At Magnus Health, we believe the people behind school health programs deserve to be seen. School nurses and health leaders show up every day — for every student, every concern, every unexpected moment — with care, expertise, and a level of dedication that often goes unrecognized. The Magnus Health Leader of the Year Award was created to change that.

This year, we invited private and independent K–12 schools across the country to nominate the health champions at their schools. From those nominations, ten finalists were selected and put to a public vote. Over the course of the voting period, the school communities behind these nominees showed up in a big way — casting a total of 72,455 votes.

Today, we’re proud to announce the three winners of the 2026 Magnus Health Leader of the Year Award.

Kirstie Abernathy, Director of Health Services, Barrie School

Kirstie Abernathy is the heartbeat of Barrie School, serving as the sole nurse for students from infant through 12th grade plus summer campers, while also chairing the Campus Safety Team and maintaining relationships with local law enforcement. She led the school through COVID-19 with research-based, calm decision-making and continues to proactively equip the community — training staff and students in CPR/AED, Narcan administration, and Stop the Bleed. She does this all while running an independent study for students pursuing nursing. She supports off-campus programs including international travel and embassy coordination, plans schoolwide events, and mentors students who now aspire to careers in healthcare. Compassionate, humble, and unflappable, she anticipates needs, follows up on every concern, and treats each student — from minor scrape to major medical issues — with full attention and warmth. Kirstie is, in the words of her colleagues, Barrie’s superhero.

Carla Graham, School Nurse, Canterbury School of Florida

As Canterbury School of Florida’s first school nurse, Carla built a comprehensive set of health processes and procedures from scratch across two campuses, learning Magnus from the ground up and shaping workflows that strengthened student health management in her first year. She creates a warm, welcoming office filled with stuffed animals, books, and comforting decorations so children feel safe and loved — not just treated — and she knows every student by name along with their medical needs. She leads professional development for faculty on blood borne pathogens and child health, partners closely with the chaplain and administration in the absence of a counselor to navigate sensitive situations, and supports staff, students, and families with kindness, patience, and professionalism. Students trust her for comfort and reassurance, not only medical needs, and the kids genuinely love her. Carla’s leadership, innovation, and dedication are unmatched and have made an enormous impact on the Canterbury community.

Keli Swartzwelder, School Nurse, Lake Mead Christian Academy

Keli Swartzwelder exemplifies great leadership, supporting over 800 students across two campuses with exceptional dedication and care. She rewrote the entire school health policy and continues to refine SOPs to ensure the highest quality of care for students. She consistently goes above and beyond, showing compassion toward parents navigating concerns about their children. Her work reflects both clinical excellence and genuine warmth for the families she serves. Keli’s commitment to her students and school community is truly outstanding.

Thank You to Everyone Who Voted

72,455 votes were cast during the voting period — a testament to how deeply these three individuals are valued by the communities they serve. To every school that nominated a health leader, and to everyone who took the time to vote: thank you for helping us celebrate the people who make your schools safer and healthier every day.

Congratulations to Kirstie, Carla, and Keli! We’re honored to recognize you as the 2026 Magnus Health Leaders of the Year.