Washington, DC Midwife Receives Prestigious Award From American College Of Nurse-Midwives

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 23 Jun 2008 - 3:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Diana Jolles Honored for Contributions to Midwifery and Women's Health Silver Spring, MD - Diana R. Caplan Jolles, CNM, MS, a certified nurse-midwife from Washington, DC received the 2008 Kitty Ernst Award, one of the most prestigious honors awarded by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), during the ACNM 53rd Annual Meeting & Exhibit, in Boston, MA, on May 24, 2008.

After graduating from the University of Colorado Nurse-Midwifery Program, Ms. Jolles served as a National Health Service Corps scholar from 2000-2005 developing strategic outreach initiatives and promoting service excellence documenting the work of Holy Family Services in Weslaco, TX. She went on to lead a team to establish an integrated midwifery service specializing in the specific needs of marginalized women in Denver. She has continued her path of caring for underserved women and is currently the general director of the Developing Families Center in Washington, DC, where she is working to address disparate outcomes in infant and maternal health in our nation's capitol.

Jolles served as the chair of the ACNM Rio Grande Valley Chapter from 2002-2004 and vice president of the Washington, DC chapter from 2006-2007 to and has served on the Board of Trustees of the A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc. since 2005.

"I have no doubt that she is going to be one of the movers and shakers in the future of American nurse-midwifery," says Sister Angela Murdaugh, CNM, MSN, HDL, one of her nominees. "She has potential over and above what has already been tapped in the years since she left my side."

Jolles has been interviewed on American University Radio and served as faculty at the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) Birth Institute in Anchorage, AK. She was recently appointed to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Advisory Council on Nursing Education and Practice. She has served on faculty of more than 15 midwifery and public health programs.

About the Kitty Ernst Award

The Kitty Ernst Award, or more affectionately known as the "Young Whippersnapper Award," is named after Kitty Ernst, CNM, the College's fourth and youngest president, and one if its most dynamic living legends. Kitty herself bestows the award, complete with a purple hat and feather boa, replicas of those worn annually by Kitty herself. The Kitty Ernst Award was established in 1998 to honor a certified nurse-midwife (CNM) who has been certified for less than 10 years and demonstrated innovative, creative endeavors in clinical practice, education, administration, or research relating to midwifery and women's health.

With roots dating to 1929, the American College of Nurse-Midwives is the oldest women's health care association in the U.S. ACNM's mission is to promote the health and well-being of women and newborns within their families and communities through the development and support of the profession of midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives. Midwives believe every individual has the right to safe, satisfying health care with respect for human dignity and cultural variations. More information about ACNM can be found at http://www.midwife.org.

American College of Nurse-Midwives

• Additional
• References
• Citations