Two University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing alumni were named Fellows of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) on March 30, 2026. Renee Thompson (BSN ’01, MSN ’04, DNP ’13) and Monica Tucker-Schwartz (DNP ’21) were among the 19 nursing professionals inducted into the 2026 class of AONL fellows at the organization’s annual conference in Chicago.
With more than 12,500 members in its ranks, AONL is considered a national authority on nursing leadership. Fellows comprise an even smaller subset of the organization and represent “the highest mark of achievement in nursing leadership,” according to AONL.
“The AONL fellow designation, FAONL, recognizes a nurse leader’s sustained contributions to the specialty of nursing leadership, commitment to service and influence in shaping health care,” AONL wrote in its announcement.
Read on to learn how Thompson and Tucker-Schwartz are leading by example.
Renee Thompson
Thompson is an international speaker, author, consultant and CEO of the Healthy Workforce Institute, a company she founded to end bullying and incivility in health care. In 2018, she was named one of the Top 10 Voices in Health Care by LinkedIn. Her popular posts—such as “Why Culture Fails Without System-Level Support”—engage the global health care community in important conversations surrounding work culture.
Thompson called her induction into FAONL “incredibly humbling,” adding that it validates her mission of building healthier and stronger workforces across health care.
“Early in my journey, I experienced firsthand how toxic behaviors and lack of support can impact both people and outcomes. That experience stayed with me,” she said. “This recognition isn’t just about leadership titles or achievements. It’s about a commitment to doing the hard work of addressing culture, even when it’s uncomfortable.”
Thompson is active in AONL, serving as a conference keynote speaker in 2025 and leading a workshop in 2026 that taught leaders how to effectively address disruptive behaviors and improve professionalism in the workplace. Based on the west-central coast of Florida, her company has served professional nursing associations, academic institutions and health care organizations across the country, equipping them with the tools to strengthen leadership and empower teams through coaching, consulting and education.
As someone who spent 32 years working as a clinical nurse, nurse educator and nurse executive, Thompson believes that nursing leaders are perfectly poised to inspire positive change.
“When leaders are willing to address behavior, support their teams and model professionalism, everything changes,” she said. “Teams feel safer. Communication improves. And ultimately, patient care improves. A healthy workforce isn’t a ‘nice to have.’ It’s essential, and it starts with us.”
Monica Tucker-Schwartz
Tucker-Schwartz is an executive health care leader at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, where she oversees faculty practice and clinical operations. Specializing in evidence-based improvement initiatives, data-driven evaluations of care and organizational excellence, Tucker-Schwartz develops strategies to improve patient care, quality and operational efficiency.
She previously served as the executive director of ambulatory nursing at Tufts Medical Center and has held leadership positions at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
In recognition of her commitment to nursing excellence, she was selected for a 2022-2023 AONL Nurse Director Fellowship along with 29 international nurse leaders. She also earned a 2025 Elaine K. Sherwood Award for Excellence in Service from the Organization of Nurse Leaders (ONL) Foundation, where she has strengthened the ONL’s base as its membership committee co-chair.
Tucker-Schwartz said her induction into FAONL reflects not only her path to leadership, but also the mentors and collaborators who helped her along the way.
“From sitting in the back of the room as a brand-new nurse manager to standing among an inspiring community of healthcare leaders—this journey has been nothing short of transformative,” she said. “Being considered for FAONL recognition holds deep personal and professional meaning for me. To be included among leaders who have made significant contributions at regional, national and even global levels is profoundly humbling.”
As she looks to the future of her career, FAONL gives her a sense of renewed dedication to the health care systems and patients she serves.
“FAONL represents acknowledgment of what has been accomplished,” she said, “and motivation to continue shaping the future of nursing leadership with integrity and purpose.”