Washington DC — The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses is pleased to announce the 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Award recipient. The award recognizes an AWHONN member who has exhibited strong leadership and commitment in advancing and advocating evidence-based protocols, research, or practices to combat maternal or newborn health outcome disparities to underserved or underrepresented populations in the U.S.
The 2022 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Award is presented to Renée Byfield, MSN, RN, FNP.
Renee is a national speaker and the director of the Institute for Perinatal Quality Improvement’s SPEAK UP Implicit and Explicit Bias Program. She has educated over 1300 perinatal professionals to use quality improvement to eliminate preventable perinatal morbidity and mortality and end perinatal disparities. Renee is dedicated to achieving health equity for all birthing people and teaching healthcare providers and professionals to disrupt, dismantle, and eradicate racism.
In 2018, Renee conceptualized and coordinated AWHONN’s Convention Leadership Summit with a colleague which led to her being invited to serve as Lead Coordinator of the 2020 Leadership Summit entitled, Dismantling Racism, Saving Moms and Babies. Renee led the Perinatal Orientation and Education Program (POEP) and the Neonatal Education and Orientation Program (NOEP) for eight years, authored/co-authored modules in POEP3/4 and NOEP4, and launched the Image Initiative, promoting diverse nurse and family images in the programs. Additionally, Renee implemented the removal of biased language from both POEP/NOEP.
The Distinguished Professional Service Award is sponsored by Johnson’s®.
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