Oncology Nursing Foundation Honors Outstanding Mentors in Oncology Nursing
PITTSBURGH, PA, June 8, 2026—The Oncology Nursing Foundation (ONF) is proud to announce that the recipients of the 2026 Connie Henke Yarbro Excellence in Cancer Nursing Mentorship Award are Angela Appiah, PhD, DNP, MPH, RN, COA, FAACM, and Justin O’Leary, MSN, RN, CPHQ.
“The ONF Board is extremely pleased to present this annual award to individual oncology nurses who go above and beyond nurturing and encouraging their colleagues who are pursuing careers in oncology nursing,” ONF President Ryan R. Iwamoto, MN, RN, AOCN®-Emeritus, said. “Their professional interest in the growth of those they reach provides hope for a brighter future for the profession of oncology nursing. Congratulations to this year’s Connie Henke Yarbro Excellence in Cancer Nursing Mentorship award recipients.”
Appiah is a Fulbright Specialist and healthcare executive with more than 27 years of experience strengthening health systems through education and program development. She serves as senior director and chief nursing officer at Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital and as an adjunct associate professor at Pace University. She is also the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Global Population Health Consulting, LLC. Appiah has designed and participated in mentoring and coaching programs across diverse organizations, guiding nurses and other healthcare professionals in leadership, practice improvement, and career development. Her work centers on evidence-based quality improvement, implementation science, and community-engaged research to advance global health equity, particularly in low-resource settings.
“The 2026 Connie Henke Yarbro Excellence in Cancer Nursing Mentorship Award from ONF has recognized my work as a mentor who contributes to oncology nursing and affirms my dedication to supporting oncology nurses as they learn, grow, and lead,” Appiah said. “Thanks to the generosity of ONF donors, I will be able to continue my mentoring program, pairing oncology nurses globally with mentors and mentees.”
O’Leary is a process improvement engineer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he leads initiatives to advance quality, safety, and operational performance across clinical settings. With more than a decade of healthcare experience, he specializes in improving complex care processes to enhance outcomes and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration. Examples include efforts to establish a cardiopulmonary resuscitation review committee and develop a staff support program for teams caring for end-of-life patients who wish to undergo CPR. O’Leary is pursuing a PhD in nursing at Hunter College, where his dissertation examines financial hardship among LGBTQ+ patients with cancer. A dedicated mentor, he supports nurses from the undergraduate level to emerging nurse leaders and has served as adjunct faculty at Adelphi University.
“I am grateful to be selected for the Connie Henke Yarbro Excellence in Cancer Nursing Mentorship Award because it affirms the importance of mentorship in shaping both my career and the next generation of oncology nurses,” O’Leary said. “This recognition strengthens my dedication to supporting oncology nurses while continuing to grow as a leader in the field.”
The Connie Henke Yarbro Excellence in Cancer Nursing Mentorship Award was established to recognize and support excellence in oncology nursing mentorship in honor of Connie Henke Yarbro, MS, RN, FAAN, a founding member of the Oncology Nursing Society and the Oncology Nursing Foundation.
The Oncology Nursing Society created the Oncology Nursing Foundation in 1981 to accept charitable contributions that advance oncology nursing. The mission of ONF is to support oncology nursing excellence. Thanks to the generosity of individuals and institutions, ONF has awarded more than $33 million since its inception to fund oncology nursing education, research, and leadership development, giving nurses the opportunity to pursue excellence in delivering care to patients with cancer.
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Media Contact:
Lori Reda
lreda@ons.org