Emily Rakestraw, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center
Bartow County native Emily Rakestraw knew she wanted a career that combined her love of medicine with her desire to help others.
But she initially balked at the advice she was being given.
“Everybody kept telling me, ‘You need to go to nursing school.’ But I was like, ‘No, no, no, not me, not me,’” Rakestraw recalled.
She eventually decided to embrace the recommendation and considers it “the best thing I’ve ever done.”
“It was the perfect combination of science, medicine and people,” she said. “It encompasses everything that I love so much.”
Today, Rakestraw is in her ninth year of nursing. She serves as a professional development specialist — sometimes called a professional nurse educator — working with acute care nurses at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center in Hiram.
She is also one of the winners of The AJC’s 2026 Celebrating Nurses Awards. She was presented the award Thursday during a ceremony at Curate Event Space.
Lynita Antonetty, Wellstar Paulding’s manager of professional practice, nominated Rakestraw for the award, saying she exemplifies the type of nurse the AJC wants to celebrate — one who is “valued, vibrant, and deeply committed” to her work.
Rakestraw is known for proactively offering help, whether it’s covering classes, assisting with new-hire onboarding or stepping in for colleagues.
“This spirit of teamwork fosters a collaborative and uplifting culture where milestones and contributions are celebrated,” Antonetty added.
She said Rakestraw supports nurses by strengthening clinical readiness, advancing professional development, and ensuring staff members are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to deliver safe, high-quality care.
Rakestraw “leads with compassion by forming genuine, trust-based relationships with new hires and team members,” Antonetty said.
Rakestraw holds associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing and worked as a bedside nurse for the first six years of her career. She saw the transition to nursing educator as a move that would suit her well.
“I like to help patients from behind the scenes,” she said.
Because nursing is a field that requires constant learning, Rakestraw strives to make it engaging and enjoyable.
“I want people to want to learn,” she said. “I try to make it interesting, light-hearted and fun.”
She also works to incorporate learning into the nurses’ work schedules. That way they don’t have to take the work home with them and can focus on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
She believes the job of nurse educator is vital for all hospitals, as well as other health care facilities.
“You have to have someone who is able to get the staff engaged and then make sure they’re up to date on current best practices and regulatory compliance standards, as well,” she said.
Antonetty said Rakestraw is a favorite at one of the local high schools where Wellstar offers a certified nursing assistant training program.
At the students’ graduation, they were asked to reflect on their favorite moments during their time at Wellstar.
“Repeatedly, Emily’s name came up. The students lit up when they recalled their experience with her in the training session and the lasting impression she made on them,” Antonetty said. “Having the ability to impact people in that way speaks volumes, and I knew we had a gem.”
