School of Nursing alumni award winner reflects on UNC Charlotte’s impact on personal and professional journey 

Diana Delery James ’81 was chosen as the 2026 School of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award recipient by the UNC Charlotte School of Nursing Alumni Council. She was honored for her distinguished career in healthcare at an award ceremony held October 22 at the Harris Alumni Center.

The annual award recognizes alumni of UNC Charlotte’s School of Nursing (a unit of the College of Health and Human Services) who have demonstrated leadership, achieved outstanding career accomplishments and enhanced the mission of the University and the School of Nursing. During her 45-year career at Atrium Health, James has served in leadership roles spanning nurse manager, director of nursing, associate vice president and most recently, chief nursing officer at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital. 

In this Q&A, James reflects on her career and the impact her education at UNC Charlotte has made on her personal and professional journey. 

What are your favorite memories of your time at UNC Charlotte? 

Some of my favorite memories are tied to learning alongside other nursing students and beginning to understand the responsibility and privilege of caring for patients and families. Nursing school challenged me academically and fostered the interest to be a lifelong learner. In addition to nursing practice and clinical experiences, I learned about community health, research, nursing leadership and how to talk with patients. I also learned to be present in the moment and provide compassionate care. Those lessons stayed with me long after graduation. 

The campus was beautiful although not as developed as it is now. We walked on winding paths through the woods to get to classes from the dorms. Listening to live music in the Rathskeller (formerly a student hangout underneath one of the University buildings) or watching movies in the auditorium on weekend nights are fond memories.

Since graduating, how are you connected to UNC Charlotte?

My connection begins with pride in being a UNC Charlotte nursing graduate. I see our nursing students in the hospital and always make sure to connect with fellow Niners! My youngest sister and youngest son are UNC Charlotte alumni and my daughter-in-law graduated from Charlotte’s nursing program as well.  

This recognition has given me a wonderful opportunity to reconnect more intentionally with the School of Nursing and the alumni community. It is especially meaningful to see how the University and nursing program have grown and the impact Charlotte graduates continue to make in our community.

What first inspired you to pursue a career in nursing?

I was drawn to nursing because it combines science, service, human connection and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference during some of the most important moments in a person’s life. Over the years, that calling has only deepened. Nursing has given me the opportunity not only to care for patients and families but also develop nurses and leaders who will carry that work forward.

Looking back, how did your nursing school experience shape the nurse and leader you are today?

UNC Charlotte gave me the professional foundation on which I built my career. My education taught me to listen first, think critically, continue learning, work collaboratively and stay focused on the patient. As a leader, those principles have translated into a philosophy of patient- and family-centered care, excellence in care delivery, intentional listening to those closest to the work and supporting a culture of safety for our patients and teammates.

Was there a particular experience early in your life that helped define your professional path?

I grew up in a very large family. My parents cared for other children regularly — along with cousins who lived with us for extended periods of time. Some of the children had learning or physical challenges that my siblings and I learned how to support. Rather than one single moment, my path was shaped by the care and respect my parents demonstrated for other children and their parents. 

Caring for children and families as a nurse was the next step for me. I learned early that excellent nursing requires clinical knowledge and expertise, great observation and listening skills, compassion, the willingness to learn and a respect for therapeutic boundaries. I also discovered how much I valued nursing practice, mentoring and developing others, improving systems of care and creating environments where nurses can do their best work. All of these experiences led me toward pediatric nursing leadership.

What does receiving this alumni award mean to you personally and professionally?

It was an unexpected surprise and incredibly meaningful. To be recognized by the School of Nursing where my professional journey began is a special honor. Personally, it brings my career full circle. Professionally, I view the award as recognition not only of me, but also of the contributions made by the children, families, nurses, mentors, colleagues and teams who have shaped and shared this journey with me.

What does leadership in nursing mean to you?

Leadership in nursing means creating an environment where people feel valued, supported, trusted and empowered to provide exceptional care. It requires listening, transparency, accountability, collaboration and the courage to improve what is not working. A nurse leader’s responsibility is not simply to manage the day-to-day work, it’s also to provide the tools and resources that contribute to great clinical care, strengthen a culture of safety, advance professional practice and prepare the next generation of nurses to lead.

What advice would you give current nursing students and recent graduates?

Stay curious and never stop learning. Listen closely to your patients, families and colleagues. Ask questions, seek mentors and be willing to step into opportunities that stretch you. Remember that the small things you do for a patient or family can have an impact far beyond what you may ever see. And as your career grows, invest in others. Nursing is a team profession, and our greatest legacy is often found in the people we encourage and develop along the way.

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Alumna honored for lifetime achievement in nursing

 In addition to the annual School of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award, this year the UNC Charlotte School of Nursing Alumni Council bestowed the special honor of Lifetime Achievement in Nursing to Eileen Klimkowski ’79.

After serving in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, Klimkowski returned to the classroom using the GI Bill to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UNC Charlotte. After graduation, she established the EmeraldCare home health agency.  Notably, EmeraldCare became the first home health agency in North Carolina to offer bloodwork services in patients’ homes, increasing convenience and access to care for countless individuals.

Beyond her clinical and administrative leadership, Klimkowski was an advocate for patients and the home health profession. She worked with policymakers in Raleigh and Washington, D.C. to promote policies that improved healthcare access and strengthened home health services.

After selling her home health business in 2005, Klimkowski established scholarship funds to support future generations of nurses.