Celebrating Excellence in Service: Honoring ACEN Peer Evaluators

ACEN is proud to recognize four exceptional Peer Evaluators whose dedication, expertise, and commitment have made a lasting impact on nursing education accreditation. This fall, ACEN honors one recipient of the Lifetime Service Award and three recipients of the Distinguished Service Award for their outstanding contributions to the accreditation process.

Lifetime Service Award

The ACEN Lifetime Service Award celebrates retired Peer Evaluators whose sustained commitment and exceptional contributions have significantly advanced the mission and accreditation work of ACEN throughout their years of service.

The Fall 2026 recipient is:

Marilyn Stapleton, PhD, RN

Marilyn Stapleton has 54 years of experience in nursing with over 38 years in nursing education, serving in academic leadership roles in associate degree education for over 35 years. She retired from full-time work in 2019 and currently serves in a peer evaluator role for NYSED Office of Professional Program Review.

Dr. Stapleton served NLNAC, then ACEN, as a peer evaluator since 2000. Her service included roles as a Peer Evaluator, Site Visit Team Chair, and Evaluation Review Panel member, in addition to mentoring many new ACEN peer evaluators over the years. In her role as an academic leader, she successfully led multiple programs to initial and continuing accreditation. She also served on the NLN Task Force to revise the Associate Degree Program graduate competencies (1997-1998).

Her academic preparation includes a PhD in nursing from UMass Amhurst, a master’s degree in nursing from Russell Sage College, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from SUNY Plattsburgh. Her scholarly pursuits over the years included research and publication. She continues to support nursing research activities in her community through the Capital district Nursing Research Alliance.

Throughout her years of service, she exemplified professionalism, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, conducting thoughtful evaluations that upheld the quality and integrity of the accreditation process. Dr. Stapleton's leadership and dedication to peer review have left a lasting impact on ACEN and the nursing education community.

Distinguished Service Awards

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes Peer Evaluators who have gone above and beyond during an accreditation cycle, exceeding the standard expectations of their role to strengthen the accreditation process and support the nursing education community.

The Fall 2026 Distinguished Service Award recipients are:

(Pictured left to right)

• Jean Gumbs, PhD, ANP, MSN, RN
• Elizabeth Mahaffey, PhD, MS, RN
• Shawn McNamara, EdD, MSN, RN, FAADN

Each of these individuals has demonstrated exceptional leadership, professionalism, and dedication in service to ACEN. Their willingness to contribute additional time, expertise, and thoughtful guidance has enhanced the quality of accreditation reviews and exemplified the collaborative spirit that defines the Peer Evaluator community.

Thank You to Our Peer Evaluators

Every ACEN Peer Evaluator plays a vital role in advancing quality nursing education. Whether serving on site visit teams, participating as Evaluation Review Panel members, mentoring new evaluators, or sharing their expertise in support of accreditation, their volunteer service makes the work of the ACEN possible.

Congratulations to Dr. Marilyn Stapleton, Dr. Jean Gumbs, Dr. Elizabeth Mahaffey, and Dr. Shawn McNamara, and thank you for your remarkable service to ACEN and the nursing education community.

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