AANA Honors Excellence in Nurse Anesthesiology: Laura Bonanno Receives AANA’s Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award

Rosemont, Ill.  – The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) will present Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist (CRNA) Laura Bonanno, PhD, DNP, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN, with the 46^th Annual Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award during its 2025 Annual Congress, August 9-13, in Nashville.

The Helen Lamb Outstanding Educator Award, established in 1980, is presented to a CRNA, also known as a nurse anesthetist, who has made a significant contribution to nurse anesthesia 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.

“Recognized for the qualities that distinguished the work of Helen Lamb, Laura Bonanno is an innovation leader in nurse anesthesia education,” her nomination said. “Not only is she a prolific scholar, funded researcher, sought-after speaker, and long-standing program administrator, but she has served the nurse anesthesiology profession in numerous leadership capacities, including as president and vice-president of the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). She chaired and/or served several key committees and task forces including COA Standards and Policies and Procedures, Evaluation and the White Paper on Scholarly Work, the AANA Full Scope of Practice Competency  Task Force, Faculty Stabilization Task Force, and the AANA Foundation Abstract Revision Task Force. Dr. Bonanno also was a leader in the development and implementation of the COA Common Clinical Assessment Tool and her expertise and content generation was crucial in creating AANA Educator Edge, a continuing education platform specifically designed for CRNAs.”

As an educator, Bonanno consistently demonstrates excellence in teaching and mentorship, as she has mentored nearly 200 students through their doctoral projects. Bonanno’s capacity to inspire curiosity, guide critical thinking and foster a passion for research was recently recognized with a Daisy Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.

“I am so honored to follow in Helen Lamb’s footsteps and continue her tradition of training nurse anesthetists through impactful teaching, mentorship and leadership. Receiving the Helen Lamb Award is truly one of the greatest honors of my career. I am deeply humbled and incredibly grateful to the AANA for this prestigious recognition,” said Bonanno of the award. “I am grateful to be part of a profession that values education, teamwork, and the future of nurse anesthesiology.”

Bonanno received her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in educational administration from University of New Orleans; Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center; Master of Science in Nursing from Charity Hospital/Xavier University; and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Southeastern Louisiana University.

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