The American Academy of Nursing Honors Antonia Villarruel of the University of Pennsylvania

Antonia Villarruel, the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, has received the 2021 Health Care Leader Award from the American Academy of Nursing. Created in 2008, the Health Care Leader Award recognizes an influential national leader dedicated to improving the health of the nation through contributions to organizational excellence.

“Dr. Villarruel is an invaluable leader who understands how health is achieved and the pivotal role nurses play in promoting it,” said Eileen Sullivan-Marx, president of the American Academy of Nursing. “Her career has demonstrated her profound dedication to improving community wellness by launching programs and centers for research, as well as serving as a leader and advisor to the federal government and countless organizations.”

Dr. Villarruel was appointed dean of Penn Nursing in 2014. Before becoming dean of Penn Nursing, Dr. Villarreul was the Nola J. Pender Collegiate Chair and associate dean for research and global affairs at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. Previously she taught at the Penn nursing school from 1995 to 2000.

Dr. Villarruel is a graduate of Nazareth College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from Wayne State University in Detroit.