TAANA Foundation, Inc.

Message from the Foundation President

In 1984 the Foundation was incorporated in Maryland as a charitable organization under Section 501(c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Initially the Foundation was funded with a donation of $10,000 by the parents of Cynthia Ellen Northrop who was the visionary leader behind the formation of TAANA and the Foundation. Later Cynthia’s mother donated a quilt to the Foundation Silent Auction. Through the generosity of the high bidder, Diane Kjervik, the quilt was donated back to the Foundation and is now part of TAANA archives.

The purposes of the Foundation are to operate exclusively for charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes and to provide financial support to recognized charitable institutions or in the furtherance of charitable purposes. The Foundation has accomplished these purposes by providing funds for:

• The establishment of an academic scholarship in perpetuity in memory of TAANA’s founder Cynthia Northrop, The Cynthia Northrop Memorial Scholarship Endowment for Ph.D. Students at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, where Cynthia was a professor.
• speaker fees and other expenses associated with TAANA’s annual educational conference
• publication of the revised Model Curriculum of Legal Content in Nursing Education
• the community TAANA archives reception during TAANA’s 25th Anniversary Gala
• an amicus brief in Finnerty vs. Board of Registered Nursing, and
• the production of the DVD Think Before You Speak for preparation of nurses for deposition.

Also the Foundation gives a Community Grant to a charitable organization in the community where TAANA’s annual educational conference is held. The Foundation honors individuals or groups that have made a significant contribution to the development of health law, nursing and policy with the Mary Eleanor McGarvah Award. The Foundation provides an opportunity for student or first year nurse attorneys to attend the TAANA annual educational conference with the New Advocate Award. The TAANA Foundation fosters the education of nurse attorneys, impacts health policy and law by honoring leaders and supporting issues important to the professional organization and interfaces directly with the public. The Foundation is how nurse attorneys give back to their profession and their communities.

The Foundation relies on contributions of nurse attorneys and the public. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Donations may be made by clicking on the ‘Donate Now’ link or ‘printable donation form’ link on this web site. Donations may be made with annual membership dues and with registration for TAANA’s annual educational conference. Donations may be made in honor or in memory of someone at any time. Attendees of TAANA’s annual educational conference have supported the Foundation through the Silent Auction in the past and other fund resizing opportunists such as the Conference City themed Christmas Ornaments, TAANA mugs and smart phone stylus and pens to name a few. NEW this year you can support the Foundation by purchasing tickets for the FOUNDATION RAFFLE for an iPad.

Thank you for your continued support and generosity.  Together we can enlarge the good work of the Foundation.

President, TAANA Foundation

Donate to the TAANA Foundation

The TAANA Foundation could not exist without donations from generous individuals like you. Please consider donating to the TAANA Foundation. To contribute download our printable donation form. All contributions are accepted and greatly appreciated.

The TAANA Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity. Your donation is tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

2017 TAANA Foundation Board of Trustees

• Randi Kopf, RN, MS, JD, President
• JoAnn Pietro, RN, JD, Secretary
• Elizabeth Beall, RN, JD, Treasurer

Trustees:

• Kathy Gialanella, RN, BSN, JD, LLM
• Kathleen Kearney, JD, MSN, RN
• Taralynn Mackay, RN, JD
• Rosemary McCarthy, MS, JD
• Janet E. Michael, RN, MS, JD
• Teressa M. Sanzio, RN, MPA, JD
• Jackie Walus-Wigle, RN, JD, CPHQ
• Carolyn Dolan, JD, MSN, FNP-BC, PNP-BC (Cross Over Trustee)
• Melanie Balestra, BSN, MN, NP, JD (Cross Over Trustee)
• Trudy Kiaunis, RN, JD (Emeritus Trustee)

TAANA 2016 Foundation Board of Directors

• Randi Kopf, RN, MS, JD, President
• JoAnne Pietro, RN, JD, Secretary
• Elizabeth Beall, RN, JD, Treasurer
• Rosemary McCarthy, MS, JD, Trustee
• Janet Michael, BSN, MSN, JD, Trustee
• Kathleen Kearney, RN, MSN, JD, Cross Over Trustee
• Teressa Sanzio, RN, BS, BA, MPA, JD, Cross Over Trustee
• Trudy A. Kiaunis, BSN, JD, Emeritus Trustee

TAANA 2015 Foundation Board of Directors

• Randi Kopf, RN, MS, JD, President
• Trudy A. Kiaunis, BSN, JD, Immediate Past President
• JoAnne Pietro, RN, JD, Secretary
• Elizabeth Beall, RN, JD, Treasurer
• Rosemary McCarthy, MS, JD, Trustee
• Janet Michael, BSN, MSN, JD, Trustee
• Caroline Dolan, FNP-BC, PNP-BC, MSN, JD, Cross Over Trustee
• Alice Dupler, RN, JD, Cross Over Trustee
• Kathleen Kearney, RN, MSN, JD, Cross Over Trustee
• Felicia Stokes, RN, JD, Cross Over Trustee

TAANA 2014 Foundation Board of Director

• Trudy A. Kiaunis, BSN, JD, President
• Elizabeth Beall, RN, JD, Immediate Past President
• Randi Kopf, RN, MS, JD, Treasurer
• JoAnn Pietro, RN, JD, Secretary
• Diane Kjervik, RN, BSN, MSN, JD, Trustee
• Rosemary McCarthy, RN, MS, JD, Trustee
• Janet E. Michael, BSN, MSN, JD, Trustee
• Kathy Mancusi, BSN, JD, Crossover Trustee
• Kathy Anselmi, JD, PhD, CRNP-BC, Crossover Trustee
• Alice Dupler, RN, JD, Crossover Trustee
• Felicia Stokes, RN, JD, Crossover Trustee

TAANA 2013 Foundation Board of Directors

• Trudy Kiaunis, President
• Elizabeth Beall, Past President
• JoAnn Pietro, Secretary
• Randi Kopf, Treasurer
• Joanne Sheehan, Trustee
• Phyllis Gallagher, Trustee
• Paula Henry, Trustee
• Paula D. Grant, Trustee
• Diane Kjervik , Trustee
• Nancy Hoffman, Trustee
• Rosemary McCarthy, Trustee
• Jackie Walus-Wigle, Trustee

Foundation Awards

Mary Eleanor McGarvah Award

The Foundation has established a humanitarian award in honor of Mary Eleanor McGarvah, the first nurse attorney.

The award is granted to an individual or group that has made a significant contribution to the development of health law, nursing and policy. Naming the award in honor of Mary Eleanor McGarvah is recognition of her contribution to the public's health and to society in her role of attorney and public health nurse.

Ms. McGarvah was born in 1886. She graduated from nursing school in 1911 and law school in 1929. She devoted her life to public service, working for the Detroit Health Department almost a half century. She focused her energies as a nurse and as an attorney on public health law enforcement, and often stated that her goals were to improve maternal and infant health. She initiated reform and public policy in licensure of midwives, nursing homes and mental health hospitals from 1914 until her death in 1979.

The first McGarvah Award was presented to Tipper Gore in 1998.

Notable Former Recipients

• 2017 - Anita Hill, view the press release
  
• 2014 - Teri Mills, RN, MS, CNE; President, National Nursing Network Organization
  
• 2006 - Barbara Safriet, JD
• 2003 - U.S. Rep Lois Capps (CA)
• 1998 - Tipper Gore

Cynthia Ellen Northrop New Advocate Award

The TAANA Foundation established the Cynthia Ellen Northrop New Advocate Award to give student and first year graduate TAANA members an opportunity to attend the TAANA and TAANA Foundation Annual Meeting & Educational Conference, where they can increase their knowledge of issues and trends relevant to health care law and nursing, develop new skills, contribute to the education goals of the TAANA Foundation, and network with other nurse attorneys.