Awards
Torchbearer/Inspiration Awards
Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Lifetime Achievement Award was renamed in honor of Jim Boag after his death in 1999.
Dr. Mike Kraus receives the Jim Boag Lifetime Achievement Award from NANT President, Clarica Douglas-Ajayi
| 2025 | Dr. Mike Kraus |
| 2024 | Danilo Concepcion |
| 2023 | Glenda Payne |
| 2022 | Mark Gray |
| 2021 | No award |
| 2020 | Anne Preston |
| 2019 | Ted Kasparek |
| 2018 | Burke West |
| 2017 | Rosa Watson Albert |
| 2016 | Philip M. Varughese |
| 2015 | No award |
| 2014 | Charles Weddle |
| 2013 | Anthony Messana |
| 2012 | Michael Honstein |
| 2011 | Jerry Woods |
| 2010 | Richard Ward |
| 2009 | Dr. Ben Hur |
| 2008 | Wen Wu |
| 2007 | Jack Dillon |
| 2006 | John Sweeny |
| 2005 | Hugh Doss |
| 2004 | Ron Whisnant |
| 2003 | Clifford Glynn, CHT |
| 2002 | Joe Mazzilli |
| 2001 | Larry Byers |
| 2000 | Lori Hawbecker |
| 1999 | Jim Curtis |
| 1998 | Jim Boag |
| 1997 |
Philip Andrysiak and Dennis Todaro |
| 1996 |
Philip M. Varughese |
President's Awards
The President's Award began in 2002 with a combination of awards presented prior to then.
Tianna Gibson received the President's Award from NANT President, Clarica Douglas-Ajayi
| 2025 | Tianna Gibson |
| 2024 |
R J Picciano, BA,CHT,OCDT,CHBT |
|
2023 |
Troy Heizelman |
| 2022 |
NANT Staff |
| 2021 | Lisa Hauf |
| 2020 | Nicole Anderson, DNP, AGCNP-BC |
| 2019 |
Heather Paradis |
| 2018 | No award |
| 2017 | Joe Johnston |
| 2016 | Kevin M. Burns, Sr. |
| 2015 | Heather Paradis |
| 2014 | Fran Rickenbach |
| 2013 | Blu Roshto |
| 2012 | Danilo Concepcion |
| 2011 | Jim Curtis |
| 2010 | Matt Arduino, MS, DrPH |
| 2009 | Shirley Bradley |
| 2008 | Heather Paradis |
| 2007 | Wayne Carlson |
| 2006 | Vern Taaffe |
| 2005 | Mark E. Neumann |
| 2004 | Joe Mazzilli |
| 2003 | Lorus Hawbecker |
| 2002 | Claudia Douglas |
| 2001 | Belinda Bethea | Mark Parks |
| 2000 | Dr. Maurice E. Kaufman | Mark Rolston |
| 1999 | Susan Hansen |
| 1998 | Philip Varughese |
| 1997 | John Sweeny |
| 1996 |
Mark Rolston |
Blu Roshto Awards
The Blu Roshto Memorial Award began in 2017 in memory of an outstanding technician devoted to NANT after his untimely death.
Bonner Paradis received the Blu Roshto Memorial Award from NANT President, Clarica Douglas-Ajayi for his work on chapter development in the Pacific Northwest, which is where Blu worked.
2025 |
Bonner Paradis |
2024 |
Tom Connelly |
2023 |
Lisa Hauf |
2022 |
Will Macias |
2021 |
Kazim Naqvi |
2020 |
Mandy Hale Tilton |
2019 |
Kevin Burns, Sr. |
2018 |
Heather Paradis |
2017 |
Will Macias |
Dennis Kennedy Awards
The Dennis J. Kennedy Award began in 1997 in recognition of the amazing work that Dennis did with NANT Chapter Development.
Nancy Autry received the Dennis Kennedy Award from NANT President, Clarica Douglas-Ajayi
| 2025 | Nancy Autrey |
| 2024 | Ryan White |
| 2023 | Shelba Jones |
| 2022 | No award |
| 2021 | No award |
| 2020 | Melissa Lamb |
| 2019 | Brenda Rickards, CHT, CCHT-A |
| 2018 | No award |
| 2017 | Will Macias |
| 2016 | Dwelyn Williams |
| 2015 | Charles Johnson |
| 2014 | Clarica Douglas |
| 2013 | Kazim Naqvi |
| 2012 | Nicole Martinez |
| 2011 | David Fracalossy |
| 2010 | Charles Torres, CHT |
| 2009 | Rosa Watson |
| 2008 | Steve Giles |
| 2007 | David Fracalossy |
| 2006 | Heather Paradis |
| 2005 | Charles Torres |
| 2004 | Dr. Robert Hootkins |
| 2003 | Tim Dillon |
| 2002 | Joey Bethel |
| 2001 | Charles Johnson |
| 2000 | Efraim Figueroa |
| 1999 | Pat Parra |
| 1998 | Maurice Kaufman |
| 1997 | Clifford Glynn |
Jerry Woods Awards
The Jerry Woods Memorial Award began in 2016 in memory of an outstanding supporter of technician education upon his death.The first year, the award was presented to his family, particularly his wife, who supported Jerry's long days away from home. NANT remembers Jerry fondly each year with both this award and the Jerry Woods Memorial Scholarships for technicians to attend DTX with both registration and hotel room underwritten by Fresenius Medical Care.
Stacy Markle received the 2025 Jerry Woods Memorial Award
| 2025 |
Stacy Markle |
| 2024 |
Melissa Silva |
|
2023 |
Keith Lester |
| 2022 |
Heather Paradis |
| 2021 |
Kathleen Belmonte, MS, RN-CS, MBA |
| 2020 |
Curtis Woods |
| 2019 |
Joe Johnston |
| 2018 | No Award |
| 2017 |
Jerry Woods' Family |
John Sweeny Education Awards
This award was established in 2010 to celebrate the retirement of John Sweeny from his five+ decades dedicated to the education of dialysis technicians/technologists.
Paul Haggarty receives the John Sweeny Education Award from NANT President, Clarica Douglas-Ajayi. John Sweeny was unable to attend, but wrote the introduction to the presentation of the award to Paul Haggarty
2025 |
Paul Haggarty |
2024 |
Gail Dewald |
2023 |
No award given |
2022 |
No award given |
2021 |
No award given |
2020 |
Jim Curtis |
2019 |
Danilo Concepcion |
2018 |
No award given |
2017 |
Jim Baker |
2016 |
John Sweeny |
AAKP Medal of Honor
2025 AAKP Medal of Honor - Dialysis Technician Category
AAKP President Edward McKinney presents award to Kevin M. Burns, Sr., CHBT, CHT, FNKF
2024 AAKP Medal of Honor - Dialysis Technician Category
 |
Ryan White, CCHT |
My patients are the reason I have been in the dialysis field for almost 20 years. They are everything to me. They are the reason I come to work every day. They teach me to be humble, and that no matter what life throws your way, you can still smile. Over the years, my patients have taught me that being kind-hearted and putting the care back into healthcare makes all the difference in the world. I want to be the best I can be for my patients every single day. We have no idea what is going on with our patients when they leave our clinics, so our job while they are with us is to give superior care and try to bring a little joy into their lives. You may just be the person that keeps them coming to treatment.
