The Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award is given annually to an AGS member who has provided leadership to train students in geriatrics and has contributed significantly to the progress of geriatrics education in health professions schools. Teaching expertise, as well as educational program development, is valued in the selection of the recipient for this honor.
2025 Recipient: Christine K. Wanich Bradway, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, AGSF
Christine K. Wanich Bradway, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, AGSF was honored as the 2025 Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Awardee, in recognition of her significant contributions to the education of health professionals in geriatrics care. A distinguished educator, clinician, and researcher, Dr. Bradway has dedicated over 30 years to improving care for individuals with urinary incontinence, severe obesity, chronic conditions, dementia through the education of students and health professionals. A nationally and internationally recognized leader in gerontological nursing, Dr. Bradway has shaped the field through her expertise in incontinence education and innovative geriatrics care models.
Currently serving as a Professor Emerita of Gerontological Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Dr. Bradway continues to mentor nursing PhD students, teach in Penn’s International Master of Public Administration Program, and volunteer with several community organizations focused on improving care for older people. Driven by a deep commitment to the well-being of older adults, her career has brought transformative advancements to medical education and geriatric care. She receives the prestigious Dennis W. Jahnigen Award for her dedication to advancing geriatrics education and unwavering commitment to mentoring students, exemplifying the legacy of the award’s namesake, Dr. Dennis W. Jahnigen, a compassionate geriatrician and devoted educator.
An active AGS member since 1985, Dr. Bradway has played an important role in advancing the Society’s mission through her leadership in committees, mentorship programs, and scholarly contributions. Over the course of four decades, Dr. Bradway has served on various AGS committees and workgroups, including the Health Systems Committee, Membership Workgroup and the Education Committee, where she currently collaborates with AGS colleagues on the Student Chapters subcommittee. She also served as the Chair of the AGS Annual Meeting in 2022, has contributed as a reviewer for AGS publications, including JAGS and the Geriatric Nursing Review Syllabus, is an Associate Editor for JAGS, and has been an active participant in the Care Transitions, Women in Geriatrics, and Nurses’ Special Interest Groups.
Her commitment to education and scholarship is evident through her extensive involvement in AGS Annual Scientific Meetings, where she has presented research, chaired symposia, and reviewed abstracts and proposals. Her research and clinical expertise—particularly in urologic health, obesity, and care transitions—have informed numerous publications in JAGS and the Annals of Long-Term Care, directly impacting the care of vulnerable older adults. As a mentor in the AGS Mentoring Program since 2011, Dr. Bradway has guided countless students and early-career professionals, furthering AGS’s mission to support the next generation of geriatrics experts.
Past Recipients of the Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award
2024 Rainier P. Soriano, MD
2023 Kathryn Denson, MD
2022 Mitchell T. Heflin, MD, MHS
2021 Helen Fernandez, MD, MPH
2020 John Murphy, MD
2019 Nicole Brandt, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, BCPP, FASCP
2018 Jane Potter, MD, AGSF
2017 Maura Brennan, MD, AGSF, FACP, FAAHPM, HMDC
2016 Annette (Annie) Medina-Walpole, MD, AGSF
2015 Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, AGSF
2014 Elizabeth K. Tanner, PhD, RN
2013 Gail Sullivan, MD, MPH
2012 Leo M Cooney, Jr., MD
2011 Sharon A. Levine, MD
2010 G. Paul Eleazer, MD
2009 Samuel C. Durso, MD, MBA
2008 Rosanne M. Leipzig, MD, PhD
2007 Steven R. Counsell, MD
2006 Kenneth Brummel-Smith, MD
2005 Harvey Jay Cohen, MD
2004 Terry T. Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN
2003 William Hall, MD, Rochester, NY
2002 Gregg A. Warshaw, MD, Cincinnati, OH
2001 Evelyn C. Granieri, MD, Pittsburgh, PA
2000 David B. Reuben, MD, Los Angeles, CA