Ten Mount Mercy Alumni Named 2026 Great Iowa Nurses

Mount Mercy is excited to announce the following nursing alumni were named to the 2026 Great Iowa Nurses list:

• Catherine (Urbain) Penn '79, UnityPoint St. Lukes Hospital; Associate Professor of Nursing in the Martin-Herold College of Nursing & Health, Mount Mercy University
• Amy (Schmitz) Sheehan '91, University of Iowa Health Care
• Crystal (Benhart) Shannon '93, UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital
• Tracey (Nelson) Chesmore '01, UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital
• Brittney Langston '06, UnityPoint Health -St. Luke's Hospital
• Kathryn Moltzan '07, UnityPoint-St. Luke's Hospital
• Holly (Hageman) Flynn '10, UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital
• Steven Bush '20, Mercy Medical Center
• Cody Gassmann '21, University of Iowa Health Care
• Michelle Luntadila '23, '25 MSN, UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital

To be considered, a nominee must hold a valid and current Iowa nursing license and be recognized for going above and beyond typical job responsibilities. Over 100 nurses are then selected across the state for displaying exemplary leadership, taking on mentorship roles, and embodying excellence in their field.

Cathy Penn '79, named to this year's list, is an associate professor of nursing at Mount Mercy. Known for her tireless and compassionate approach to educating the next generation of nursing leaders, Penn's students are thrilled to see her name on this year's list.

"Cathy is a huge asset to the Martin-Herold College of Nursing & Health and truly embodies the spirit of the nursing profession in all that she does," said Bryce Medinger '25, who earned his BSN in December.

"The skills I learned from Cathy as a student at Mount Mercy and the insights I took away from interacting with her in the classroom are tools I continue to rely on daily as I transition into my professional nursing career in the hospital setting," continued the University of Iowa Health Care nurse. "I am truly grateful for the opportunity to learn from an instructor who is not only highly skilled in her area of expertise, but who also teaches with kindness, compassion, and encouragement for every student she encounters."

For over 90 years, Mount Mercy has set the standard for nursing excellence in Easter Iowa. Our nurses learn by doing, developing the skills and compassion to continue the legacy of Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy. Students have access to expertly-balanced curriculums, experiential learning opportunities, programs for health care professionals to earn their bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, and partnerships with area hospitals, including the MercyReady and Career Launch programs.

Learn more about the Martin-Herold College of Nursing & Health and see how you can change the course of human health.