BALTIMORE, Md. – A veteran Notre Dame of Maryland University nursing professor, who is a pioneer in the development of workplace lactation programs, was honored as an outstanding nurse educator in the 2025 Excellence in Nursing Awards program by Baltimore Magazine.
Dr. Jane Balkam has been a registered nurse for more than 50 years, dedicating more than 25 years as a nurse educator. Since 2008 when she joined the faculty in the School of Nursing, she has demonstrated a passion for teaching and expertise in facilitating student learning. She has used her extensive knowledge and experience as a nurse educator to shape curriculum by developing and revising numerous courses.
For 15 months starting in spring 2022, she served as interim director for Notre Dame’s two new Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs, focused on nurse practitioner studies, as the programs were first launched. In that position, she played a vital role in securing a highly competitive $1.8 million federal grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration, which funds a School of Nursing initiative to increase the number of culturally diverse primary care nurse practitioners working in Maryland’s underserved areas.
For more than 30 years, Dr. Balkam has maintained her clinical work with her company, Babies ‘n Business, assisting new mothers as a pediatric nurse practitioner and lactation consultant. She provides support for women who are navigating their roles as mothers, while also maintaining their professional lives. Through her lactation consultation practice, she pioneered the concept of the workplace lactation program in the Washington, DC area, eventually obtaining several corporate and federal government clients.
Baltimore Magazine’s 11th annual Excellence in Nursing program recognizes the region’s top nurses in more than 20 categories for their extraordinary contributions to healthcare. A panel of nurse advisors reviews award nominations and helps select winners in each category. This year’s honorees will be celebrated at the Excellence in Nursing Awards Reception and Dinner on May 8 at the Marriott Owings Mills Metro Centre.
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
