AANA Honors Excellence in Nurse Anesthesiology: John Maye to Receive Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award

Rosemont, Ill. — The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) will present John Maye, PhD, CRNA, CAPT, USN (Ret.), with the 47th Annual Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award during its 2026 Annual Congress, August 21–25, in Boston.

The Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award, established in 1980, is presented to a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), also known as a nurse anesthesiologist, who has made a significant contribution to nurse anesthesiology education. The award recognizes the individual’s commitment to the profession of nurse anesthesiology and to the advancement of educational standards that further the art and science of anesthesiology and result in high-quality patient care.

One nominator wrote, “John represents what nurse anesthesia education should aspire to: rigorous but compassionate, innovative but grounded, visionary but practical. He doesn’t just talk about excellence; he builds it, one student, one program, one innovation at a time.”

As an educator, Maye has devoted more than three decades to advancing nurse anesthesiology education across undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, fellowship and continuing education settings. At the University of South Florida (USF), he created and leads the Advanced Pain Management Fellowship Program for CRNAs, developing a five-course, 15-credit graduate curriculum that received university approval and recognition from the Council on Accreditation. Under his leadership, the fellowship has graduated more than 170 CRNAs, many of whom now provide advanced pain management services in rural and underserved communities where such care was previously unavailable.

“Receiving the Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award is truly humbling, especially knowing the legacy of Helen Lamb and her impact on nurse anesthesiology education,” Maye said.

Maye holds a joint appointment as professor in the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s Department of Medical Education, where he developed curriculum on pain management, substance use disorder and opioid addiction for medical students. A retired U.S. Navy Captain, Maye previously served as executive director of the Tri-Service Nursing Research Program and as director of research for the Nurse Anesthesia Program at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University, a Master of Science in Anesthesia from the University of Kansas, and a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Tennessee.

Maye’s contributions have been recognized with AANA’s John F. Garde Researcher of the Year Award, USF’s Faculty Mentor of the Year Award, USF’s DNP Mentor of the Year Award and the Uniformed Services University Outstanding Uniformed Faculty Award. He is a Fellow of the AANA and has served the profession through roles with the AANA Journal, AANA Foundation, National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists committees and panels, and university leadership, including as USF College of Nursing Faculty Council President.

To learn more about AANA Member Recognition awards, visit https://www.aana.com/membership/recognition/aana-awards/.