HPCC Announces 2026 Award Recipients

The Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) congratulates the following individuals on being selected as 2026 Certificants of the Year, as well as the institution chosen as Employer of the Year. These individuals will be celebrated and recognized at the HPCC Certification Luncheon, taking place Friday, May 8, 2026 during the 2026 Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) Annual Conference.

Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN®) of the Year:
Margaret “Mimi” Mahon, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FPCN®, ACHPN®

Mimi has worked for 20 years as a pediatric nurse, and for more than 25 years in palliative care. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University Chicago, a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization as a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, and post-masters from the University of Pennsylvania (Pediatric Nurse Practitioner) and Ursuline College (Palliative Care Advanced Practice Nurse) in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

Among her areas of research are children’s concepts of death, families’ responses to the death of a child, families’ experiences when a member is seriously ill, and nurses’ communication patterns. Mimi has worked extensively in ethics, including chairing and co-chairing hospital ethics committees, and scholarships in which she explored a range of palliative topics, including medically administered nutrition and hydration and requests for hastened death. Her clinical writing in pain management covers topics such as optimizing patient safety in palliative care, the safe use of opioids, caring for people with substance use disorder, low-dose ketamine for pain management, and many others.

Most importantly, Mimi has benefitted from many wise teachers along the way – faculty, colleagues, and the greatest and most generous teachers, patients and families. She is an avid fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Advanced Palliative Hospice Social Worker-Certified (APHSW-C®) of the Year:
Elizabeth Schandelmeier, LCSW, APHSW-C®, FT

Elizabeth exemplifies clinical and professional excellence in hospice and palliative social work. With more than a decade of advanced clinical experience, Elizabeth is recognized as a leader, educator, and innovator in the field of grief and bereavement care. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Advanced Palliative Hospice Social Worker (APHSW-C®), and Fellow in Thanatology (FT), she brings depth, rigor, and compassion to her work with patients, families, and health care professionals navigating serious illnesses, dying, and loss.

As Senior Bereavement Counselor at Family Hospice, part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and founder of Howling Lion Grief Support, Elizabeth has developed and implemented cutting-edge interventions across the grief continuum—ranging from anticipatory grief to post-death bereavement support. Her clinical leadership includes the design of interdisciplinary education models, including a five-hour certificate training for hospice and palliative care providers in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her contributions to professional education span national and international conferences, medical seminars, and original podcast series, making her a highly sought-after voice on topics such as grief in dementia, children’s bereavement, and trauma-informed care.

Elizabeth’s scholarly work and public advocacy amplify the often-invisible role of social work in palliative care. Her recent publication in Health & Social Work, titled “The Invisibility of Social Work in Palliative and End-of-Life Care,” challenges the field to elevate the profession’s voice at the policy and systems level. A dedicated mentor and thought leader, Elizabeth plays a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of hospice and palliative care professionals. Through her ongoing engagement with the Jewish Healthcare Foundation’s Death and Dying and other fellowships, she facilitates critical conversations on grief, ethical decision-making, and clinician wellness.

Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN®) of the Year:
Christine L. Schaeffer, DNP, MS, RN, CHPN®

Christine has been a registered nurse for nearly 40 years and a hospice nurse for more than 30 of them, giving her the privilege of walking alongside thousands of patients and families at life’s final moments. Her nursing journey has taken her from the med-surg floors in Massachusetts to missionary clinics in Papua New Guinea, with stops in telemetry, home health, and even summer camp nursing. Christine grew up overseas—in the Soviet Union, Kenya, and Saudi Arabia—thanks to her diplomat parents; that global perspective has shaped how she approaches care: with curiosity, cultural humility, and deep respect for every person’s story.

Christine has served as an on-call RN, clinical specialist, educator, and director of nursing, always with a passion for mentoring others in the art and science of end-of-life care. She earned a Master’s in Palliative Care from the University of Maryland in 2019, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Aspen University in 2022, with her research project concentrating on utilizing validated prognostic tools to help increase the frequency of home hospice visits in the last week of life.

Christine wholeheartedly believes being present at the bedside of the dying is a sacred privilege—and with that comes the responsibility to deliver excellent, informed, and compassionate care. Her mission is to keep herself and my colleagues sharp, grounded, and ready to “stand in the gap” for patients and families.

When she isn’t immersed in hospice work, Christine enjoys life with her husband of 42 years, their three grown sons, six grandchildren, and her side passion as a professional photographer.

Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse (CHPLN®) of the Year:
Michelle Johnson, LPN, CHPLN®, CDP

Michelle is a compassionate hospice nurse whose career has grown from the bedside to education and now infection control. After the loss of her husband in March 2025, she continues to serve with resilience and heart.

Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant (CHPNA®) of the Year:
Alicia Meade, CNA, CHPNA®

Alicia started her career in health care 18 years ago when she became a Certified Nursing Assistant at the age of 17. She has been with Hospice of Western Reserve since 2016 and received her Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant (CHPNA®) certification in 2017. In 2018, Alicia was awarded the Golden Spork Award for her performance. Her passion for caring for others began long before that. She assisted with the care of her grandparents and her uncle. During Alicia’s school-aged years, she would spend her summers volunteering at Pleasant View Health Care Center, where she would spend quality time with residents and often sit bedside, holding their hand during their final hours. Alicia strives to give the best possible care to all her patients. She is caring, compassionate, and communicates well with patients and their families.

Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN®) of the Year Award:
Jennifer Ebbitt, BSN, RN, CHPN®, CHPPN®

Following a career as a veterinary technician, Jennifer became an RN in 2012 knowing that practicing in the specialty of hospice and palliative care is what would define her nursing career. Her journey began working alongside the famed “hospice cat” Oscar at a long-term care facility in Rhode Island. After a short tenure there, Jennifer accepted a role as a case manager with a non-profit hospice organization where she would spend the next decade. She transitioned from case manager to care navigator in 2018. In this role, she was responsible for the growth and development of various programs, fostering relationships, and providing education presentations for the state’s largest acute-care hospital. She provided patients and families with expert guidance to help develop plans of care based upon their unique situations and goals. She also contributed to the creation of a pediatric hospice program with this organization before the end of her employment.

As a result of contributing to this work, Jennifer renewed her passion for caring for pediatric patients and began visiting pediatric and perinatal patients in the hospital setting. In 2023, Jennifer relocated to Vermont with her family to accept a position as the nurse navigator for the section of Palliative Medicine and the Jack Byrne Center of Dartmouth Health in nearby Lebanon, New Hampshire. Currently, she is the Chair of the Ethics and Wellness council for Shared Governance, teaches at nurse orientation, and contributes as an educator to both Project ECHO and the Fellowship program.

Most notably, Jennifer is enthusiastically engaged in building a pediatric palliative care program at Dartmouth, which, once fully established, will be the first for this institution. As the program begins to take shape, she is hopeful it will connect families with the specialty palliative care that is so vitally needed, and that it will create a network of providers who offer similar care through more fully unified resources throughout New Hampshire and Vermont.

Jennifer is passionate about the education and normalization of end-of-life concepts and palliative care for her clinical colleagues and the community at large. To provide the most skilled and informed care for her patients throughout the lifespan, she proudly maintains both adult and pediatric certifications through HPCC and is active with HPNA. She dedicates her skills and expertise to support all nurses who may care for the seriously ill or dying in any care setting. Jennifer hopes to help her nursing colleagues confidently provide the very best care to their patients at all stages of life or illness.

Employer of the Year
MiraSol Health

MiraSol Health is a community-driven non-profit health care organization dedicated to honoring life by providing care and support for those facing chronic conditions, end of life, and grief. Founded in 1982 as Hospice Volunteers of the Lowcountry, MiraSol Health began as a 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing compassionate, quality care to neighbors facing the end of life. Over time, the organization evolved, gaining Medicare certification, expanding its professional staff, and establishing a Palliative HomeCare agency. This growth allowed the newly named Hospice Care of the Lowcountry to extend its care to those with terminal illnesses who were still pursuing curative treatments. As the community’s needs grew, so did MiraSol Health’s services.

Today, guided by a team of exceptional physicians, nurses, counselors, and administrative staff, a dedicated board of directors composed of community leaders and health care professionals, and supported by more than 200 volunteers, MiraSol Health serves more than 3,200 individuals annually. A trailblazer in the community, MiraSol Health continues to offer a comprehensive approach to health and wellness in the shadows of adversity by providing hospice, palliative, and grief care services to patients and their families. MiraSol Health remains committed to delivering compassionate care and continues to grow and adapt to meet the evolving needs of the community, ensuring that every patient and their family receive the highest standard of care and support during life’s most challenging moments.