Giselle Gerardi, PhD, RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, assistant professor at the Stony Brook University School of Nursing, was awarded the prestigious Nurse of Excellence Award by the Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council on September 30, 2025.
The award recognizes outstanding leadership and clinical practice among nurses at the Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council’s member hospitals. A nurse at each member hospital is nominated annually for the honor.
Dr. Gerardi becomes the third consecutive SBU School of Nursing faculty member to win the award, following in the footsteps of Clinical Associate Professors Rewa Thompson, DNP, RN, WHNP-BC, and Maria Milazzo, PhD, RN, CPNP-PC, who won in 2024 and 2023, respectively.
"I am truly honored to have been nominated for this award by my colleagues, and deeply grateful to be selected as a recipient of the Nassau-Suffolk Excellence in Nursing Award,” said Dr. Gerardi. “It’s gratifying to work in an environment that actively supports health equity and champions diversity in our profession."
Dr. Gerardi has made profound contributions to the nursing profession, fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable academic culture by advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in meaningful and lasting ways.
As co-chair of the School of Nursing’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice (IDEAS) Committee, she has spearheaded numerous impactful programs, including the Cultivating Awareness, Respect, and Equity (CARE) seminar series.
Dr. Gerardi goes well beyond traditional faculty responsibilities and is highly regarded for her inclusive pedagogy and intentional curriculum design. She led a redesign of the graduate-level Healthcare Policy and Advocacy course, embedding DEIB principles and elevating historically marginalized perspectives.
"We are incredibly proud of Dr. Gerardi," said School of Nursing Dean Patricia Bruckenthal, PhD, APRN, FAAN.
"This recognition reflects not only her outstanding commitment to academic excellence but also her deep dedication to mentoring, innovation in nursing education, and the unwavering support she provides to both students and colleagues," Dean Bruckenthal added. "She embodies the values of our school and the very best of the nursing profession. This award is a testament to the impact she has made in shaping the future of nursing."
The Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council represents the not-for-profit and public hospitals on Long Island. It works in conjunction with the Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State to advance legislative and regulatory priorities. NSHC serves as the local and collective voice of hospitals on Long Island.
