Amy Bulger, MPH, RN, GERO-BC, CPHQ, is honored to be the recipient of the 2026-2027 Mathy Mezey Scholarship from Nurses Educational Funds, an award recognizing graduate nursing students dedicated to advancing the care of older adults. Ms. Bulger graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northeastern University and earned a Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. A lifelong learner, she is currently a PhD candidate and predoctoral research fellow at the Boston College Connell School of Nursing. Her research focuses on understanding what matters to older adults to deliver high-quality healthcare that aligns with their goals and preferences.

Ms. Bulger is a nurse leader serving as Director of Geriatrics Operations in the Center for Geriatric Surgery and the Department of Nursing at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. She also serves as Director of Nursing Strategy and Implementation for the West Health Accelerator at Mass General Brigham. Board certified in gerontological nursing and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, Ms. Bulger has presented her work at local, national, and international conferences.

Throughout her career, Ms. Bulger has designed and led operational, educational, and clinical initiatives that advance person-centered, high-quality care for patients. Her clinical experience in trauma and surgical oncology nursing, combined with extensive expertise in healthcare quality and safety, has shaped her commitment to optimizing care delivery. Recent notable accomplishments include receiving a Special Serious Illness and End-of-Life Emergent Innovation Grant from the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation with her colleague, Dr. Rachelle Bernacki, and co-leading the Brigham and Women’s Hospital team that achieved the first American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification recognition in New England.

Upon completing her PhD, Ms. Bulger plans to conduct and disseminate impactful research that improves healthcare for older adults, advance the nursing profession through new knowledge, and educate the next generation of nurses and interdisciplinary healthcare leaders. She is committed to continuing her leadership of innovative programs that strengthen healthcare systems and improve patient outcomes. Ms. Bulger is grateful to Nurses Educational Funds and Dr. Mathy Mezey for their support, which will allow her to further advance nursing science and the care of older adults.