It is with immense appreciation and admiration that we nominate Karena Andrion, M9W Nurse Clinician, for the 2025 Nurse Educator Award. Her contributions to the M9W Transplant Unit—and to the nursing profession as a whole—make her an ideal candidate for this award. Karena’s steadfast presence, tireless dedication, and genuine passion for nursing education have made a profound and lasting impact on her fellow colleagues, the M9W nursing team, and the patients we care for.

Karena is always willing to invest extra time in nurses who need additional support, ensuring that no one feels left behind. Whether someone is new to the unit, the hospital, or from another country altogether, Karena goes above and beyond to ease their transition into a new environment with unfamiliar coworkers—always doing so with a calm, kind, and approachable demeanor. It’s no exaggeration to say that she is truly a "ray of sunshine."
Karena’s diligence in the orientation process and her ability to remain organized—even amidst constant change—highlight her commitment to the nursing team and their learning. She has been a faithful source of support through several significant transitions, including a move to Main 7 and multiple leadership changes over the years. Through it all, her presence has been the "backbone that holds the unit together."

Over the past year, Karena played a vital role in the onboarding and development of many Main 7 team members. She dedicated an immense amount of time—over nine months—to preparing a new leadership group for the opening of a liver unit, while also sharing her wealth of knowledge with many nurses new to the transplant world. She did all of this with grace and generosity, displaying an unwavering commitment not just to VCU, but to the transplant community.

Karena fosters a culture of ongoing learning and growth and creates engaging, supportive learning environments during skills fairs and educational sessions. Her dedication to education, clinical excellence, and mentorship does not go unnoticed. She empowers nurses to ask questions, advocate for their peers, and grow into leaders, and we are all better because of her guidance. Her passion for education and learning is infectious, and her eagerness to disseminate knowledge across the unit continues to inspire and strengthen the entire team.

Karena, thank you for all that you do. Your work is the heart of this unit, and we are beyond fortunate to have you as a leader and mentor for our transplant family.
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Since last fall, Karena has been a huge contributor to the orientation of the Main 7 team. Her immense knowledge and guidance not only shaped my own transition into the nurse clinician role and the transplant world but also allowed for the successful onboarding of numerous new team members over the past nine months. Karena is a resource for any questions related to transplant clinical practice or program operations. Amid the intense demands of onboarding the new M9W team, she continued to welcome and prioritize M7's evolving needs with grace and generosity. M7's orientation is ongoing, but our successes would not have been possible without her dedication and collaboration. Thanks, Karena, for all your help!