Samantha Hartle is a registered nurse and a person with lived experience with opioid use disorder. Her nomination for this award said she “embodies what it means to turn lived experience into leadership”. After facing multiple barriers, she became a nurse to dismantle the very stigma, neglect, and mistreatment she once faced. As a nurse navigator at UPMC Magee-Womens Pregnancy & Women’s Recovery Center, she was instrumental in developing and expanding programs that provide trauma-informed, harm-reduction-based, and person-centered care.
Samantha’s advocacy extends beyond the clinic, as she is also a key figure in the Rural Communities C.A.R.E. initiative, which works to prevent Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in counties surrounding Pittsburgh. Her bravery in these spaces is palpable, as she uses her voice to champion person-centered solutions.