It’s been a busy induction season. Congratulations to our newest Sigma nurses! Whether you’re joining us as undergraduates, grad students, or as nurse leaders, you are now part of a global community committed to Leading Together.
During Nurses Week, Liz shared a message about what it means to Lead Together, along with examples of how you put it into action. We know that so many of you have been doing that long before Lead Together was announced at Biennial Convention last year.
This month, former Sigma president Ric Ricciardi shared with us the story of a Sigma nurse who exemplifies what it means to lead together.
Catherine Wilson Cox, PhD, RN, CEN, CNE, FAAN, ANEF, is a retired US Navy Captain, George Washington University nursing professor, and current Fulbright US Scholar—quite a list of accomplishments.
But her journey didn’t, as she puts it, start at the beginning. Describing herself as a “good but average student,” she wasn’t inducted until she received her MSN. What she learned from that: growth matters more than your starting point. Over the years, Sigma has shaped her leadership through the Experienced Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy, a faculty onboarding project, and ongoing mentorship opportunities.
Her takeaway: leadership means building systems for others.
She’s now living out that philosophy in Trinidad and Tobago as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC), building research capacity and bringing faculty together for “Faculty Fridays” covering testing, simulation, and AI. Her leadership there will have lasting effects.
While at USC, she’s also shared information about Sigma, growing our global network of nurse leaders. Twelve USC faculty members recently joined Sigma’s Phi Epsilon Chapter.
Her advice to inductees: say yes to opportunities, be willing to grow, step outside your comfort zone, and bring others along. Thank you, Dr. Cox, for being a role model for nurses today and the next generation.
Dr. Cox’s story is one example of how Sigma nurses lead together across generations, institutions, and borders. We saw that same spirit reflected during the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) in San Diego, California, USA, where critical and progressive care nurses gathered to learn, lead, and elevate their practice. The Sigma nurses there demonstrate love, courage, and honor in everything they do
We were also honored to congratulate five Sigma nurses recognized at NTI for their dedication to leadership in research, 
innovation, and clinical excellence:
- Dr. Elizabeth Bridges received the 2026 Marguerite Rodgers Kinney Award for her more than 40 years as a nationally recognized critical care expert.
- Michael Ackerman received the AACN Pioneering Spirit Award for his dedication to innovation across academia, clinical practice, and business.
- Mary Kay Bader also received the Pioneering Spirit Award, with more than 47 years of expertise in neuroscience and critical care.
- Renee Twibell received the Pioneering Spirit Award as well, for her work in education and instrument development that advances the science of nursing.
- And Leanne Boehm (pictured with Luke) was named AACN’s Distinguished Research Lecturer for her research on improving recovery from critical illness and reducing the burden of post-intensive care syndrome.
The same commitment to learning, leadership, and collaboration will continue at our upcoming International Nursing Research Congress (#INRC26). We would be delighted to have you join us in Toronto, and if you haven’t registered, we urge you to do so today. We’re looking at a record year for attendance, and space is limited. Don’t forget to book your hotel stay in our room block when you register!
As always, thank you for continuing to Lead Together and move Sigma Forward.
