The 2026 Stephen J. Lawler Leadership in Healthcare Scholarship Awards Three Recipients
The Stephen J. Lawler Leadership in Healthcare Scholarship, recognizes the North Carolina Healthcare Association’s (NCHA) CEO Emeritus, Steve Lawler, for his outstanding contributions and unwavering dedication to improving the health of our communities. This annual scholarship is designed to support aspiring healthcare leaders who demonstrate a passion for driving positive change in the healthcare field.
This year, the $5,000 award was split between three deserving individuals working in healthcare in North Carolina. The winners were formally announced during NCHA’s Summer Meeting in Asheville, NC on July 17. The 2026 award recipients are:
- Kyanh Huynh is a Strategic Program Coordinator with the Nursing Strategy & Innovation team at ECU Health, where he partners with executive and clinical leaders to advance enterprise strategy, nursing innovation, and data-driven transformation across a multi-hospital health system. He holds his Master of Health Administration and Bachelor of Health Systems Management from UNC Charlotte. Kyanh is a current mentee in the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation (NCHF) Diverse Healthcare Leaders Mentorship Program. He also serves as co-founder of Project SOL, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to health, education, and community resources for underserved communities. Driven by a passion for servant leadership and systems thinking, he is dedicated to developing innovative healthcare solutions, empowering future leaders, and creating meaningful change that improves the health and well-being of the communities he serves.
- Kamica Johnson is a Pharmacy Employment Coordinator at UNC Rex Healthcare and a Health Unit Coordinator at Duke Regional Hospital. With more than 30 years of healthcare experience, she supports workforce operations, patient care coordination, and administrative excellence to strengthen healthcare teams and improve patient experience. Kamica is an alumna of the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation Diverse Healthcare Leaders Mentorship Program and co-founder of the EmpowerPath Initiative, which empowers youth in rural communities through leadership development, education, and community engagement. She holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Shaw University. Currently pursuing a Doctor of Healthcare Administration, Kamica is committed to advancing healthcare leadership, strengthening the workforce, and driving meaningful organizational and community impact.
- Bradley Stewart is a registered nurse working in behavioral health and a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is passionate about caring for people during some of the hardest moments of their lives and believes strong healthcare leadership starts with compassion, steadiness, and seeing patients as people first. He plans to continue building a career in mental health care in North Carolina, with a focus on expanding access to thoughtful, high-quality care.
NCHA is proud to support individuals working in healthcare across the state. For more information about the scholarship, visit our website. The 2027 scholarship application will open early next year. We encourage all current healthcare workers and students pursuing careers in healthcare to apply.
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About NCHA
Founded in 1918, North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) is the united voice of the North Carolina healthcare community. Representing more than 130 hospitals, health systems, physician groups and other healthcare organizations, NCHA works with our members to improve the health of North Carolina communities by advocating for sound public policies and collaborative partnerships and by providing insights, services, support, and education to expand access to high quality, efficient, affordable, and integrated health care for all North Carolinians.
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