The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, the leading national nonprofit dedicated to humanism in healthcare, is delighted to announce the 2026 recipients of the National Humanism in Medicine Medal: Stanley M. Bergman, global healthcare leader and Chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, Inc.; Dr. Leon McDougle, national leader in health equity and access and past President of the National Medical Association; and Dr. Deborah Trautman, national nursing and health policy leader and President and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
These distinguished honorees have helped advance kind, safe, trustworthy care across patient care, education, policy, and corporate healthcare. Their careers reflect the power of human connection in their deep bonds with patients, colleagues, and community.
“This year’s honorees have devoted their careers to ensuring kindness, safety, and trust are at the center of healthcare,” said Dr. Kathleen Reeves, President and CEO of the Gold Foundation. “Their leadership has sparked change far beyond their institutions, improving lives across the world.”
Mr. Bergman, Dr. McDougle, and Dr. Trautman will be presented with their medals at the Gold Foundation’s Gold Standard Gala on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the beautiful Tribeca Rooftop in New York City.
“Each of these leaders represents the very best of humanism in healthcare,” said Gold Foundation Board Chair Trista Walker. “Their examples inspire all of us. We are thrilled to be recognizing them.”
All supporters of humanism in healthcare — clinicians, students, patients, families, educators, and leaders across philanthropy, healthcare, education, science, business, art, and culture — are warmly invited to be part of this meaningful celebration. Visit the Gold Standard Gala website for tickets and sponsorships.
Learn more about the honorees:
Stanley M. Bergman
Mr. Stanley M. Bergman
Since 1989, Stanley M. Bergman has served as Chairman of the Board and CEO of Henry Schein, Inc., a Fortune 500® company and the world’s largest provider of healthcare solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners, with more than 25,000 Team Schein Members worldwide. Ethisphere named Henry Schein as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® in 2025 for the 14th consecutive year, and the company was recently named to the Fortune 2026 World’s Most Admired Companies List. A steadfast supporter of the Gold Foundation, Mr. Bergman played a critical role in the creation of the Gold Corporate Council, helping unite leading healthcare companies around the shared mission of advancing humanism in healthcare. Under his leadership, Henry Schein became a founding member of the Gold Corporate Council and has partnered with the Gold Foundation on multiple initiatives — including the Prevention is Power campaign — to promote kind, safe, and trustworthy care. In addition, Mr. Bergman and Dr. Marion Bergman and their family are active supporters of organizations fostering the arts, higher education, and cultural diversity, as well as grassroots health care and sustainable entrepreneurial economic development initiatives in the United States, Africa, and other developing regions of the world.
Leon McDougle, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Dr. Leon McDougle
Dr. Leon McDougle is a trailblazing physician leader committed to opening doors of opportunity for biomedical and behavioral science careers and improving healthcare access and outcomes for all people. Dr. McDougle served as the 121st President-elect and President of the National Medical Association during heights of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is the first African American tenured Professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at The Ohio State University and the inaugural Associate Vice President of Community Health, Mentorship, & Engagement at the OSU Wexner Medical Center. A long‑time partner of the Gold Foundation, Dr. McDougle is a recipient of the Picker Gold Graduate Medical Education Challenge Grant Award for the Just-in-time Bystander/Allyship Resources for the Clinical Learning Environment study. The initiative aims to prepare clinical physician faculty, residents, and fellows to navigate incidents of inconsiderate and unprofessional communication from a humanistic perspective. His national recognitions include the 2025 AAMC Louis W. Sullivan, MD Award for leadership in promoting a healthcare workforce that includes people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Dr. McDougle is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine and Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN
Dr. Deborah Trautman
Dr. Deborah Trautman is President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), where she leads national efforts to strengthen nursing education, advance health policy, and develop future nurse leaders. A champion of humanism in nursing, Dr. Trautman has been instrumental in broadening the Gold Foundation’s programs to nursing students. Under her leadership, AACN partnered with the Gold Foundation to support hundreds of nursing schools in their first White Coat Ceremony (also called the Nursing Oath Ceremony), welcoming nursing students into a tradition that honors patient‑centered care. She also helped expand the Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest to include nursing students, whose winning essays are now published annually alongside medical student’s winning essays in the AACN’s Journal of Professional Nursing. Before joining AACN, Dr. Trautman served as Executive Director of the Center for Health Policy and Healthcare Transformation at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and in other leadership roles at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She is a Distinguished Nursing Fellow in the National Academies of Practice.
Purchase tickets and sponsorships at the Gold Standard Gala website.
