After earning their degree from the UCF College of Nursing, Knight nurses “Charge On!” and change lives in the communities that they serve.
The annual Outstanding Knight Nurse Award program recognizes UCF College of Nursing alumni who are shining bright as distinguished leaders and making valuable contributions in their field.
2026 Outstanding Knight Nurse Awardees
Recognizes nursing educators and/or faculty for sharing knowledge, creating and cultivating an environment that supports life-long learning, using innovative teaching strategies, utilizing evidence-based practice in clinical areas, and focusing on scholarly research and dissemination within clinical settings.
Michael Isner ’17BSN ’21MSN
After earning his second nursing degree from UCF, Michael Isner pivoted his nursing career from provider to educator and mentor. He currently serves as nurse residency training program manager at AdventHealth Orlando, overseeing the accredited program’s workshops, simulations and classroom-based learning to support nurse residents in their transition from academic preparation to professional practice. Isner also serves as a clinical educator, onboarding new hire nurses, and an adjunct nursing faculty member to educate future nurses. A dedicated nurse educator, Isner is committed to connecting with all learners and inspiring confidence by providing high-quality, innovative education and training opportunities grounded in evidence-based practice. His unwavering commitment to the profession and future generations also extends beyond the classroom and into the community where he has strengthened academic-practice partnerships.
Recognizes nurses for outstanding leadership, mentorship, and professionalism while creating an environment that fosters compassionate care and inspires nurses to strive for excellence.
Kristina Crabtree ’16BSN ’20MSN
Kristina Crabtree is a dual alumna who leads by example — inspiring excellence in everyone around her. She currently serves as director of people development at Parrish Medical Center where she has worked for 12 years, progressing from working on the front line to empowering the front line through education. Crabtree has transformed educational infrastructure, strengthened nurse transition to practice programs, improved competency validation systems, and cultivated leadership development to support nurses at every stage of their career. As a leader, she has demonstrated integrity, clinical excellence, ethical decision-making and emotional intelligence to not only positively impact the organization but also everyone on her team. Her leadership fosters compassion, critical thinking and collaboration, creating an environment that supports, empowers and motivates every team member to grow in their careers and the profession.
Recognizes nurses across practice levels and sites for clinical excellence, superior skills, and providing high quality, compassionate care.
Deborah Tedesco ’18DNP
Deborah Tedesco has been providing exceptional, highly skilled and compassionate patient care for more than 30 years. She began her career as a nurse in the U.S. Air Force before becoming a nurse practitioner for the last 27 years with certifications in quality improvement, wound care, oncology breast care and pain management. Currently, Tedesco works as an advanced practice registered nurse in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and extends her commitment to patient care beyond the bedside through leadership, advocacy and innovation. She developed an innovative surgical pain management protocol that limits opioid use following breast reconstruction, which was published by the American College of Surgeons, and founded NPower Healthcare to promote the role of nurse practitioners and advanced practice providers to expand access to patient care.
Recognizes nurses for participation in local, national, or global volunteer work, community outreach activities, and military service.
Charrita Ernewein ’21PhD
Charrita Ernewein has dedicated her career to serving others as a nurse practitioner, educator, victim advocate and leader. Her sustained impact spans more than 30 years in nursing, including 15 years with a Tampa school district, and more than a decade as a sexual assault nurse examiner and human trafficking advocate. Through her leadership locally, nationally and internationally, Ernewein is strengthening healthcare’s response to human trafficking and supporting survivors. She developed early training modules for healthcare providers which have educated thousands of clinicians and community members on how to recognize and respond to human trafficking, and collaborated with Florida leaders to implement a mandatory continuing education requirement on human trafficking for healthcare professionals. She also serves as the board chair of Shared Hope International and community education director for the FREE Network.