TANA's Patty Cornwell Practitioner of the Year Award
This is your chance to submit a candidate for TANA's 2026 Patty Cornwell Practitioner of the Year Award, and we're looking for nominations for outstanding CRNAs in your area.
This award is intended to "recognize excellence in anesthesia practice as a clinician, educator, and/or researcher." If you know a practitioner who fits the bill, then please nominate him or her by submitting the required information.
Eligibility and requirements, with submittal information is discussed in more detail below with the deadline for submissions on September 1, 2026. We want to make this easy for you, so call the TANA office if any questions at 615-329-3450.
The winner will be celebrated at the 2026 TANA Annual Business Meeting. Please don't miss this opportunity to recognize a well-deserving peer.
The 88th Annual Meeting TANA's 2025 Patty Cornwell Practitioner of the Year Award was awarded to Tim Harper, CRNA.
This award is voted on annually by the TANA Board and given to a TANA member in good standing who has made a significant contribution to the profession of nurse anesthesia in Tennessee. The purpose of this award is to “recognize excellence in anesthesia practice as a clinician, educator and/or researcher." The winner of this award is announced and recognized each year at TANA’s Annual Meeting.
For the first time in the 11-year history of the Patty Cornwell Practitioner of the Year Award, this year’s honor was bestowed posthumously during TANA’s 88th Annual Meeting. It is hard to imagine a more deserving CRNA than the late Timothy “Tim” Harper, who passed away on Valentine’s Day 2025 at the age of 53.
In recognition of their dear friend and respected colleague, CRNAs Olivia Barnes, Tim Pogue, and Tony Lee submitted a moving nomination for Tim to receive the 2025 award. On the group’s behalf, this is what Olivia wrote:
“For 25 years, Tim served Murfreesboro Anesthesia Group with exceptional clinical skill, deep compassion, and an unwavering commitment to his patients, colleagues, and students. His legacy continues to inspire everyone who had the privilege of working with him.
“Tim’s clinical expertise spanned a wide range of cases, including neurosurgical, general, and orthotrauma. Yet, his true calling was obstetrical anesthesia. In the delivery room, Tim combined technical excellence with an unmatched ability to put patients at ease—often with a perfectly timed Dad joke. Many mothers, returning for a second delivery, would ask for Tim by name. OB nurses held him in the highest regard, knowing they could call him at any hour—even 3 a.m.—and he would arrive without hesitation to provide a requested epidural.
“A lifelong learner, Tim sought out conferences and educational opportunities to refine his skills. When he discovered new techniques or evidence-based recommendations, he made it his mission to share them with colleagues. His enthusiasm for discussing “tips and tricks” for epidurals and spinals was contagious, and his willingness to mentor elevated the practice of those around him.
“Tim was equally devoted to training the next generation. He welcomed SRNAs into his cases, creating an environment where questions were encouraged, learning was enjoyable, and mistakes became opportunities for growth. His ability to put students at ease while challenging them to think critically left a lasting impression on countless students.
“As a colleague, Tim was the embodiment of generosity and support. He was the first to volunteer to swap shifts or rearrange his schedule to help others, often anticipating needs before they were voiced. When my husband was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023, Tim immediately stepped in to cover for me so I could be at his side. He brought warmth, humor, and camaraderie to every shift, making work not only bearable, but joyful.
“Tim passed away suddenly in February 2024. His absence is felt deeply—by his family, his coworkers, his students, and yes, even on golf courses everywhere. But his influence lives on in the patients who remember his kindness, the nurses who trusted his skill, and the clinicians who learned from his example.
“For his clinical excellence, his passion for education, his generosity toward colleagues, and his enduring impact on the profession, I can think of no one more deserving of the Patty Cornwell Practitioner of the Year Award than Tim Harper. Honoring him with this award would not only recognize his remarkable career, but also ensure that his legacy continues to inspire future generations of anesthesia providers.”
Tim is survived by his wife of 27 years, Lauren Brock Harper, and their children, Katherine (Mitchell Rutherford) and Samuel (Elizabeth Zambrano).
The Patty Cornwell Practioner of the Year Award is voted on annually by the TANA Board and presented to a TANA member who has made a significant contribution to the profession of nurse anesthesia in Tennessee. The award is intended to “recognize excellence in anesthesia practice as a clinician, educator and/or researcher."