I have had the honor of working with Dr. Richard over the past five years in multiple capacities: as her graduate teaching assistant in Pathopharmacology lecture, as a letter of appointment employee under her clinical coordination, and now as a faculty member while she serves as Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs. Dr. Richard embodies all of the seven criteria for this DAISY Award nomination. As an instructor, I witnessed Dr. Richard balance being a rigorous educator with showing a genuine commitment to student success, delivering content with fairness and kindness. This approach promotes building a professional and resilient nursing workforce through her role modeling of characteristics consistent with our ethical standards. My observations are echoed by nursing students, who share their experiences with her.

Throughout her ascending roles at Orvis School of Nursing, mentioning Dr. Richard's name elicits glowing stories of respect and inspiration. Dr. Richard has been promoted to Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs in the past year. This role has presented many challenges that would be daunting to the best among us, including the transition to a new dean of the School of Nursing, significant program changes (implementation of competency-based curriculum, increased cohort size, and dissolution of the ABSN program), and turnover in both administrative staff and faculty. Given all this change, Dr. Richard has actively pursued innovation through the Holistic Admission process and quality improvement initiatives to support civility among both faculty and students at Orvis. Despite these hurdles, Dr. Richard meets challenges head-on and exceeds expectations, delivering positive outcomes that align with Orvis's stated deliverables as reflected in our mission and vision while building a cohesive and collegial team.

As Dr. Richard's direct report, I have witnessed how her willingness to admit mistakes and apologize demonstrates emotional intelligence and integrity, creating a culture of trust and accountability. She actively seeks collaborative decision-making by incorporating faculty perspectives, which elicits unwavering trust and respect. With many years of experience in both business and nursing, Dr. Richard stands out as an administrator of the highest caliber. Dr. Richard emulates nursing leadership through her dedication, integrity, and impact on students, faculty, and colleagues. Her commitment to the nursing profession, compassionate approach, and innovative leadership make her an ideal candidate for the DAISY Award. She embodies the spirit of nursing excellence that this award represents.