{"id":8474,"date":"2026-09-29T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8474"},"modified":"2026-09-29T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T14:30:00","slug":"houston-vas-chief-nurse-honored-with-2026-nbna-trailblazer-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8474","title":{"rendered":"Houston VA\u2019s Chief Nurse Honored with 2026 NBNA Trailblazer Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-09-29T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

Houston VA\u2019s chief nurse is recognized nationally for leadership that touches nearly every aspect of Veteran care<\/h2>\n

Dr. Michael Simmons, associate director for patient care services (chief nurse) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center<\/a>, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Trailblazer Award from the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA).<\/a><\/p>\n

About the Trailblazer Award<\/h2>\n

The Trailblazer Award recognizes people whose character and leadership set them apart, honoring those who take risks and lead their communities, states and the nation in fields ranging from nursing and business to philanthropy, communications, government, education and the arts.<\/p>\n

Leadership at Houston VA<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>
Dr. Michael Simmons, associate director for patient care services (chief nurse) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Trailblazer Award from the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

At Houston VA, a medical center honored five consecutive times with the prestigious Magnet recognition for nursing excellence<\/a> by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, Simmons provides strategic leadership and oversight for Nursing, Social Work, Sterile Processing and Chaplaincy services. He guides teams that touch nearly every aspect of Veteran care.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Simmons represents the best of what we do here at Houston VA,\u201d said Amir Farooqi, executive director of the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. \u201cHis dedication to our Veterans goes far beyond clinical expertise; it\u2019s the way he fiercely advocates for the care our Veterans deserve and the way he leads his team with both high standards and genuine compassion. This award recognizes what all of us who work alongside him already know: He doesn\u2019t just meet the mission of caring for those who served\u2014he embodies it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Extensive VA and healthcare experience<\/h2>\n

Before joining Houston VA, Simmons held the same role at Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, where he helped lead the facility through the response to the Los Angeles wildfires, and at the Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Healthcare Center, a first-of-its-kind joint venture between VA and the Department of Defense.<\/p>\n

Throughout his career, Simmons has served in key leadership roles, including deputy chief nurse and chief nurse at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, nurse manager at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, and management and staff positions at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and in the private sector. His clinical expertise spans cardiac step-down, medical-surgical oncology, case management, long-term care and executive nursing leadership.<\/p>\n

Academic credentials and certifications<\/h2>\n

Simmons holds a doctorate in healthcare administration from Virginia University, Lynchburg; a master\u2019s in nursing in executive leadership from Benedictine University; a bachelor\u2019s in nursing from Governors State University; an associate degree in nursing from Triton College; and a practical nursing diploma from the Capital Area School of Practical Nursing.<\/p>\n

He holds board certifications in medical-surgical nursing and progressive care nursing, is a board-certified nurse executive and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Michael Simmons was honored with the 2026 NBNA Trailblazer Award for leadership, dedication and excellence in advancing care for Veterans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nHouston VA\u2019s Chief Nurse Honored with 2026 NBNA Trailblazer Award - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dr. Michael Simmons was honored with the 2026 NBNA Trailblazer Award for leadership, dedication and excellence in advancing care for Veterans.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8474\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Houston VA\u2019s Chief Nurse Honored with 2026 NBNA Trailblazer Award - 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