St. Louis, Missouri - The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis has named two SSM Health leaders as 2026 DAYLA Award honorees: Marcia Lysaght, DNP, RN, CENP, regional vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer for SSM Health’s St. Louis and Southern Illinois regions, and Karen Bradshaw, MSW, regional director of community health for the St. Louis and Southern Illinois regions.
The DAYLA Awards Gala is the signature annual recognition and fundraising event of the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis. Lysaght and Bradshaw will be honored at this year’s gala on Saturday, December 12, at the Marriott St. Louis Grand.
DAYLA honorees are selected for demonstrated leadership, professional excellence, sustained community service, positive impact, integrity, and alignment with the mission of the 100 Black Men, which is guided by the belief that “What They See Is What They’ll Be.” Recipients are recognized for work that extends beyond personal achievement and strengthens the communities they serve.
“We are especially proud to recognize two leaders from SSM Health this year,” said Jeray Perkins, MPA, African American history chair for the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis. “Their work closely aligns with our Four for the Future, particularly Health and Wellness. Both honorees show the next generation what is possible when excellence is combined with purpose.”
Lysaght leads nursing and patient care services across SSM Health’s 10 hospitals in the St. Louis and Southern Illinois regions, including an academic medical center and a Magnet-designated academic pediatric hospital, as well as approximately 150 outpatient locations. As a nurse executive for more than 15 years, she has made developing the next generation of nurses a hallmark of her career. With the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, she built nurse residency programs in Miami and Los Angeles, including the first in South Florida to earn accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and she has taught and mentored nursing students as adjunct faculty at UCLA and Florida International University. She also co-chaired the VA’s national Burnout Prevention Taskforce and previously served as Wisconsin market chief nursing officer for Ascension.
“Some of the most important work I do is making sure the next generation of nurses can see themselves in this profession and has the support to grow in it,” said Lysaght. “I’m deeply grateful to the 100 Black Men for this honor, and I share it with the nurses and care teams across our region who live out that commitment every day.”
Bradshaw leads community health strategy and partnerships for SSM Health’s hospitals across rural, suburban, and urban communities in the St. Louis and Southern Illinois regions, including the Community Health Needs Assessments that guide each hospital’s community investments. She created a region-wide food insecurity program in partnership with the St. Louis Area Foodbank that serves more than 3,500 hospital patients each year and includes certified food pantries inside SSM Health hospitals and community food distributions reaching more than 10,000 people annually. She also helped secure the initial investment to launch the SSM Health Community Health Impact Fund.
“Health is built in neighborhoods, schools, churches, and community centers long before anyone walks through a hospital door,” said Bradshaw. “The 100 Black Men have invested in young people and in the health of St. Louis for more than four decades. To be recognized by an organization whose work I admire so much is a true honor.”
“Marcia and Karen are leaders who show what our Mission looks like in action, one leading care inside our hospitals and the other carrying that care into the homes and neighborhoods where we serve,” said Jeremy Fotheringham, regional president, SSM Health St. Louis and Southern Illinois. “We are grateful their efforts are being recognized by an organization that shares our commitment to the health and future of this community.”
This year’s gala, themed “The Next Frontier,” supports the 100 Black Men’s youth programs, mentorship, and mission-driven work in the St. Louis area. Ticket and sponsorship information is available at 100blackmenstl.com.
About the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis
The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis is a nonprofit mentoring organization committed to empowering youth, strengthening families, and creating opportunities throughout the St. Louis region. Guided by the belief that “What They See Is What They’ll Be,” our work is centered on our Four for the Future programs: Mentoring, Education, Health and Wellness, and Economic Empowerment. Through these programs, we connect youth and families with positive role models, resources, experiences, and opportunities that support personal, academic, and professional growth.
About SSM Health
Nationally recognized for quality and innovation, SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit, fully integrated health system working to advance health equity and empower all people to achieve their full potential.
With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health provides convenient access to high-quality community-based services as well as world-class academic medicine, clinical trials and research studies. The organization’s footprint includes hospitals, physician offices, outpatient and virtual care services, senior care, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a fully transparent pharmacy benefit company, a health insurance company and an accountable care organization. As one of the largest employers in every community it serves, the organization’s more than 40,000 team members and more than 15,000 providers are dedicated to fulfilling SSM Health’s Mission: “Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.” For more information, visit ssmhealth.com or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
