Richard Olding Beard award
May 3, 2018
The School of Nursing announces three new Richard Olding Beard Award winners
The Richard Olding Beard Award recognizes individuals whose foresight, wisdom and courageous advocacy for the nursing profession have led to better health care for all.
William H. Crown, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
OptumLabs
William Crown has provided strong, unwavering support for big data studies that recognize the unique contribution of nursing to improve the health and well-being of patients. His leadership and advocacy were significant in positioning the University of Minnesota School of Nursing as an equal partner – among 28 national corporations, universities and health systems – in the OptumLabs national research collaborative. As a partner, the school has coordinated multiple interprofessional studies across the University of Minnesota.
Judith Dutcher, JD
Chief Executive Officer
Bentson Foundation
Judi Dutcher is the CEO of the Bentson Foundation, a private family foundation, and serves on the Blue Cross Blue Shield board. Her leadership and philanthropic vision for a more holistic, patient- and community-centered health system accelerated the transformation of health education at the School of Nursing. The foundation she leads committed transformative scholarship gifts over 10 years for Doctor of Nursing Practice students and made possible the creation of a comprehensive healthy communities innovation center including simulation. Dutcher served as the Minnesota state auditor from 1994 through 2001.
Richard Norling, MS, MHA
Senior Fellow
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Richard Norling, a senior fellow of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, has held senior leadership positions with Fairview Health System, Lutheran Hospital Society of Southern California and Premier, Inc. He is a relentless advocate for the role nursing can and must assume in transforming health care in the United States. His leadership, vision and support for interprofessional education and team-based care among health professions have ignited positive changes in education and practice.