The AAHPM Visionaries in Hospice and Palliative Care Award honors individuals whose extraordinary leadership, innovation, and dedication have shaped the field of hospice and palliative medicine.
Established in 2013 as part of AAHPM’s 25th Anniversary celebration, the award recognizes those whose lasting contributions have advanced the specialty and inspired future generations of clinicians, educators, researchers, and advocates.
Visionaries are recognized for their pioneering achievements, transformative ideas, and meaningful impact on the growth and evolution of hospice and palliative care. Honorees represent both the trailblazers who helped establish the field and the emerging innovators who continue to move it forward.
To honor those who have transformed hospice and palliative care through innovation, leadership, and service, AAHPM recognizes a new class of Visionaries every five years. Most recently, 23 individuals were inducted as part of the Academy’s 35th Anniversary celebration in 2023.
Past Visionaries
35th Anniversary
Listed below, in alphabetical order, is the 2023 class of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Visionaries.
Rabia Atayee, PharmD BCPS FAAHPM
Justin Baker, MD FAAP FAAHPM
Gary T. Buckholz, MD HMDC FAAHPM
Elise Carey, MD FACP FAAHPM
Elizabeth Glazier, MD MPH FACP
Elizabeth Balsam Hart, MD
Vicki Jackson, MD MPH FAAHPM
Daniel Johnson, MD FAAHPM
Tammy Kang, MD MSCE FAAHPM
Jenni Linebarger, MD MPH FAAP FAAHPM
Dale Lupu, MPH PhD
Laura Morrison, MD FAAHPM FACP
Steven Pantilat, MD FACP FAAHPM
Vyjeyanthi S. Periyakoil, MD FAGS FAAHPM
Karin B. Porter-Williamson, MD FAAHPM
Michael Rabow, MD FAAHPM
Steven Radwany, MD FACP FAAHPM
William E. Rosa, PhD MBE ACHPN FAAN
Abby R. Rosenberg, MD MS MA FAAHPM
Drew Rosielle, MD FAAHPM
Tressia Shaw, MD FAAP FAAHPM
Barbara M. Sourkes, PhD
Brad Stuart, MD
30th Anniversary
Listed below, in alphabetical order, is the 2018 class of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Visionaries.
Anthony L. Back, MD
J. Andrew Billings, MD*
David J. Casarett, MD MA FAAHPM
Eric J. Cassell, MD MACP
James F. Cleary, MD MBBS FAChPM
J. Randall Curtis, MD MPH*
Constance Dahlin, MSN ANP-BC ACHPN FPCN FAAN
Frank D. Ferris, MD FAAHPM
Perry G. Fine, MD
Sarah E. Friebert, MD FAAP FAAHPM
Nahla Gafer, MD
James L. Hallenbeck, MD
Arif H. Kamal, MD MBA MHS FAAHPM
Jean S. Kutner, MD MPH/MSPH FACP FAAHPM
Joanne Lynn, MD MA
Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD MA BCPS CPE
Michael J. Nisco, MD MBA HMDC
Judith A. Paice, PhD RN FAAN
Christina M. Puchalski, MD MS FACP FAAHPM
Tammie E. Quest, MD FAAHPM
M.R. Rajagopal, MD
Christine S. Ritchie, MD MPH FAAHPM
Scott T. Shreve, DO
Christian T. Sinclair, MD FAAHPM
Thomas J. Smith, MD FACP FASCO FAAHPM
Jennifer S. Temel, MD
Joan M. Teno, MD MS
James A. Tulsky, MD FACP FAAHPM
Eric Widera, MD FAAHPM
Joanne Wolfe, MD MPH FAAHPM
*deceased
View the Visionaries in this congratulatory video.
25th Anniversary
Listed below, in alphabetical order, is the 2013 class of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Visionaries.
Amy P. Abernethy, MD PhD FACP FAAHPM
Robert M. Arnold, MD FAAHPM
Susan Block, MD FAAHPM
Eduardo Bruera, MD FAAHPM
Janet Bull, MD FAAHPM
Ira Byock, MD FAAHPM
Gail Austin Cooney, MD FAAHPM
Nessa Coyle, NP PhD
Patrick Coyne, MSN APRN ACHPN FAAN
Betty Ferrell, PhD MA RN CHPN FAAN FPCN
Kathleen Foley, MD
Atul Gawande, MD
Sister Mary Giovanni, RN
Nancy Hinds, RN
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, MD*
David McGrew, MD FAAHPM
Diane E. Meier, MD FACP FAAHPM
R. Sean Morrison, MD FAAHPM
Balfour Mount, MD
Russell K. Portenoy, MD
Timothy E. Quill, MD FACP FAAHPM
Ronald Reagan*
Cicely Saunders, OM DBE FRCS FRCP FRCN*
Rae Seitz, MD
C. Porter Storey, Jr., MD FACP FAAHPM
Martha L. Twaddle, MD FACP FAAHPM
Charles F. von Gunten, MD PhD FACP FAAHPM
Declan Walsh, MD MSC
David E. Weissman, MD FAAHPM
Warren Wheeler, MD
*deceased