AANA Foundation Janice Drake CRNA Humanitarian of the Year Award Presented to Bimpe “Bebe” Adenusi 

Rosemont, Ill. (AANA) — The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Foundation presented Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Bimpe “Bebe” Adenusi, PhD, CRNA, APRN, CNE, FAANA, FNAP, with the Janice Drake CRNA Humanitarian Award during the AANA 2024 Annual Congress, held August 2-6, in San Diego.   

The Janice Drake CRNA Humanitarian Award is presented to a CRNA, also known as nurse anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist, who volunteers and provides anesthesia, education, and training in areas of need of the United States and overseas. This recognition raises awareness and aims to increase CRNA volunteerism in the United States and in countries that need anesthesia training, education, and research expertise.   

“I am greatly honored by having been named the Janice Drake Humanitarian of the Year,” Adenusi said. “It was truly my pleasure to have served marginalized communities around the world and to have worked with so many dedicated volunteers from many countries.”  

Adenusi is the Program Director at Cedar Crest College Nurse Anesthesia Program in Allentown, Pa. She is also the founder and president of the Nigerian American Nurse Anesthetists Association (NANAA) in the United States. She is dedicated to community service and participates in various associations and outreach programs, locally and abroad. Adenusi is a board member of the Pennsylvania League for Nursing (PLN) and State Board of Nursing and is an inclusive leader for LabakCare Organization (LO) and Ogun State Medical Mission in Nigeria. She is passionate about promoting equitable and inclusive health services and surgeries for vulnerable populations worldwide. Her innovative partnership with LabakCare Organization resulted in vaccinating 1,720 homeless individuals in Camden, N.J., and Philadelphia during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2021 to 2022.  

Adenusi is a member of several national organizations including Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA), American Association of Critical Care Nurses (CCRN), and Association of Public Health Nurses (APHN). She also serves as an editor/reviewer for the International Student Journal of Nurse Anesthesia (ISJNA).  

She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M.; a master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesiology from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa.; her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind.; and an associate degree in nursing from Delaware County Community College.