 journal articles. several books and book chapters related to cancer risk assessment, genomics education, genetics nursing, and hereditary cancer syndromes. Her contributions include development and dissemination of genetics/genomics case studies, continuing education modules, and other educational materials currently available through nursing education websites and Amazon. She has received several grants to provide genetic/genomic education to individuals, families, health care providers and the public. She was among the first advanced practice nurses to establish a cancer genetics program and provide cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling and testing amd in 2001 was one of the first 13 advanced practice nurses to be credentialed through the Genetic Nursing Credentialing Commission. She holds dual appointments with the School of Medicine and School of Nursing and has primary responsibility for developing and teaching the genetics/genomics courses and curricula where she holds appointments. She has been teaching nurses, medical students and other health professionals for the past 20 years in addition to providing extensive mentorship through the cancer genetics program she developed and manages.
Dr. Jacquelyn Taylor has focused her nursing research on the identification of genomic and environmental factors that trigger the onset, severity, and development of hypertension among African Americans. She has identified genes in African Americans that are risk factors for development of hypertension in normotensive offspring in addition to genes that act as protective mechanisms against increases in blood pressure. Her current study, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars Program, examines the interaction between genome-wide association and social environmental factors related to blood pressure among African American hypertensive parents and early risks for high blood pressure among their untreated children. Her work in hypertension genetics has crossed national borders and has spread to her replicating the work in Africa and to others replicating her study in Asia. She also serves as an advocate for genetics nursing through her efforts to recruit minority nurses into genetics research. Her long-term goals include developing nursing interventions to prevent and reduce gene-environment risks associated with hypertension.
