The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) will officially designate five extraordinary nurse leaders as Living Legends this fall, including Faye Gary, the Medical Mutual of Ohio Kent W. Clapp Professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
According to a press release from the Academy, Gary “is a champion of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Throughout her extraordinary career, Dr. Gary’s steadfast commitment to child and adolescent mental health, health disparities, and support for domestic violence victims has made her a leader in the field.”
Gary is a Case Western Reserve University Distinguished University Professor. She has served as a consultant on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service’s Ethnic Minority Fellowship Program, the National Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute of Minority Health Disparities.
"This is a profound acknowledgment of Dr. Gary's career and impact on nursing,” said Carol Musil, dean and Edward J. and Louise Mellen Professor. “Her tenure as a faculty member at FPB has been marked by her unwavering dedication to education, mentorship, and community engagement. Dr. Gary's work has touched countless lives and significantly advanced the health and well-being of our local community. We are deeply honored to celebrate her remarkable contributions and this well-deserved recognition."
Rita Chow (NURS ‘55) and Mathy Mezey (Doctor of Science, honoris causa ‘07) will also be honored at the Living Legends Ceremony held at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. Chow is senior volunteer fellow at the National Council on Aging. Mezey is professor emerita, senior research scientist, and associate director (and founding director) of the Hartford Institute of Geriatric Nursing at the New York University (NYU) Rory Meyers College of Nursing
“Each year, the Academy has the privilege of selecting outstanding individuals who have made lasting change to improve health and well-being as Living Legends,” said Academy President Linda D. Scott in a press release. “I am delighted to celebrate these legendary nurses who have transformed the profession’s impact by designing pioneering evidence-based models of care. The commitment and passion towards advancing health equity demonstrated throughout their careers is truly outstanding. From publications to presentations, they have demonstrated that sharing nursing knowledge can improve the health of individuals around the globe.”
Read the full press release with additional biographical information on the 2024 Living Legends.