Susana Gonzalez, MHA, MSN, RN, CNML, was recognized for her work advancing health equity and mitigating health disparities caused by social determinants of health. 

Some highlights of her work include:

•    Susana has contributed to dozens of noted presentations and publications on many topics, including Latina health disparities and reproductive justice; disaster relief solutions in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria; nursing workforce challenges implications; pregnancy and newborn health among Latinos; gestational diabetes among Latinas; and more. 

•    She designed nursing program curricula and built community partner relationships as Associate Dean in a nursing school in Chicago for a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Latino immigrants and their families through education, training, and employment.

•    As a Diabetes Nurse Educator for the University of Illinois Health Research and Policy Center, Susana created awareness and educational programs targeting Latina women diagnosed with gestational diabetes for a five-year research NIH grant study and published several articles. 

•    She executed leadership, supervised simulation center and professional development, and recruitment programs as Associate Dean of Academic Operations at Chamberlain University College of Nursing

•    Susana was the director for Perinatal Services at MacNeal Hospital, which included a nursery, mother-baby, and pediatric development and directing standards of individualized nursing care for women and infants. She was instrumental in the succession of their first Magnet journey team.

•    She provided direct supervision for comprehensive women and children community healthcare services as Director of Nursing for the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago.

•    Susana has served as a board member for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (and Illinois Chapter), Chicago Bilingual Nurse Consortium, Youth Service Project, March of Dimes, Mujeres Latinas en Acción, and American Nurses Association-Illinois. She is an active member of the Illinois Organization of Nurse Leaders and serves on the board of the Illinois Nurses Foundations.

•    Susana has received many awards for her leadership in nursing, including the American Nurses Association-Illinois Nurse Influencer Award, NAHN Illinois Chapter Nurse Leadership Award, Illinois Organization of Nurse Leaders Mentorship Award, NAHN National Nurse of the Year Award and Community Service Award, March of Dimes Nurse of the Year, Windy City Women of Color Educator and Advocate Award, Mujeres Latinas en Acción Community Services Award, and many more.

•    As Adjunct Faculty, Susana offers valuable education and mentorship to diverse nursing students at DePaul University.

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She is dedicated to the nursing field and improving health equity for all individuals. Susana is a trailblazer for positive change and inspires and embraces those around her to aim higher. She is aware that so many humans face social determinants of health (SDOH), and how this greatly affects their health outcomes. Susana acknowledges that many of our minority populations, such as the Latinx population, face the greatest health inequity. She is committed to living a life as a role model and servant leader for equity of health outcomes for all.