School of Nursing Alumni Award Winners
Learn about the incredible nurses who embody the highest values of the OHSU alumni community.
Congratulations to the 2026 School of Nursing Alumni Award Winners
Jane McEldowney, B.S. ’63, RN, NCSN-E
Distinguished Alumni Award
“Jane is a person who is dedicated to lifelong service, to the well-being of others and to the nursing profession she so loves.”
— W. Scott Sievertsen
Jane McEldowney, B.S. ’63, RN, NCSN-E, is a nationally certified school nurse emeritus whose lifelong passion for nursing has been evident throughout her career and her volunteer work. She is renowned for her commitment to student health and her ability to connect with her young patients. Her calm leadership during moments of crisis and her ability to balance compassion with firm guidance set her apart.
McEldowney’s early career took her from New York to Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and England. In 1989, she returned to Bend, Oregon, where she served as a nurse consultant for Crook-Deschutes Education Service District, a clinic nurse for Central Oregon Women’s Clinic and a school nurse for the Redmond School District from 1992 to 2003.
Since 1990 she has served as a volunteer nurse at multiple summer camps and outdoor schools and brought the legacy of Florence Nightingale to life through living history performances. In 2017, McEldowney was recognized as Camp Nurse of the Year by the Association of Camp Nurses.
Michelle LaViña, B.S. ’17, RN, CFRN
Health for All Award
“Michelle LaViña’s compassion for the most vulnerable members of our community, partnered with her innovative mind, has literally changed the way health care is delivered in the pre-hospital care setting.”
— Lisa Reslock, B.S. ’16, RN
Michelle LaViña, B.S. ’17, RN, CFRN, is an innovative nurse leader known for championing Portland’s most vulnerable residents.
As a flight nurse, LaViña saw firsthand how health disparities and lack of primary care led community members to call 911 for all their health care needs, delaying emergency response and keeping vulnerable populations dependent on unsustainable emergency care.
In 2021, she joined Portland Fire & Rescue as its first community health nurse manager and co-created the Community Health Assess and Treat (CHAT) program. CHAT teams respond to overdose and low-acuity 911 calls, providing on-site assessment, treatment and connection to appropriate care. The program has reduced unnecessary ER visits, preserving emergency resources for life-threatening calls, and generating millions in health care and public safety savings. LaViña also led the launch of the Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program, which initiates treatment in the field and links patients to community-based recovery.
LaViña’s career demonstrates a bold commitment to advancing equity, removing barriers to care and confronting some of the most pressing systemic challenges of our time.
Margo Lalich, M.P.H. ’02, B.A., RN, CPDM
Rural Health Excellence Award
“Because of the inclusiveness and collaborative spirit of the public health department under Margo’s leadership, the community is stronger and more resilient.”
— Viviana Matthews
Margo Lalich, M.P.H. ’02, B.A., RN, CPDM, has 30 years of experience in the private, public and global health sectors as a nurse, mentor, educator, consultant and leader in Oregon and Hawaiʻi.
As director of the Clatsop County Department of Public Health, Lalich led the COVID-19 response in the region. Her collaboration, communication and compassionate leadership were widely respected, earning recognition and awards.
In 2023, Lalich founded the North Coast End of Life Collective, a certified Benefit Corporation for Good offering resources and education to support the end-of-life experience. The organization is driven by a collective approach to death and dying, a vision that emerged as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lalich saw firsthand how fear, isolation and a lack of preparedness exposed how disconnected individuals and systems had become from the shared human experience of dying.
Lalich’s work focuses on restoring community agency, normalizing conversations about mortality and building public trust through education, consultation, compassionate engagement and creative initiatives.
