Awards & Honors
Each year, LeadingAge honors individuals among our membership who embody excellence in mission-focused aging services and merit national recognition. The following are opportunities for you and your colleagues to be acknowledged among the best in our field.
Award of Honor
The Award of Honor is LeadingAge’s highest recognition of achievement for an individual in our membership, presented to an executive with a nationally significant role in aging services. The person selected is a visionary who has made exceptional contributions to the field and what it means to grow older in our country. Whether reimagining models of care and services, developing replicable best practices, or advancing new kinds of community partnerships, this person has brought impactful new ideas to the LeadingAge community. Nominations for the 2025 Award of Honor are now closed. The award will be presented at the 2025 LeadingAge Annual Meeting, November 2-5 in Boston, MA.
Joan Anne McHugh Award
The Joan Anne McHugh Award for Excellence in Frontline Nurse Supervision recognizes a frontline nurse leader (a LPN, LVN, or RN) who provides direct clinical care while also supervising, motivating, and teaching direct care professionals (DCPs) such as certified nursing assistants, home health aides, and home care aides. The recipient will be a person who creates a supportive and engaged workplace environment, helps DCPs enhance their performance, and contributes to the overall workplace culture and job quality of DCPs. Nominations for the 2025 Joan Anne McHugh Award are now closed. The award will be presented at the 2025 LeadingAge Annual Meeting, November 2–5 in Boston, MA.
Leadership Award
The LeadingAge Leadership Award recognizes an individual in a member provider organization whose leadership attributes have made a significant difference in their organization or local community. It is open to leaders at all levels, with preference given to nominees in mid-level positions. The recipient demonstrates dedication to developing strong teams and leaders and delivering exceptional quality services aligned with their mission. This leader has driven change in their organization or local community, especially in ways that can be quantified or measured. Nominations for the 2026 Leadership Award will open in January. The award will be presented at the 2026 LeadingAge Leadership Summit, April 20-22 in Washington, DC.
