Tate Recognized as Mercy Award National Finalists

FLORENCE, Ala., – After being named the 2026 Mercy Award winner for North Alabama Medical Center (NAMC) in May, Donna Tate, RN, was named one of 50 national finalists for the Lifepoint Health companywide Mercy Award.

Tate was recently invited to a special ceremony in Nashville, where the overall winner of this year’s companywide Mercy Award was announced. Shannon Carefoot, director of critical care services at Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville, Oregon, was named this year’s winner. Of the 137 facility winners from across Lifepoint Health, Tate was among the top 50 employees recognized as a national finalist.

The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint Health’s facilities who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded. Tate was selected as the 2026 Mercy Award winner for NAMC.

Lifepoint Health’s companywide Mercy Award is presented annually to one of nearly 55,000 Lifepoint employees who has profoundly impacted the lives of others and embodies the spirit and values upon which the company was founded. Established in 2001, the award honors the life and legacy of the late Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), and is the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.

As the Manager of Case Management at NAMC, Tate is known for a ‘merciful spirit’ that defines her commitment to patients, providers, and staff. She has built a reputation as a champion for the residents of Florence and the broader Shoals area, seamlessly blending her clinical expertise with a deep commitment to community advocacy.

Widely recognized by local leaders as a servant-leader herself, Tate has emersed herself in advocacy engagement that includes crisis support for the unhoused, animal welfare and grassroots civic engagement. She is known for being a champion for the communities’ most vulnerable populations.

“Donna’s recognition as one of the top 50 Mercy Award finalists across Lifepoint Health is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the impact she has on the people around her,” said Mike Howard, CEO and Market President of North Alabama Medical Center. “Donna brings compassion, dedication and a true spirit of service to everything she does. Whether she is caring for our patients, supporting her colleagues or advocating for those in our community who need a voice, she consistently puts others first. We are incredibly proud to have Donna represent NAMC and the Shoals as a Mercy Award finalist.”