American Nurses Foundation Announces Jeannine Rivet Leadership Award Recipient
Tiffany Covarrubias-Lyttle, MSN, RN, is the 2026 Jeannine Rivet Leadership Award winner
SILVER SPRING, MD — The American Nurses Foundation announced Tiffany Covarrubias-Lyttle as the 2026 recipient of the Jeannine Rivet National Leadership Award. A nurse educator and advocate for rural communities, Covarrubias-Lyttle has advanced workplace safety, nurse well-being and access to care through education, community-based initiatives and public policy.
This annual award is sponsored by the Jeannine Rivet National Leadership Fund, a $10,000 fellowship made possible through the generosity of Jeannine Rivet and the United Health Foundation (UHF), the philanthropic arm of UnitedHealth Group. The award will be officially presented in October at the American Nurses Enterprise Celebration Dinner during the annual Magnet & Pathway Conference® in Chicago.
As a health system leader, Covarrubias-Lyttle developed programs to help prevent workplace violence and support nurses after violent incidents, including simulation-based training and practical resources for nurses and leaders to strengthen safety in practice environments. She also contributed to efforts to improve workplace violence reporting in Virginia.
“This award recognizes the nurse leaders who don’t just respond to today’s challenges, they help shape what comes next,” said Graig Eastin, Executive Director of the American Nurses Foundation. “Covarrubias-Lyttle’s work reflects the leadership that will guide the practice environment as it continuously evolves: grounded in evidence, committed to safer work environments, and focused on improving health outcomes for communities they’re a part of.”
Beyond the health system setting, Covarrubias-Lyttle designed nurse-led campaigns addressing alpha-gal syndrome and heat-related illness in rural communities. These campaigns have reached more than 10,000 residents. Through a gubernatorial appointment to the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority, she also advocated for the establishment of the Nursing Workforce Center and its codification in Virginia law, helping support a foundation for its continued funding and impact.
Now an associate professor of nursing, Covarrubias-Lyttle is bringing that experience into prelicensure education, helping students build the skills to advocate for their own safety and well-being, support colleagues, and serve communities whose health needs are too often overlooked.
The Jeannine Rivet National Leadership Award will support Covarrubias-Lyttle’s continued leadership development as she pursues an expanded role in health policy, with a long-term goal of representing nurses and rural communities in the Virginia legislature.
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About the American Nurses Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association, the American Nurses Foundation inspires change and innovation by harnessing The Power of Nurses® through strategic, nurse-led philanthropy. With its 501(c)(3) status, the foundation mobilizes critical resources to fund innovative research and support initiatives that advance nursing practice, education, and leadership. By forging intentional partnerships and providing targeted grants, the foundation empowers nurses to drive change within healthcare systems and communities. This commitment ensures that nurse-led solutions remain at the forefront of efforts to enhance care delivery and patient outcomes.
About the Jeannine Rivet National Leadership Award
Established in 2018 in partnership with United Health Foundation, the Jeannine Rivet National Leadership Award enhances community health and healthcare delivery by supporting emerging nurse leaders who integrate their health expertise with new civic and professional opportunities.
This award honors the contributions of trailblazer Jeannine Rivet, RN, MPH, FAAN, retired executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group, to healthcare and business by making an annual $10,000 fellowship grant award available to nurses to foster and integrate nursing health knowledge, leadership development, and expertise in community and business leadership.