After three attempts at nursing school and nearly walking away from nursing altogether, how did Jonathan Llamas become one of LinkedIn’s Voices of the Year? His path wasn’t perfect, but it was honest. What happened when he stopped hiding the hard parts of his story just might change the way you think about social media influencers, advocacy, and what it means to lead as a nurse. 

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Roxana Chicas is turning personal history into powerful advocacy. As the first Latina on her research team, her journey weaves lived experience with scientific insight to uncover the human toll of heat on farmworkers and illuminate how listening can become a tool for change.

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Riley Horner’s life froze on 11 June 2019, after a concussion left her memory resetting every two hours. She defied the odds through resilience and family support, reclaiming her future as a nurse and proving recovery is possible even when time feels stuck.

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A three-hour bus ride, a two-hour walk, and a last-minute chance to take the nursing exam changed everything for Tameka Duncan-Baker. This pivotal moment of support and opportunity transformed her life and career, leading her to become Jamaica's first formally trained clinical nurse researcher.

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Regina Yuen took a leap of faith when she accepted her first mission with Doctors Without Borders, stepping into the unknown in South Sudan. Faced with a new culture, limited resources, and the challenges of humanitarian nursing, she quickly learned the power of adaptability and teamwork. Her experience reshaped her perspective on global healthcare and solidified her passion for making a difference in the world’s most vulnerable communities. 

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For Lucas M. Davis, serving as Sigma’s new CEO means honoring a century-long legacy while paving a transformative path forward. His steadfast belief that nurses are truly "first"—the first to care, the first to lead, and the first to drive change in healthcare—fuels his bold vision for Sigma’s future. His mission? To lead with empathy, amplify nurses’ voices, and shape the next chapter of global nursing excellence.

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The beauty of embracing uncertainty lies in the potential for serendipitous discoveries. Each step Ronald Hickman took, whether through mentorship conversations or pursuing postgraduate education, opened doors he had not anticipated. The unexpected moments became stepping stones that shaped his career and research, demonstrating that the path to success is rarely linear. Instead, it is often a winding road filled with detours that can lead to even greater achievements—like being inducted into Sigma's International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame for his avatar-based simulation research to aid decision-making for families of ICU patients. 

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Witnessing a fellow caregiver succumb to the very issues she worked to treat as a psychiatric nurse was a profound wake-up call for Sheryl Garriques-Lloyd, reminding her that mental health challenges can affect anyone, even those trained to care for others. This realization reinforced her commitment to living her life by "PURPLE"—a personal acronym representing her values of Passion, Unstoppable spirit, Resilience, Perseverance, Leadership, and Excellence—and to using these principles to educate others on living mentally well. 

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• Tweet us at @SigmaNursing
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The thrill of her first nursing paycheck seemed like the promise of financial freedom but quickly led Renee Carter down a path of hard lessons and surprising discoveries about money.  With relatable stories and practical tips, Renee reveals how she broke free from paycheck-to-paycheck living, unlearned bad money habits, and mastered budgeting, retirement planning, and negotiating pay—essential advice for any nurse ready to take control of their finances. 

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Jamla Rizek's journey into disaster preparedness began with a pivotal deployment during Hurricane Sandy that solidified her desire to contribute more significantly to this field. As she's learned, preparing for disasters proactively now is not just a responsibility—it is an opportunity to create a safer, more supportive world for future generations.

Connect with Sigma:

• Tweet us at @SigmaNursing
• Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
• Share your A Nurse First story