Reflections and Recognition
The University of Michigan School of Nursing is excited to share that Lisa Kane Low, Ph.D., CNM, FACNM, FAAN, senior associate dean for Professional Graduate Studies and Professional Relations and professor at U-M School of Nursing, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Career Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her career that has left, and continues to leave a lasting impact on nursing through leadership, innovation, mentorship and scholarship.
“Receiving the Career Lifetime Achievement Award from the U-M School of Nursing is deeply meaningful to me,” said Dr. Kane Low. “I’ve been fortunate to have amazing mentors and have been able to work alongside inspiring colleagues, students and community partners who share a commitment to improving health care, especially for women and birthing families.
“I’m proud to have had a role in advancing equity, access and evidence-based care, and I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to mentor others as they find their voices and shape the future of our profession,” Dr. Kane Low added.
“This award [Career Lifetime Achievement Award] honors those whose careers embody the best of what nursing can be: leadership, innovation, mentorship and a deep commitment to advancing health,” said Dean Patricia D. Hurn, Ph.D., RN, FAAN.
“Dr. Kane Low has not only shaped practice and policy in women’s health, but she has also lifted generations of students and colleagues who now carry forward her impact,” she added.
A Career of Leadership and Mentorship
In her career, Dr. Kane Low has worked to strengthen maternity care systems, improve women’s health, and mentor future generations of nurses and midwives. As director of nurse-midwifery services at Detroit Medical Center, she expanded the program dramatically, growing it from 100 annual births to more than 2,000 – opening the door to high-quality care for many families who otherwise would not have had access.
Her research has addressed urgent issues such as pelvic floor health, trauma-informed birth care and community-based doula support for vulnerable populations. Beyond her own scholarship, she has shaped national clinical standards through leadership roles with the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the Institute for Medicaid Innovation and the Region 9 Perinatal Quality Collaborative.
The Power of Mentorship
At the U-M School of Nursing, Dr. Kane Low’s role as an educator and mentor has been equally impactful. She developed coursework rooted in advocacy, feminist health frameworks, and health equity, and has guided countless students through dissertation advising, grant projects, and professional development.
Those who have worked with her often speak about the difference her mentorship has made.
“Dr. Kane Low saw things in me when I didn’t fully see them in myself. Her mentorship has been invaluable to me,” said Dr. Beth Kuzma, director of APRN programs and clinical associate professor at U-M School of Nursing.
For Dr. Joanne Motino Bailey, certified nurse midwife at Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, the relationship has spanned more than two decades. “Dr. Kane Low has facilitated every opportunity for my professional growth, including my first position as a certified nurse-midwife, as a lecturer, and as a researcher,” she said.
“Over the last 25 years of working with her, I have come away with new ideas and new motivation to accomplish more after our conversations together,” she added.
That same steady support shaped the academic journey of Dr. Ruth Zielinski, midwifery graduate program lead and clinical professor at U-M School of Nursing. “Dr. Kane Low supported me through my graduate studies, serving as my advisor and then my dissertation chair during my Ph.D., and has continued to be unfailingly generous in her mentorship during my academic tenure.” Dr. Zielinski said.
Dr. Kane Low was formally recognized at the U-M School of Nursing Alumni Reunion and Homecoming celebration on Friday, October 3.