Honoring her contributions to the medical and scientific community, Sandra Lindsay, vice president of public health advocacy at Northwell Health, has been named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. The Academy recognizes accomplished leaders in nursing across policy, research, practice, administration, and academia.
Lindsay gained recognition as the first person in the U.S. to receive the Covid-19 vaccine outside a clinical trial on December 14, 2020. This act earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden on July 7, 2022. She is now a prominent advocate for scientific and clinical advocacy and health equity.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing,” Lindsay said. “This recognition is not just for me but for my entire nurse family at Northwell and beyond.”
Dr. Lindsay has worked to correct misinformation and promote global health equity through nearly three decades of experience in nursing. She previously served as director of patient care services in critical care at Northwell’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
“Sandra’s induction into the American Academy of Nursing is a tremendous accomplishment that recognizes her extraordinary contributions,” stated Maureen White, Northwell’s executive vice president and chief nursing officer.
Dr. Lindsay’s writings have appeared in several publications including TIME Magazine and she authored a memoir titled “First in Line: How COVID-19 Placed Me on the Frontlines of a Health Care Crisis.”
She immigrated to the United States from Jamaica in 1986 with aspirations to become a nurse. Her academic achievements include degrees from Borough of Manhattan Community College, St. Joseph’s College, Herbert Lehman College, Hofstra University.
The Academy will recognize Dr. Lindsay and other inductees at its annual Health Policy Conference on October 16-18, 2025, in Washington D.C., during an Induction Ceremony on October 18th.
Academy Fellows hold influential roles within healthcare and contribute their expertise towards achieving healthy lives for all people.
