UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Erin Kitt-Lewis, associate director of education for the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing’s Tressa Nese and Helen Diskevich Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (CGNE), has been named a 2024 Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing by the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE).
The NHCGNE annually recognizes and celebrates a select group of nurse educators whose leadership has impacted students, faculty, providers, and older adults in diverse settings. Kitt-Lewis was honored during NHCGNE’s virtual leadership conference in October.
Kitt-Lewis is an associate research professor with the college. Alongside her teaching and clinical practice, she is an active researcher dedicated to educating nurses and healthcare professionals in caring for older adults, individuals with chronic conditions, and those at the end of life. Specifically, she focuses on creating Age-Friendly Health Systems in nursing homes. She serves as the faculty liaison for the Teaching Nursing Home Collaborative, where she fosters and strengthens partnerships between the college and nursing home facilities to promote age-friendly, person-centered care.
A three-time Penn State alumna, Kitt-Lewis holds a bachelor of science in nursing, a master’s in nursing with a specialty in community health, and a doctoral degree with a minor in gerontology.
“Erin exemplifies all the qualities of a leader in nursing research, teaching, and outreach to ensure older adults in our community and beyond receive compassionate, high-quality care,” said Donna M. Fick, Nese College of Nursing Elouise Ross Eberly Endowed Professor and CGNE director, who received the same NHCGNE award in 2020. “It’s wonderful to see her recognized by peers at the national level with this meaningful honor.”
In addition to Fick and Kitt-Lewis, five other CGNE faculty leaders previously were named NHCGNE Distinguished Gerontological Nurse Educators: Marie Boltz, Nikki L. Hill, Ying-Ling Jao, Janice Whitaker and Andrea Yevchak Sillner.
“I am deeply honored to be named as a NHCGNE Distinguished Gerontological Nurse Educator,” Kitt-Lewis said. “My passion for enhancing care for older adults began in high school, when my grandmother had a stroke. My grandparents, Dorothy and Joe, were the most influential figures in my life, and their impact continues to guide my work today. I watched as my grandfather tirelessly advocated for and supported my grandmother through her long-term care journey. Their unwavering love, compassion, and commitment to each other have shaped my approach to nursing education and research. These values continue to inspire my efforts to cultivate a nursing workforce and healthcare systems that prioritize Age-Friendly, person-centered care for all older adults.”
NHCGNE builds upon the legacy of the John A. Hartford Foundation, which represents the gold standard of excellence in gerontology, through its dedication to optimal health and quality of life for older adults. It is a collaboration of national and international nursing schools and institutions that have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to the field of gerontological nursing.
Penn State’s CGNE was established in 2007 as one of nine legacy centers in the U.S. originally funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation and now supported by an endowment. As an interdisciplinary community of leaders and scholars with expertise in aging, geriatrics and gerontology, CGNE believes every older adult deserves the highest quality of evidence-based care and well-being that respects their individual goals and preferences. Learn more about the center.