Becker’s is proud to recognize outstanding CNOs who are shaping the future of patient care. As the leaders of nursing strategy, CNOs take on critical challenges such as addressing staffing shortages, managing nursing budgets and creating meaningful professional development pathways for the next generation of nurses.
Beyond overseeing nursing departments, these executives lead innovative initiatives that elevate care quality and strengthen clinical excellence across their organizations. With a powerful blend of hands-on clinical expertise and executive leadership, CNOs play an essential role in advancing healthcare and supporting the nurses who deliver care every day.
Note: Becker’s Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research. Leaders do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion on this list. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of the leaders or organizations mentioned. We extend a special thank you to Rhoda Weiss for her contributions to this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order.
Contact Anna Falvey at afalvey@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments.
Melissa Adams. CNO for Ochsner Medical Center–Westbank (New Orleans). Ms. Adams leads safe, effective, error-free care delivery as the CNO of Ochsner Westbank Hospital, with accountability for staffing models, throughput, capacity, and performance on key quality and experience measures. Her scope includes advancing innovation in care delivery with tools like virtual nursing and virtual discharge instructions, all while ensuring patients move smoothly through the hospital with clear, consistent communication. Ms. Adams also directs regulatory and compliance readiness, keeping operations aligned with required standards and internal benchmarks. She oversees critical performance priorities including “Target Zero” initiatives, pay-for-performance outcomes and consumer assessment scores. Her steady judgment and ability to navigate complex relationships were especially vital skills during major system changes, including the hospital’s post-acquisition transition and Epic EHR implementation.
Paula Agosto, RN. Senior Vice President and System CNO at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. As system CNO at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Ms. Agosto plays a pivotal role in leading a department of over 7,000 nurses and clinical care staff. Her innovative leadership has been instrumental in establishing a robust professional governance structure, which includes a groundbreaking professional advancement program. This initiative has significantly enhanced the recruitment and retention of nursing staff, positioning CHOP as a leader in the healthcare sector and underscoring the intrinsic value of the nursing profession. Ms. Agosto is dedicated to fostering innovation and cultivating partnerships with academic institutions, statewide colleagues and national partners. Her strategic initiatives encompass advanced preceptorship, formal nurse educator development, advanced critical care education and the creation of an innovative RN exchange program with colleagues nationwide. Collectively, these efforts empower nursing professionals by providing opportunities for growth and success, ensuring that CHOP maintains its leadership in nursing excellence.
Debra Albert, DNP, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services at NYU Langone Health (New York City). Dr. Albert has been with NYU Langone Health since April 2020. She oversees the nursing staff for the health system, which includes seven inpatient locations and a large network of outpatient clinics and services. The health system has been honored by Vizient as the No. 1 health system in the nation for four consecutive years as of fall 2025, thanks to strong quality and safety performance. Additionally, every hospital in the NYU Langone Health system is Magnet-designated for excellence in nursing and quality patient care from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Before her current role, Dr. Albert served as the senior vice president and CNO of UChicago Medicine.
Jennifer J. Albert, RN. CNO of Northern Maine Medical Center (Fort Kent, Maine). Ms. Albert serves as CNO at Northern Maine Medical Center, where she provides executive leadership for all nursing and clinical services in a rural healthcare environment. Having advanced through the organization from bedside nurse to CNO, she brings a rare depth of firsthand experience to strategic decision-making. She has previously served as director of medical practices, director of quality and director of nursing, roles in which she strengthened regulatory compliance, patient safety and operational performance at every level. As CNO, she champions evidence-based practice, professional development and interdisciplinary collaboration to improve quality, safety and patient satisfaction. Her leadership blends strategic foresight with hands-on engagement, ensuring nursing services remain both innovative and community-centered. Under her guidance, the medical center has continued to earn recognition as a Newsweek “Best-in-State” hospital from 2023 through 2025.
Dawn Alexander. CNO for DCH Health System (Tuscaloosa, Ala.). Ms. Alexander is the system CNO at DCH Health System, a nonprofit spanning three medical centers. She manages nursing staff members and a large nursing budget, providing leadership for critical departments like ICU, neonatal ICU and emergency services. As DCH’s first African American female executive in its 100-year history, Ms. Alexander brings more than three decades of leadership experience. Since joining, she has reduced nurse-to-patient ratios and improved RN turnover rates, while significantly boosting employee engagement and patient experience. She also initiated DCH’s first community health fair, which serves over 800 attendees annually. She has been honored with the University of Alabama’s “Janet Awtrey Leadership Award” for her contributions to nursing excellence.
Jim Allard, DNP, RN. Vice President and CNO for Advocate Christ Medical Center (Oaklawn, Ill.). Dr. Allard serves as vice president and CNO for Advocate Christ Medical Center, a nonprofit teaching institution that is one of the major referral hospitals in the Midwest for specialties like cancer care, cardiovascular services, heart and kidney transplantation, neurosciences, orthopedics and women’s health. He took on the role in March 2025 following nearly three years in the CNO role at Medical City Arlington (Texas). Prior, he spent another two and a half years as CNO for Women & Children’s-Medical City Dallas. In his current role, he oversees a team of dedicated nursing professionals and creates a positive nursing environment, utilizing evidence-based practices and initiatives that enhance patient experience and outcomes. He also aims to advance the nursing workforce through a focus on mentorship, education and professional development opportunities.
Kim Alleman, BSN, RN. CNO for UTHealth Houston and UT Physicians (Houston). Ms. Alleman serves as CNO for UT Physicians, the outpatient practice of UTHealth Houston’s McGovern Medical School. There, she provides enterprisewide oversight of nursing practice and clinical staff across a complex ambulatory environment. She leads clinical education, infection prevention, the float pool and the process improvement team, ensuring high standards of care, safety and operational efficiency. Ms. Alleman played a critical leadership role during the Covid-19 pandemic, guiding clinical teams through unprecedented challenges while maintaining patient and staff safety. She is recognized for integrating EHR-based scenarios into simulation training, strengthening clinical readiness and real-world performance. A strong advocate for shared governance, she established an advanced practice provider council and sponsors monthly nursing leadership forums to develop future leaders. Her mentorship, focus on workforce satisfaction, and innovations such as a clinical productivity dashboard have meaningfully improved engagement, efficiency and care delivery across the enterprise.
Peta-Ann Anderson, DNP, RN. CNO at Jackson North Medical Center (North Miami Beach, Fla.). Dr. Anderson oversees nursing operations for a 382-bed hospital, leading more than 600 nurses across multiple specialties. Since assuming the role in 2018, she has driven improvements in patient safety, care coordination and workforce sustainability, including reductions in hospital-acquired conditions, nursing overtime and emergency department flow challenges. She has implemented a culture of accountability and continuous learning, supported by a comprehensive leadership development program that strengthened the nursing pipeline and improved patient experience. Dr. Anderson’s crisis leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic was recognized with an honorary doctor of humane letters from Barry University in 2021. Her tenure has been marked by regulatory readiness, operational stability and a strong professional practice environment that empowers nurses and advances quality outcomes.
Sharmane Andrews, MSN, RN. CNO at Holtz Children’s Hospital and The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial (Miami). Ms. Andrews leads nursing operations for one of the largest women’s and children’s hospitals in the southeastern U.S., overseeing care delivery across general pediatrics, a neonatal ICU, pediatric ICU, step-down units. The Holtz Children’s Hospital boasts a level 4 NICU, the largest in Florida. Since assuming the CNO role in 2024, Ms. Andrews launched the organizations’ Magnet journey, engaging frontline teams and strengthening professional pride across women’s and children’s services. She spearheaded a redesign of the obstetric emergency department to improve triage efficiency and patient safety and implemented a maternal- and pediatric-specific behavioral emergency response team, strengthening staff readiness and reducing workplace violence risk. With more than 25 years in women’s and children’s services, Ms. Andrews is recognized for advancing safety, empowering teams and driving innovation across complex pediatric and maternal care environments.
Vi-Anne Antrum, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Officer at Cone Health (Greensboro, N.C.). Dr. Antrum leads systemwide nursing strategy and practice for Cone Health, overseeing nearly 5,000 team members and additional patient care services including rehabilitation, post-acute care, behavioral health, spiritual care, respiratory therapy and nutrition services. Since assuming the role in 2022, she has delivered measurable financial and operational results, including a supply improvement strategy that generated $3.4 million in savings in five months, $6 million in cost avoidance through insourcing inpatient dialysis and a $14 million asset sale tied to skilled nursing facility divestitures. She serves as executive sponsor for emergency department throughput and capacity initiatives, reducing left-without-completing-care rates by 60% year-over-year while improving access and generating $800,000 in incremental revenue. Dr. Antrum also led three systemwide nursing retention initiatives that cut turnover by 60% and drove significant gains in nurse satisfaction and employee net promoter scores, supported by a 79% survey response rate. A nationally recognized leader, she serves as a regent and fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and as North Carolina regent, advancing gender equity and leadership development while speaking at national forums.
Dianne Aroh, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO for The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens (New York City). Ms. Aroh serves as senior vice president and CNO for The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens, providing executive oversight for nursing practice, patient care quality and workforce strategy across two major academic medical centers. She brings more than two decades of healthcare leadership experience, with a track record of advancing clinical excellence, operational performance and innovative care models. A board-certified nurse executive, Ms. Aroh has led large-scale transformations that improved patient outcomes, strengthened care delivery systems and enhanced engagement among nursing teams. Her leadership approach emphasizes evidence-based practice, accountability and collaboration across interdisciplinary teams. Prior to joining Mount Sinai, Ms. Aroh served as senior vice president and CNO at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in Tacoma, Wash., where she oversaw nursing and patient care services across 11 hospitals and more than 300 care sites.
Katrina “Kat” Ascencio-Holmes, BSN, RN. CNO for Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.). Ms. Ascencio-Holmes is CNO at Sutter Health, leading more than 16,000 nurses across the nonprofit integrated system that serves roughly 3.5 million patients annually. She sets systemwide nursing strategy spanning education, research, workforce development and care delivery, and serves on the system’s executive leadership team in dyad partnership with the chief medical and quality officer. Since her appointment as CNO in 2024, she has focused heavily on retention and professional growth, keeping nursing turnover below 10%. She has championed nurse-informed operational improvements, including an EHR documentation streamlining effort reported to save an average of 400,000 clicks per day, returning time to bedside care. Ms. Ascencio-Holmes has also expanded development pathways through residency support and leadership training programs such as charge nurse and transition-to-nurse-manager tracks. She brings to her current role deep experience across perioperative, surgical hospital and executive roles within Sutter Health, prioritizing both caregiver experience and patient-centered outcomes.
Jacqueline Attlesey-Pries. Vice President of Operations and CNO at Boulder (Colo.) Community Health. Ms. Attlesey-Pries is a leader in providing high-quality healthcare services to the Boulder community. She sets standards of care, supports the nursing staff and care teams, creates policies with departmental leaders and supports the overall patient and team-centered care at the health system. Along with the system’s CMO, she is currently leading an initiative that will strengthen care for women during midlife changes, supported by a new grant from the BCH Foundation. She first joined the system in 2011. In 2021, she earned the Boulder Chamber’s “Women Who Light the Community” award for her contributions to the community.
Trish Baise, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive for ECU Health (Greenville, N.C.). In 2023, Dr. Baise was appointed chief nursing executive at ECU Health, an academic healthcare system serving over a million residents. She brings over 30 years of experience in both urban and rural nursing environments. Her role entails guiding a system of nurses spanning nine hospitals and over 100 clinics. She has spearheaded the advancing nursing practice and excellence initiative, aimed at enhancing nursing practices and culture across the organization. Dr. Baise advances nurse recruitment and retention in her role and is a staunch advocate for the non-traditional path to careers in nursing. Her own career began as a fire department dispatcher, then paramedic, then flight paramedic, then flight nurse, and she worked in the emergency department and ICU before becoming the director of the flight program and then ultimately progressing to higher nurse leadership roles.
Kathy Baker, PhD, RN. CNO for UVA Health (Charlottesville, Va.). Dr. Baker is the CNO at UVA Health, focused on advancing modern care models while strengthening recruitment, retention, mentorship and professional growth for nurses. She joined UVA from Richmond, Va.-based VCU Health, where she spent three decades in nursing leadership, holding roles including associate chief nurse and associate vice president of nursing. In her prior roles, she helped lead major efforts in staffing strategy, quality, safety, emergency services redesign and critical care transport expansion. At UVA Health, she has leveraged that experience to address the unique workforce and practice challenges of a large public academic medical center. She partnered with the dean of the UVA School of Nursing to establish a dyad leadership model and a refreshed shared governance structure that more tightly links nursing education with nursing practice. Under her leadership, nursing turnover has continued to decline and remains significantly below regional and national averages. In November 2024, she was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
James Ballinghoff, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive at Penn Medicine (Philadelphia). Dr. Ballinghoff serves as the chief nurse executive for Penn Medicine, providing strategic leadership for a nursing workforce exceeding 12,000 professionals across seven hospitals, multispecialty centers, outpatient clinics and an extensive home care network. A distinguished thought leader in academic health system nursing, he has led significant advancements in clinical processes and outcomes, patient and family experience, quality performance metrics and professional nursing development. Under Dr. Ballinghoff’s leadership, Penn Medicine has achieved greater system standardization and operational alignment, resulting in improved efficiencies and meaningful cost reductions. He has also overseen the implementation of forward-looking care delivery models that integrate advanced technologies. He has supported workforce sustainability through robust pipeline development, as well as innovative recruitment and retention strategies. His influence extends across inpatient and ambulatory operations, clinical informatics, advanced practice nursing, professional development and community-based care initiatives. Prior to assuming his current role in 2022, Dr. Ballinghoff served as CNO and associate executive director at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. In recognition of his leadership and contributions to the profession, Dr. Ballinghoff has received numerous accolades, including the “Philadelphia Tri-State Nursing Excellence Award for Advancing and Leading the Profession” given by Nursing Spectrum magazine in 2012.
Julie Balluck, DNP, RN. System Chief Nurse Executive of Texas Health Resources (Arlington). As chief nurse executive for Texas Health Resources, Dr. Balluck oversees nursing practice across 29 entities, advancing professional practice, safety, quality improvement and service line development at scale. She partners closely with the CMO and channel leaders, translating clinical insight into system-level innovation like new care models and technologies that improve quality. Her career has spanned bedside nursing through charge nurse, manager, director, associate CNO, CNO and interim hospital president, giving her insight into both frontline teams and executives. She contributes to the profession through publications and thought leadership on change management during disruption and strategies for developing emerging nurse leaders. A committed mentor, Dr. Balluck prioritizes leadership development and student engagement, including serving as a clinical instructor. She remains active in professional associations including American Nurses Association, American Organization of Nurse Executives–North Texas Chapter and American College of Healthcare Executives of North Texas. Prior to her current role, she served as CNO and interim hospital president at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hurst-Euless-Bedford.
Jeremiah Bame, RN. CNO at Piedmont Athens (Ga.). With 20 years of experience within the Piedmont system, Mr. Bame excels in leading clinical integration of the Piedmont Athens acquired system facility, specifically in quality of care and patient safety, where he also supports the safety coach program. His management of cultural changes across multiple service lines has resulted in improved staff engagement and top quality and ratings. In a prior leadership role, nursing turnover rates at Piedmont Newton in Covington, Ga. were below the industry average and exceeded system goals. He also previously served as the system’s manager of productivity where he provided consultative, technical and decision-making support on financial and operations improvements. He first started his career in 2006 as a staff RN in Piedmont Atlanta’s medical-surgical ICU before becoming its charge nurse.
Jacob “Tanner” Barb. CNO of Community Hospital Organization (Plano, Texas). Mr. Barb serves as CNO at Community Hospital Organization, providing operational and clinical leadership for inpatient nursing services with a focus on patient safety, quality outcomes, regulatory readiness and nurse engagement. He is known for a hands-on leadership style, with high visibility rounding, direct communication and real-time problem-solving. He aims to build a culture grounded in accountability, collaboration and compassion. Mr. Barb became one of the youngest associate CNOs in the U.S. at age 25 and advanced to CNO at 26. His practice is anchored in patient-centered care and staff advocacy, contributing to stronger morale, improved patient experience feedback and operational stability during periods of change, including staffing shortages and public health challenges. He is also a “DAISY Award” recipient for compassionate care and has helped elevate organizational recognition with triple Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality center of excellence designations across nursing, respiratory therapy and long term acute care hospital categories.
Rosenda M. Barrera, MSN, RN. CNO and COO of Saint Francis Hospital (Evanston, Ill.). Ms. Barrera has served as CNO at Saint Francis Hospital since 2020, providing oversight for more than 550 nurses and healthcare professionals across a wide range of clinical, operational and support services. Her scope spans nearly every aspect of hospital operations, including surgical services, emergency care, critical care, behavioral health, diagnostic services, environmental services, and quality and risk management. Ms. Barrera leads with accountability, transparency and a strong mindset. Under her leadership, Saint Francis achieved a Leapfrog “A” safety grade, reflecting her focus on clinical excellence and patient experience. Her progressive career path at the organization includes roles as nurse manager, director, interim CEO, and now CNO and COO.
Vivian Barreto, BSN, RN. CNO at Jackson West Medical Center (Doral, Fla.). Ms. Barreto serves as CNO at Jackson West Medical Center, leading clinical staff and overseeing nursing strategy, operations and regulatory readiness at the Jackson Health System’s newest hospital. She directs planning, execution and evaluation of nursing priorities to ensure consistent standards, continuous improvement, and adherence to applicable accreditation and regulatory requirements. Drawing on 29 years of experience across medical-surgical, oncology, telemetry and emergency medicine, Ms. Barreto reinforces best practices in care delivery and service performance across the hospital’s inpatient and emergency settings. Since the hospital opened in 2021, the inpatient units under her oversight recorded zero healthcare-associated infections for three consecutive years. In 2024, she helped launch Jackson West’s ST elevation myocardial infarction program, positioning the hospital as the first certified facility in west Miami-Dade to treat severe heart attacks. Under her leadership, Jackson West has also been ranked by Press Ganey among the top 5% of healthcare providers for patient experience and satisfaction.
Quanna Batiste, DNP, RN. CNO at Touro (New Orleans). Dr. Batiste oversees nursing operations and patient care services for more than 800 nurses, setting the strategic direction for professional practice, workforce planning, quality and patient safety across the hospital. She aligns nursing goals with organizational priorities while fostering a culture rooted in excellence, empathy and innovation to keep compassionate, evidence-based care at the center of daily operations. Her leadership focuses on translating strategy into execution that advances patient outcomes, supports nurse growth and reinforces nursing excellence across the organization. Dr. Batiste brings a breadth of leadership experience from roles spanning New Orleans-based Ochsner Health and Los Angeles-based UCLA Health, including serving as a CNO and academic leader in nursing. As a board-certified advanced nurse executive and fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, she combines clinical credibility with systems leadership to elevate practice standards and professional development.
Rhonda Beane. CNO for Mercy Health–Springfield (Ohio) Market. Ms. Beane has served as CNO for Mercy Health–Springfield since 2019, where she leads nursing teams across a regional acute care facility and a rural critical access hospital. She takes a hands-on leadership style, regularly rounding on units and connecting with staff, providers and patients. Ms. Beane emphasizes servant leadership, building a team that reflects Mercy’s core values and consistently pushing for quality improvements and better patient outcomes. She is tasked with overseeing nurses and nurse managers, guiding the design and delivery of patient care, implementing strategic ways to enhance services, and more. She also promotes educational opportunities to help staff reach their full potential and frequently recognizes excellent clinical work. Prior to joining Mercy Health, Ms. Beane held leadership roles at St. Louis University Hospital and University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, overseeing surgical services and patient care.
Stefanie Beavers, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive of OU Health (Oklahoma City, Okla.). In her role since 2023, Dr. Beavers brings over a decade of health leadership experience in addition to many years in nursing clinical practice. She established the office of the chief nurse executive, advancing a leadership model focused on quality, safety and patient experience. She launched the system’s nursing professional practice model, aligning nursing priorities with organizational values to achieve exceptional care and outcomes. She developed and launched the system’s nurse leader development program to support leadership growth across nursing services. As assistant dean of clinical practice for the University of Oklahoma Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing, she expanded adjunct clinical faculty, supporting OU Health’s academic mission and increasing RN to BSN program admissions. Under her leadership, the organization’s workforce stabilization and employed student conversion improved. She redesigned the nursing career job architecture to create clear development pathways across nursing services, and over 80% of students now choose to remain employed with OU Health upon completion of their nursing program. She also led the conversion of over 300 contract nurses to core team members in fiscal year 2025. She previously served as CNO for Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health and associate CNO at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford.
Crystal Beckford. CNO and Vice President of Patient Care Services for Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (Lanham, Md.). Ms. Beckford is the CNO and vice president of patient care services at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center, where she leads nursing strategy, workforce transformation, patient safety and financial stewardship. With more than 30 years of healthcare experience, she is widely respected for her inclusive leadership style, deep clinical expertise and passion for nursing excellence. Under her leadership, the organization achieved “Pathway to Excellence” designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2024, a first in the hospital’s history. Ms. Beckford has also expanded academic partnerships, created a dedicated education unit with the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and championed pipeline programs to attract and develop future nurses. She led the implementation of the hospital’s first virtual nursing program, contributing to a nearly 25% reduction in nursing turnover. Beyond the hospital, Ms. Beckford is a committed community advocate and serves as president-elect of District 5 of the Maryland Nurses Association.
Beth Beckman, DNS, RN. CNO for Valleywise Health (Phoenix). Dr. Beckman joined Valleywise Health as CNO in 2025, backed by a career defined by a steadfast commitment to health equity and underserved populations. She most recently served as interim CNO at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston, following a similar interim CNO role at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Pantops, Va., where she provided stability and strategic leadership during periods of transition. Previously, Ms. Beckman was system chief nurse executive at Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health and spent more than a decade in senior nursing leadership roles at Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health. Across these organizations, she has led enterprisewide initiatives to advance nursing practice, improve quality outcomes and strengthen professional governance. A nationally recognized nursing leader, Ms. Beckman has served as an Magnet appraiser for more than 23 years, supporting organizations on their journeys toward nursing excellence. She also serves on the Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health system board as chair of clinical excellence.
Carol Biggs, DHSc, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at Jackson Health System (Miami, Fla.). Dr. Biggs leads the strategic and financial development of nursing across Jackson Health System, a large public healthcare network encompassing seven hospitals, two long-term care nursing facilities, urgent care centers, and multiple primary and specialty care sites. She sets systemwide priorities for nursing practice, standards of care, continuous improvement, and regulatory and accreditation alignment, partnering closely with medical staff to embed best practices in care delivery across the enterprise. Since joining the system in 2017, she has guided operational and strategic planning to ensure consistent nursing policies and high-quality practice across diverse settings. Beyond her executive responsibilities, Dr. Biggs supports workforce and professional development through academic and community engagement, serving as adjunct faculty at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies and at Florida International University’s Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences. She is active in national professional organizations including the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and the American College of Healthcare Executives, and she was recognized with a lifetime achievement award from The Nurses Magazine in 2025.
Marielle Blauvelt, RN, BSN. CNO of The Orthopedic Hospital of Lutheran Health Network (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Ms. Blauvelt’s comprehensive approach to safety culture, staff engagement and mentorship has been instrumental to enhancing patient care and strengthening the overall healthcare system. Under her leadership, the hospital achieved a 2024 RN staffing retention rate of 95.5%, as well as above industry average employee engagement scores for the last three years. It also earned Healthgrades’ 2025 “Patient Safety Excellence Award” and a zero rate for catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections over the past three years. She is committed to leveraging the hospital’s clinical advancement program, as exemplified by her nurse mentoring, where she helps them identify areas of care that they are passionate about to achieve meaningful improvements. Areas of improvement include elimination of barriers to first case on-time starts, robust patient education programs and best-in-class patient-specific discharge instructions.
Monica Bologna. CNO at West Jefferson Medical Center (Marrero, La.). Ms. Bologna oversees the financial and operational management of nursing, support services and procedural departments, guiding strategic and day-to-day performance across inpatient and outpatient medical-surgical services. With more than two decades at the medical center, she brings deep institutional knowledge and a critical and cardiac care background to advancing evidence-based practice, safety and patient outcomes. She leads an expansive nursing workforce with an emphasis on mentorship, development, and creating supported career pathways that strengthen engagement and reduce burnout. Under her stewardship, the hospital’s cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation program earned re-accreditation from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation for a second consecutive cycle. Ms. Bologna also extends nursing leadership into the community through active participation in professional organizations and volunteer service, supporting regional health and wellness initiatives.
Jennifer Bond, DNP, RN. Vice President and CNO of Springfield (Ill.) Memorial Hospital. Dr. Bond is the vice president and CNO at Springfield Memorial, an academic medical center known for its level 1 trauma and comprehensive stroke services. She oversees patient care services, nursing practice activities and acute behavioral health services while leading efforts to maintain the hospital’s Magnet designation. Dr. Bond has also expanded the role of licensed practical nurses in care teams and established a central staffing office, resulting in an increase in inpatient discharges and a decrease in length of stay.
Joshua Bourgeois. Executive Vice President, Hospital Operations and CNO for the Northern Market of Children’s Medical Center Plano (Texas). Mr. Bourgeois serves as executive vice president, hospital operations and CNO for Children’s Health Plano’s Northern Market, with direct responsibility for all nursing operations. He has been a pivotal leader for the Plano campus since its earliest days, helping open the hospital in 2008 and later returning to guide its license separation and expansion of specialized services. In addition to the CNO role, he leads hospital operations for the northern market, overseeing facilities, engineering and security, ancillary services and nursing. In 2023, under his leadership, Children’s Health earned its fourth consecutive Magnet Designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In December 2024, he collaboratively led the design and opening of a 395,000-square-foot patient tower that tripled bed capacity and doubled the facility footprint, delivered on budget, ahead of schedule and without disrupting patient care. He also helped onboard more than 500 new team members ahead of the expansion while reducing patient harm during higher-than-normal volumes, and co-led implementation of smart pump interoperability in 2025 to enhance medication safety.
Annabelle Duschane Braun, DNP, MSN, RN. CNO of MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Ms. Braun is a results-driven CNO with more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience across acute care hospitals, academic medical centers and community health systems. She is passionate about elevating nursing practice, driving strategic innovation, and fostering cultures of safety, compassion and excellence. Throughout her journey, she has led initiatives that improved patient outcomes, reduced hospital-acquired infections, and enhanced nurse engagement and retention. She spearheaded multi-year nursing strategic plans, integrated Magnet principles to achieve nursing excellence and led systemwide staffing redesigns to optimize care delivery. Ms. Braun designed targeted recruitment campaigns that led to decreased nursing vacancy and turnover by 30%. She continues to develop and promote clinical ladder programs and leadership academies, empowering nurses to advance their careers and contribute to shared governance. Ms. Braun’s leadership of infection prevention task forces resulted in achieving double-digit reductions in central line-associated bloodstream infection and catheter associated urinary tract infection rates.
Kit Bredimus, PhD, RN, NEA-BC. CNO and Vice President of Nursing at Midland Health (Midland, Texas). Dr. Bredimus leads nursing practice for Midland Memorial Hospital and Midland Health, overseeing a 293-bed level 3 trauma center and level 2 NICU, a $130 million budget and nearly 700 team members. Under his leadership, the organization achieved four consecutive “Pathway to Excellence” designations and sustained nationally accredited nursing residency and fellowship programs. He is widely recognized for transformational leadership, having driven dramatic improvements in patient satisfaction and nurse engagement early in his career. He also guided the organization through major crises, including mass casualty events and the Covid-19 pandemic. A national thought leader, Dr. Bredimus has advanced professional governance, workforce wellbeing and community-focused care, while earning multiple national honors and contributing extensively through research, publications and academic teaching.
Maria Brennan, DNP, RN. CNO at University Hospital (Newark, N.J.). Dr. Brennan provides leadership and direction for University Hospital’s nursing team, planning and directing the functions and activities of patient care across several different service lines. She also works to promote excellence in patient care services. She establishes strategic goals and objectives that align with hospital values and directs the development and implementation of new policies, ensuring compliance with all legal and regulatory environments. She also fosters personal growth among the nursing team, encouraging creativity and innovation while building an environment for nurses to thrive. She quickly implemented a program that empowers nurses to claim their voices and feel confident enacting changes at all levels of their organizations. She has also taken strides towards reinforcing the backbone of the hospital and ensuring a brighter and more compassionate future for the staff.
Ruby Brewer. Chief Nursing and Quality Officer at East Jefferson General Hospital (Metairie, La.). Ms. Brewer leads nursing operations and hospitalwide clinical quality, providing strategic oversight across nursing, trauma, rehabilitation, laboratory, radiology and care management. She drives evidence-based improvement, performance metrics and regulatory compliance while aligning multidisciplinary departments around patient safety, efficiency and compassionate care. Under her leadership, East Jefferson General Hospital achieved five consecutive Magnet recognitions, reinforcing a culture of nursing excellence, collaboration and innovation. She is known for advancing professional development through mentorship and continuing education, strengthening engagement and resilience across the nursing workforce. Her leadership has also been recognized by peers statewide, including the Louisiana Nurses Foundation’s “Nursing Administrator of the Year” award. By integrating quality strategy with operational execution across multiple service lines, Ms. Brewer has sustained high standards of care delivery and reinforced the hospital’s position as a trusted regional provider.
Sherry Brewer, BSN, RN. CNO for South Central Regional Medical Center (Laurel, Miss.). Ms. Brewer serves as CNO at South Central Regional Medical Center, providing strategic and operational leadership for nursing and a broad portfolio of clinical, ancillary and support services. In addition to nursing, she oversees lab and radiology, as well as key nonclinical departments that directly influence safety and the patient experience, including security, environmental services, dietary and translation services. Ms. Brewer ensures patient-centered care through oversight of clinical policies, professional standards and shared governance structures, while advocating for nursing and non-physician clinical teams. With more than 30 years of experience spanning emergency care, education and executive leadership, she has advanced through progressive roles at the medical center, including director of the emergency department in 2014, vice president of clinical services in 2018 and CNO in 2023. She also contributes statewide as an instructor for a variety of clinical nursing education courses.
Helen Brogan, MSN, RN. CNO at Banner Baywood Medical Center and Banner Heart Hospital (Phoenix). Ms. Brogan leads nursing operations and professional practice across two Banner facilities, overseeing more than 800 nurses while advancing quality, safety, workforce development and operational performance. Since stepping into the role in 2023, she has driven a sustained culture shift that reduced nursing turnover from 30% to 6.7%. She has led professional practice innovations that achieved and maintained zero falls in the orthopedic population. In addition, she partnered with clinical informatics teams to reduce documentation burden, supporting nurse efficiency and engagement. Beyond the campus level, Ms. Brogan serves as the nurse executive for Banner’s cardiology clinical high reliability group, helping drive care and experience excellence across the system’s six-state footprint. She also leads Banner’s nurse executive council systems and infrastructure team and directs implementation of the IV pump interoperability project, a two-year, $50 million initiative designed to standardize technology and strengthen safety and workflow reliability across the enterprise.
Keri Brookshire-Heavin. Senior Vice President, CNO and COO at Phelps Health (Rolla, Mo.). Ms. Brookshire-Heavin serves as senior vice president, CNO and COO at Phelps Health, blending strategic leadership with hands-on operational oversight. She leads all nursing services while also guiding system operations, regulatory readiness, and quality and safety programs across the continuum of care. Known for her integrity, emotional intelligence and authentic leadership style, she fosters a culture where staff feel valued, supported and accountable to high standards. She has championed Lean principles, strengthened board-level quality oversight and revitalized patient safety infrastructure throughout the organization. One of her most notable achievements was leading Phelps Health to primary heart attack center certification in 2025 through standardized workflows and cross-departmental collaboration. Over her nearly 30-year career, Ms. Brookshire-Heavin served in various nursing roles across Missouri.
Alquietta Brown, PhD, BSN, RN. Vice President of Nursing for Inova Neuroscience and Inova Behavioral Health Services and Chief Nurse Executive for Inova Mount Vernon Hospital (Falls Church, Va.). Dr. Brown is responsible for overseeing the nursing practice with direct oversight of Inova Mount Vernon Hospital’s nursing and daily operations. Dr. Brown also works as a spokesperson for Inova’s nurses, representing the system’s mission, vision, values and strategic direction. She is experienced in operational execution and strategic planning and team development. She also excels at integrating and coordinating patient-centric nursing strategies to produce high quality, cost-effective healthcare. In 2023, she helped the system expand with a new 20-bed adult behavioral health unit and post-acute care hospital.
Sarah Brown, MSN, RN. CNO for UnityPoint Health (West Des Moines, Iowa). As a leader at UnityPoint Health, Ms. Brown has played a pivotal role in developing a virtual nursing program that reimagines care delivery and supports staff retention. She has shared her insights from this experience broadly, aiming to help develop a best practices framework for virtual nursing initiatives. Under her guidance, UnityPoint Health became one of the first organizations nationwide to credential certified acute-care virtual registered nurses, showcasing the team’s capability to provide high-quality care in both physical and virtual settings. Ms. Brown first joined UnityPoint Health in 2007 at Allen Hospital in Waterloo, working as a registered nurse in the ICU. She has also held the role of vice president and chief nursing executive for UnityPoint Health–Waterloo and served as the regional ambulatory vice president for UnityPoint Clinic in Waterloo.
Kevin P. Browne. CNO for Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital and Northwell Greenwich Village Hospital (N.Y.). Dr. Browne oversees nursing practice and patient care delivery at Northwell’s Manhattan campus, which includes Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, and Northwell Greenwich Village. Since joining the organization in 2023, he has implemented strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing the visibility and influence of nurses in achieving clinical excellence and patient safety. Dr. Browne emphasizes a supportive work environment that encourages collaboration and empowers nursing professionals to participate in decision-making processes. His focus on mental health and professional fulfillment aims to restore joy in nursing, which in turn aids in staff retention and recruitment while enhancing patient care standards. Previously, Dr. Browne held senior roles at St. Joseph’s Health in Patterson, N.J. and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Deb Bryant, DNP, RN. CNO for Mercy Health–Toledo (Ohio). Dr. Bryant is the CNO for Mercy Health–Toledo, overseeing nursing practices across seven hospitals and a free-standing emergency department. In this role, she is responsible for key outcomes, including patient satisfaction, safety and quality metrics, while also managing workforce recruitment, retention and development. Under her leadership, the Toledo market has reduced its reliance on agency nurses and lowered turnover rates. Dr. Bryant also led the successful onboarding of over 400 staff following the closure of a major hospital in the region. In collaboration with Mercy College of Ohio, she pioneered a nurse immersion program to provide BSN students with compensated clinical hours, easing their financial burden and fostering a seamless transition to employment. She has also found success in team building across the Lexington market and succession planning in the nursing departments.
Amy Buckingham, DNP. Patient Care Executive or CNO for North Coast Service Area at Adventist Health (Roseville, Calif.). Dr. Buckingham oversees clinical operations across Adventist Health Mendocino Coast, Adventist Health Howard Memorial and Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, leading more than 450 nurses and clinical staff while driving improvements in access, patient throughput and interfacility collaboration. Under her leadership, Adventist Health Howard Memorial and Adventist Health Ukiah Valley achieved 5-star CMS ratings, reflecting sustained performance in quality and patient-centered care. She has emphasized relationship-based leadership, aligned recruitment strategies and intentional onboarding practices that support lower turnover and strong engagement across rural teams. Her operational focus has also supported recognition including consecutive “A” Leapfrog safety grades for Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, zero catheter-associated urinary tract infection performance across multiple sites, and progress in geriatric emergency care accreditation. Raised in a rural Native American community, Dr. Buckingham brings a mission-driven commitment to improving care access and outcomes for remote populations and the communities she serves.
Marie Burdett, MSN, RN. CNO of East Georgia Regional Medical Center (Statesboro, Ga.). A nurse for 35 years, Ms. Burdett has been CNO at East Georgia Regional for the last nine years. During this time, she has been credited for her work around decreasing nurse turnover from 31% to 11% while also improving patient safety, quality and patient satisfaction. Under her leadership, the East Georgia Regional has improved its CMS star rating. This past year, she received the “DAISY Lifetime Achievement” award for her legacy of extraordinary, compassionate nursing care. Among the many other awards and accolades achieved during her tenure are an accredited chest pain center with primary percutaneous coronary intervention and primary stroke center certification.
Debbie Burke, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse and Senior Vice President for Patient Care at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston). Dr. Burke leads the five-time Magnet designated Massachusetts General Hospital, which is a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. Dr. Burke’s strategic leadership has been focused on optimizing the work environment, and NurseJournal has identified the hospital as one of the top 15 to work for as a nurse. She has created an environment that encourages nurse-led innovation, which is improving patient care and generating solutions to both patient problems and workforce challenges. Her vision for professional practice has received significant philanthropic support of more than $32 million, which is used to fund staff education, wellbeing, research and scholarship initiatives and innovation. She has also secured support for six endowed, named positions in nursing and other health professions. At the Mass General Brigham system level, she chairs the chief nurse council, which comprises 14 CNOs and focuses on advancing nursing practice and quality outcomes to ensure the voice of nursing leadership is at all levels of the system. Dr. Burke is currently the primary investigator for a joint relationship with University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium through the “Magnet4Europe” initiative.
Stacie Call, MSN, RN. CNO for Mercy Health–Lorain (Ohio) Hospital and Mercy Health–Youngstown (Ohio) Hospital. Ms. Call serves as the cross-market CNO for Mercy Health–Lorain and Mercy Health–Youngstown, where she leads nursing operations across multiple facilities. She ensures high-quality patient care through standardized protocols, strategic planning and the integration of new technologies. Ms. Call’s leadership has significantly reduced nursing turnover and reliance on agency staff, all while fostering professional development through initiatives like the student nurse extern program. She played a key role in opening a 32-bed Covid-19 unit in 2020, overseeing staffing models and protective equipment protocols. She also sought to strengthen the hospitals’ health equity efforts by engaging minority communities in vaccine outreach. Ms. Call’s leadership also contributed to multiple successful Magnet designations.
Jessa Cardelli, BSN, RN. CNO for Riverview Regional Medical Center (Gadsden, Ala.). Ms. Cardelli plays a pivotal role in leading the nursing and ancillary departments at Riverview Regional Medical Center, ensuring high-quality patient care and resource management. She aligns strategic goals with the organization’s mission, fostering a positive work environment and implementing evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes. Ms. Cardelli has significantly improved patient satisfaction by promoting leadership rounds and addressing concerns promptly, and she has led efforts to reduce nurse turnover and boost staff engagement. Ms. Cardelli is also a member of the Etowah County leadership board.
Timothy Carrigan, PhD, RN. Regional CNO for Trinity Health Illinois and Indiana Region (Maywood, Ill.). Dr. Carrigan oversees nursing operations across five hospitals within Loyola Medicine and Saint Joseph Health System, providing executive leadership for inpatient nursing units, perioperative and procedural services, ambulatory teams and clinical support services. He is accountable for advancing nursing education and research, ensuring patient safety and clinical quality, leading Magnet designations and recertifications, and managing non-physician clinical affiliation partnerships while overseeing significant operating budgets and workforce strategies. Under his leadership, Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood achieved its fourth Magnet designation, MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Ill. earned Magnet with distinction in 2024, and Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, Ill. achieved its first Magnet designation in 2025, resulting in all Loyola Medicine hospitals attaining Magnet status. At Saint Joseph Health System, Dr. Carrigan helped launch Trinity Health’s “TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care” model to address nursing workforce challenges while improving patient outcomes, contributing to national “Top 15 Health Systems” recognition by PINC AI and Fortune. Dr. Carrigan is also an assistant professor and practice partner at the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, pairing academic leadership with operational execution to advance nursing excellence, systemwide quality and patient-centered care.
Linda Carroll, MSN, RN. CNO and Vice President of Patient Care Services for Saint Peter’s Healthcare System (New Brunswick, N.J.). Ms. Carroll serves as vice president of patient care services and CNO at Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, where she has been a transformative nursing leader for more than four decades. A champion of shared governance, she has built a foundation of professional practice through nursing research, professional practice councils and active clinical engagement. Under her leadership, Saint Peter’s became only the fifth hospital globally to earn Magnet recognition six consecutive times and achieved multiple “Beacon Awards for Excellence” from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses across adult, neonatal, cardiac and pediatric critical care units. She is recognized for her community advocacy, including founding the system’s opioid task force, which integrates healthcare, education and law enforcement to address addiction and recovery. She has also driven innovation in education and care delivery, spearheading a state-of-the-art simulation learning lab and leading the launch of New Jersey’s first hospital-based, midwifery-led accredited birth center.
Sherry Casali, RN. Chief Nursing Executive and Vice President of Patient Care for UnityPoint Health–Meriter Hospital (Madison, Wis.). Ms. Casali has more than 35 years of nursing and leadership experience, including successfully managing the child and adolescent psychiatry and emergency services program. Her efforts in enhancing patient satisfaction and care quality have led to UnityPoint Health–Meriter earning the “Outstanding Patient Experience” award from Healthgrades for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Ms. Casali also played a pivotal role in fostering a successful relationship with SEIU Wisconsin, promoting a balance between patient and nursing needs.
Lindsey Casey, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO at Manning Family Children’s (New Orleans). Ms. Casey leads nursing practice across Manning Family Children’s and serves as executive leader for the organization’s Magnet pursuit, guiding multidisciplinary teams toward professional practice excellence. She also anchors operations for two major service lines, neonatology and the center for cancer and blood disorders, aligning care delivery, quality and safety standards with operational workflows to support consistent, family-centered outcomes. Over her nearly 25 years at the organization, she advanced from a pediatric ICU nurse technician to system nursing executive, building deep experience through progressive leadership roles spanning pediatric ICU director, senior director of critical care and assistant vice president of hospital operations. She redesigned the hospital’s nurse tech program into a three-phase pipeline that onboarded nearly 350 nurse technicians over two years, strengthening retention, boosting hiring success and building sustainable workforce capacity for pediatric care. Ms. Casey is recognized for pairing strategic workforce frameworks with hands-on mentorship that helps nurses enter, grow and thrive in specialized pediatric settings.
Brandi Cassingham, RN, MSN. Vice President of Care Services and CNO of MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center (Laguna Hills, Calif.). Ms. Cassingham’s 22-year nursing career includes 17 years in management and the last seven as Saddleback Medical Center’s CNO. In addition to nursing services, she oversees the comprehensive cancer program, rehabilitation therapies, imaging and volunteer services. Her many accomplishments include maintaining registered nurse turnover below national benchmarks, earning consecutive Magnet nurse excellence designations and leading multi-unit, multi-service line reorganization to maximize growth in key clinical areas. She developed and implemented an infrastructure to promote nurse-driven participation in evidence-based practice, tripling the number of best practices in process over two years. She also created a new clinical supervisor role for nurse manager succession planning. Ms. Cassingham started an upskilling program for non-clinical employees to train as patient care assistants, created a short-stay unit to improve patient throughput, and led a multi-campus Lean workshop for MemorialCare to develop a registered nurse clinical advancement program. In addition to helping new nursing graduates transition to their clinical and patient care roles, she assists them in adapting to their roles psychologically, socially and emotionally. She is also a member of the Association of California Nurse Leaders board. Among her accolades are the MemorialCare “Living Out Leadership Award” for contributions to the betterment of employees, patients and the community, and the California state senator selecting her as “Woman of the Year.”
Shannon Castellano. CNO of Mt. San Rafael Hospital and Clinics (Trinidad, Colo.). Ms. Castellano is responsible for overseeing all hospital and clinic nursing departments and ensuring the highest standards of patient care. Her leadership encompasses daily operations, strategic planning, and the implementation of clinical practices that prioritize patient safety and quality care. Ms. Castellano has successfully driven innovation in nursing by integrating evidence-based practices and advanced technologies, including remote patient monitoring and telehealth services. Under her guidance, the hospital has experienced improved patient satisfaction scores, reduced readmission rates and high safety ratings due to her comprehensive overhaul of nursing protocols. She is also dedicated to talent management, fostering a supportive work environment that enhances staff engagement and reduces turnover. She actively promotes professional development through training and mentorship, preparing the nursing team for future healthcare challenges. In addition to her operational roles, she emphasizes community outreach and patient-centered care, ensuring that patient voices are heard.
Dana Cecil, MSN, RN. Vice President of Nursing Services and CNO at University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center (La Plata). Ms. Cecil serves as vice president of nursing services and CNO at University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, leading strategies that advance care quality, patient experience and operational performance for Southern Maryland. Since joining the organization in 2013, she has been recognized internally for building a culture of collaboration, continuous learning and high reliability. She launched a 12-week nurse residency program, supporting new graduates in building clinical confidence while strengthening leadership development and transition-to-practice readiness. She also implemented “Resilience in Stressful Events,” an interdisciplinary peer-support program that provides confidential assistance to team members experiencing work-related stress. Ms. Cecil championed the hospital’s “Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner” program to expand trauma-informed care and strengthen support for survivors. She additionally spearheaded implementation of the “LENS” digital visual management platform to improve real-time communication during huddles, track safety priorities and reduce cross-shift communication gaps. Under her quality-focused leadership, UM Charles Regional has earned recognitions including Leapfrog “A” grades for patient safety in 2024 and 2025, as well as the Healthgrades “Patient Safety Excellence Award” for 2025.
Trish Celano, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President, Associate Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Nursing Executive at AdventHealth (Altamonte Springs, Fla.). Ms. Celano is senior vice president, associate chief clinical officer, and chief nursing executive for Advent Health. She is responsible for the oversight of 25,000 nurses. She also plays a key role in managing the system’s professional excellence program, an initiative aimed at helping nurses grow in their careers. Before being named to her current roles, Ms. Celano served as AdventHealth’s senior vice president and regional chief clinical officer for the Central Florida Division-North Region as well as senior vice president and CNO for AdventHealth Orlando (Fla.). She also brings prior experience serving at AdventHealth for Children as the facility’s first CNO, where she led the hospital to earn a prestigious Magnet designation for excellence in nursing. She has approximately 30 years of experience in healthcare, having begun her career as a pediatric critical care nurse and flight nurse.
Jesus Cepero, PhD, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services for Stanford Children’s (Palo Alto, Calif.). Dr. Cepero provides enterprisewide nursing and patient care leadership, partnering closely with leaders across outpatient, treatment center and inpatient settings to ensure seamless care delivery. He has spent his entire career in nursing leadership roles and is deeply passionate about advancing care for babies, children and mothers. Dr. Cepero is known for his ability to design highly collaborative administrative structures that support professional practice, cost-effective operations, and exceptional patient and family experiences. Most recently, he served as CNO for the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, where he led all aspects of nursing administration across both organizations. In that role, he established a nursing philanthropy committee, implemented a systemwide senior leadership rounding program and co-led the organization’s response to the opioid crisis.
Anna Cerra. CNO of Greenwich (Conn.) Hospital and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services for Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health. Ms. Cerra leads nursing and patient care services at Greenwich Hospital, ensuring clinical practice and operations deliver safe, high-quality, patient-centered care while sustaining the hospital’s Magnet designation. Under her leadership, the hospital has earned recognitions including stroke performance honors, a Leapfrog “A” safety grade and quality leadership distinctions. As senior vice president of patient care services for Yale New Haven Health System, she brings a broader system perspective while remaining focused on frontline excellence and professional development. She is deeply engaged in quality and safety work, serving on the Connecticut Hospital Association’s patient care quality committee and chairing the hospital’s patient and family advisory council. Ms. Cerra’s influence extends internationally through the CICIAMS Pan American International nurse consulting team, where she helps share evidence-based best practices with more than 150 Catholic hospitals worldwide. She is also a recognized advocate for social impact initiatives, including educating healthcare professionals on identifying and supporting victims of human trafficking. In 2022, she received the “Inspiring Global Nurses Award” from Nurses with Global Impact for her international training and humanitarian contributions.
Ronald Childress. CNO of Eastern New Mexico Medical Center (Roswell). Mr. Childress serves as CNO at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center, overseeing nursing operations across ICU, med/surg, behavioral health, emergency, pharmacy and respiratory therapy. She is also responsible for ensuring quality, compliance and efficient clinical performance. He has also built a sustainable talent pipeline through close partnership with a local community college, working to design and scale a nurse residency model. The program provides four to six weeks of structured, real-world training between students’ first and second academic years, strengthening bedside readiness and confidence. Under Childress’s direction, participation grew rapidly, from just around five students in 2023 to over 15 in 2024 and more than 25 graduates from multiple regional programs in 2025, directly addressing rural workforce needs. He also launched a charge nurse academy and expanded mentorship and professional development, elevating frontline leadership capability and consistency of care. These efforts contributed to a dramatic reduction in contract labor reliance, dropping from more than 150 full time employees to fewer than 25 over a few years. Previously, he served as associate CNO at Tulane University Hospital and director of nursing at Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans, bringing academic medical center experience to a community setting.
Shannon Christian. CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (New London, Conn.) and Westerly (R.I.) Hospital. Ms. Christian leads more than 1,000 nurses across Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and Westerly Hospital, serving as both CNO and senior vice president of patient care services. With more than 28 years of nursing experience, she has held numerous leadership roles spanning patient care services, heart and vascular care, and critical care operations. Ms. Christian is recognized for advancing safety, reducing infections and strengthening compassionate, patient-centered care across both hospitals. Most notably, she spearheaded efforts that resulted in “Lantern Award” recognition from the Emergency Nurses Association, with two emergency departments earning this national honor. Under her leadership, the organizations have also achieved multiple quality accreditations and patient experience awards, including CMS 5-star ratings and Press Ganey recognition.
Mary Christoffersen, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO of Bridgeport (Conn.) Hospital. Dr. Christoffersen serves as senior vice president and CNO at Bridgeport Hospital, a 501-bed, two-campus academic medical center that includes the state’s only verified burn center. She oversees all nursing clinical operations across inpatient, emergency and ambulatory settings, with a strong focus on performance improvement, professional education and interdisciplinary collaboration. Dr. Christoffersen played a critical leadership role during the Covid-19 pandemic, guiding workforce support, care delivery and clinical education through unprecedented challenges. She is currently leading the organization’s pursuit of Magnet designation, reinforcing a culture of nursing excellence and shared governance. Known for her integrity and collaborative leadership style, she has also championed the integration of virtual nursing to support workforce development and care innovation. Her work has contributed to national recognitions in critical care, emergency services, stroke care and patient safety.
Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive for NYC Health + Hospitals (New York City). Dr. Cineas is senior vice president and chief nursing executive for NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation’s largest municipal health system. She also serves as co-chair of the system’s equity and access council. She leads nursing strategy for a complex public health network that serves one in six New Yorkers, including highly diverse and medically vulnerable populations. Dr. Cineas is driving a systemwide rollout of the first-ever nursing care delivery model and daily management system, “CD2,” designed to standardize nursing practice and strengthen frontline nurses’ ability to identify and address social determinants of health throughout the care continuum, ranging from admission through discharge planning. In her equity role, she guides systemwide diversity and inclusion priorities, develops strategies to reduce bias and disparities in care, and establishes metrics to drive measurable improvement. She was instrumental in launching 12 system-wide inclusion groups, initiating health equity policy forums in collaboration with the City University of New York, and establishing a relationship with the DAISY Foundation. Dr. Cineas also serves as adjunct faculty at Columbia University School of Nursing and holds extensive national and civic leadership roles that amplify nursing’s voice in public health.
Stephanie Clements. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive of Mercy (St. Louis). Ms. Clements oversees nursing operations and strategy for the entire Mercy health system. Over the course of her career, she has served in many healthcare leadership roles, beginning as a floor nurse, becoming a hospital CEO, and today leading a nursing workforce of 15,000 in Mercy hospitals and clinics in five states. Ms. Clements joined Mercy in 2024 as vice president and community CNO at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and community CNO at Mercy’s hospitals across Oklahoma. Under her leadership, Mercy has seen a 33% reduction in hospital-acquired pressure injuries during the last fiscal year, with a recent three-month period achieving the lowest score in three years. Mercy has also achieved the top 25th percentile for falls with injury based on the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators benchmarks for falls. In addition, Ms. Clements reduced nursing premium labor by almost 40% year-over-year. As CNO, she oversees nursing for the integrated healthcare system, which includes 32 acute care and 17 specialty hospitals, 21 convenient and 51 urgent care locations, and numerous imaging centers and pharmacies.
Alesia A. Coe, DNP, RN. CNO and Vice President Patient Care Services for The University of Chicago Medical Center (Hyde Park, Ill.). Dr. Coe oversees the nursing practice of more than 2,500 nurses and manages multiple fiscal budgets. With more than five years within the system, she has successfully integrated the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives into the nursing shared governance structure, enabling successful outreach to the South Side of Chicago community through health screenings and educational programs for aspiring nurses. She was promoted to her current role in 2024.
Faye Collins, DNP, RN. Vice President and CNO of Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan (Wis.) County. Dr. Collins serves as vice president and CNO at Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County, where she provides strategic leadership for nursing practice and systems of care across the continuum. She assumed the role during a period of organizational instability and quickly restored trust through active listening, high visibility and authentic engagement with frontline teams. Dr. Collins is known for translating staff feedback into meaningful action, including strengthening shared governance and creating new professional development pathways. Her leadership style emphasizes service, equity and alignment with American Organization of Nurse Leaders competencies and American Nurses Association standards. By fostering psychological safety and clinician voice, she has revitalized team engagement and strengthened nursing culture.
David Cooke. Regional CNO for Region I at Prime Healthcare (Ontario, Calif.). Mr. Cooke serves as region I CNO at Prime Healthcare, providing regional leadership for nursing and patient care services across hospitals in California and Nevada. He evaluates clinical service delivery, reviews performance, and recommends improvements that strengthen programs and reinforce safe, high-quality care. Mr. Cooke works closely with hospital leaders and regional teams to advance quality improvement, enhance the patient experience and support nursing professional development. He also provides strategic direction for emergency department operations and growth initiatives across region I hospitals. Earlier this year, he played a central role in integrating nursing operations following Prime’s acquisition of nine hospitals and multiple care sites from St. Louis-based Ascension’s Illinois sites, supporting a smooth transition for patients and staff. His collaborative approach helps align regional nursing operations with Prime’s mission of compassionate care while supporting continued system growth.
Melinda Cooling, DNP. Chief Nurse and Advanced Practice Provider Executive at OSF HealthCare (Peoria, Ill.). Ms. Cooling provides leadership that enhances the role of nursing and advanced practice at OSF. She oversees advanced practice providers across all clinical areas, partnering with the CMO to drive clinical alignment, quality and safety. She is also accountable for the OSF College of Health Sciences and the OSF Nursing Innovation Hub, where she champions education, research and workforce development. A dedicated OSF leader since 1997, she has advanced through numerous roles, established an advanced practice provider fellowship, expanded advanced practice opportunities and facilitated participation in the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. She directed a $500,000 capacity-building grant for the research institute to strengthen processes, governance and data resources while accelerating evidence adoption across care delivery. The APP fellowship, a 12-month transition-to-practice program with multiple specialty tracks, is an Health Resources and Services Administration award winner, boasting a 97% graduation rate and 100% placement rate.
Therese Courtenay, DNP, RN. Associate Patient Care Executive or CNO for Adventist Health Mendocino Coast (Fort Bragg, Calif.). Dr. Courtenay provides strategic and operational oversight for nursing practice, quality, patient safety and the patient experience at Adventist Health Mendocino Coast. She partners closely with clinical leaders and frontline teams to strengthen outcomes, caregiver engagement and day-to-day performance in alignment with Adventist Health’s mission. Dr. Courtenay’s career spans more than 25 years, including extensive experience across clinical specialties and leadership roles within Adventist Health. She began her Adventist Health career at Adventist Health Castle in Hawai‘i, where she advanced through roles in telemetry, medical-surgical, clinical information systems, education, behavioral health, palliative care, staffing and nursing administration. Next, she served as system director of patient experience for Adventist Health’s 22 hospitals and hundreds of clinics, building enterprise frameworks to elevate patient-centered care and caregiver engagement. She also held interim patient care executive responsibilities at Adventist Health Clearlake (Calif.) and brings to her current role advanced nursing, business, informatics and patient-experience expertise.
Paul Coyne, DNP, APRN. Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and CNO for Hospital for Special Surgery (New York City). At Hospital for Special Surgery, Dr. Coyne oversees a multi-state clinical enterprise spanning perioperative, inpatient and ambulatory settings, including 51 operating rooms, more than 40,000 surgeries annually and 20 outpatient locations across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Florida. He leads nursing and clinical operations across a broad scope, including inpatient, perioperative and ambulatory nursing, quality and regulatory preparedness, central sterile, pharmacy, advanced practice providers, lab services, case management, social work, infection prevention, employee health and other key clinical support functions. His efforts impact over 1,500 full-time employees. Dr. Coyne advances a culture of belonging and excellence. He first began his career in finance, then transitioned into nursing and quickly built a track record in clinical transformation and technology-enabled care. His personal experience recovering from a stroke early in adulthood and continuing to manage complex health challenges further informs his patient-centered leadership. In addition to his executive role, he co-founded the AI company Inspiren, authored The Nurse’s Guide to Innovation, and serves in national advisory and professional roles that advance nurse-led innovation and workforce transformation.
Kendra Crawford, BSN, RN. CNO of Providence Santa Rosa (Calif.) Memorial Hospital. In June 2025, Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital appointed Ms. Crawford as its new CNO. She joins the hospital from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where she most recently served as associate CNO. She brings a global perspective to nursing leadership, shaped by progressive roles at highly respected healthcare institutions. Her clinical and operational expertise spans women’s and children’s services, dialysis, perioperative services and quality management. Ms. Crawford places a strong emphasis on nurse mentorship, professional development and building resilient, high-performing teams. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Sarah Currie, RNC, MSN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, Tenn.). Ms. Currie joined St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2023 as executive leader for the institution’s nursing services, just as the division began planning for obtaining a third consecutive Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In 2025, Ms. Currie’s division not only retained Magnet status, but also received the elite “Magnet with Distinction” classification attained by only the top 1% of hospitals in the U.S. There were also special recognitions for the nurse residency program, which has yielded 98% retention of new nurses, and for the Center of Advanced Practice, both of which achieved the “Advanced Practice Transition to Practice Certification with Distinction”. Hailing from England, Ms. Currie wanted to be a nurse since early childhood.
Michelle Curry, RN. CNO for Overlake Medical Center and Clinics (Bellevue, Wash.). Ms. Curry has served as CNO for Overlake Medical Center and Clinics since 2018, providing executive leadership across inpatient nursing services and key patient-facing functions, including emergency services, behavioral health, critical care, women’s and infant services, pharmacy, patient experience and transitions of care. She leads more than 1,500 employees and is a core member of the senior executive team, regularly reporting to the board of trustees. Ms. Curry has been instrumental in planning and implementing major growth initiatives, including a $250 million hospital expansion and an off-site emergency department, while sustaining safe, high-quality operations. Colleagues credit her patient-first focus with driving sustained improvement in patient satisfaction, reaching top-decile performance. She has strengthened clinical competence and professional development by restructuring education and introducing recurring skills workshops and simulation experiences. A visible advocate for nurse wellbeing, she supported peer support structures that helped reduce turnover to the lowest levels the hospital has seen. Her leadership is also associated with evidence-based innovation, including virtual monitoring and virtual nursing pilots that contributed to improved safety outcomes, such as fewer patient falls.
Derek Curtis, DNP, RN. Associate Administrator and CNO for Harris Health—Ben Taub Hospital (Houston). Dr. Curtis is CNO at Ben Taub Hospital, an academic hospital with over 400 beds and one of the nation’s busiest level 1 trauma centers, serving more than 100,000 emergency visits annually. He leads nursing strategy and operations across inpatient, emergency, surgical and specialty service lines, with accountability for care quality, workforce development, recruitment/retention, and interdisciplinary collaboration aligned to Harris Health’s safety-net mission. He emphasizes high reliability, shared governance and data-driven decision-making to strengthen patient outcomes, staff engagement and regulatory performance, all while sustaining Magnet-level standards. Dr. Curtis brings a mission-focused leadership style shaped by more than 22 years of U.S. Army service, including enlisted and officer roles, with clinic leadership overseas. In civilian healthcare, he has held executive nursing leadership roles across multiple institutions and is credited with major nursing excellence achievements at prior Harris Health leadership posts, including leading a hospital to its first Magnet designation and multiple “Pathway to Excellence” recognitions. Appointed to his current role in 2024, he is continuously advancing leadership pipelines, professional development and culture. Dr. Curtis was recognized by the Houston Chronicle as a “Top 15 Nurse” in 2024.
Lauren C. Cutter, DNP, RN. CNO at Jackson Memorial Hospital (Miami). Dr. Cutter oversees nursing and clinical operations across the Jackson Memorial Hospital campus and affiliated entities, including Holtz Children’s Hospital, The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial, the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center, and systemwide emergency departments. Since stepping into the CNO role in 2023, she has led more than 3,500 staff in one of the nation’s largest academic public hospital environments, focusing on workforce stability, quality outcomes and operational efficiency. Under her leadership, hospital-acquired infections decreased by 75% and CMS patient experience ratings improved from 2-star ratings to 3-star ratings. She has implemented nurse-driven clinical and operational initiatives, including a mobility program, a trauma nursing core course certification pathway for trauma nurses, an early warning system to reduce rapid response activations, and a nurse-led palliative care consult service. As system emergency department executive lead, she applied Lean methodologies to improve throughput, reduce wait times, shorten emergency department length of stay, decrease boarding and lower the sepsis mortality index. She also guided a triennial Joint Commission survey with no nursing findings and led the Miami Burn Center through successful American Burn Association re-verification, reinforcing high reliability across complex service lines.
Tammy Daniel, DNP, RN. Executive Vice President and CNO of Baptist Health (Jacksonville, Fla.). Dr. Daniel leads nursing strategy and practice across the entirety of Baptist Health, the largest nonprofit healthcare system in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia, encompassing six hospitals, Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center and more than 200 points of care. In her role, she aligns nursing practice with system goals while advancing quality, safety, efficiency, and a culture of excellence and empathy. Under her leadership, Baptist Health achieved its fourth consecutive Magnet designation across all hospitals and freestanding emergency centers, an honor attained by only 9% of U.S. hospitals. She has driven improvements in patient safety and culture, contributing to all five adult hospitals earning Leapfrog “A” safety grades in 2025. Dr. Daniel is deeply committed to workforce development, launching initiatives such as a nursing manager academy, licensed practical nurse-to-acute-care transition programs, and academic partnerships that strengthen the nursing pipeline. She is also responsible for clinical technology adoption and innovation.
Holly Davis, BSN, RN. CNO at Bingham Healthcare (Blackfoot, Idaho). Ms. Davis serves as CNO at Bingham Healthcare, overseeing nursing operations and patient care across the organization’s facilities. She leads strategic planning for nursing services, develops and implements initiatives that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency, and ensures clinical excellence, patient safety and regulatory compliance. She also manages nursing budgets, allocates resources to support quality care and performance goals, and serves as a key liaison between nursing teams, administration and interdisciplinary partners. She is a staunch advocate for nurses, and strengthens collaboration across departments. Ms. Davis has ushered in measurable improvements in both patient experience and workforce stability, having led a comprehensive patient satisfaction improvement program that increased scores by 20% within 18 months through communication training, rounding protocols and systematic use of patient feedback. She also expanded professional development through mentorship for new graduates and enhanced continuing education, contributing to a 15% reduction in nursing turnover over two years.
Erica DeBoer, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO of Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Ms. DeBoer is CNO for Sanford Health, which serves over a million patients and is the largest rural health system in the country. In her role, she has oversight of nearly 9,000 nurses across the post-acute, ambulatory and inpatient settings. She has been instrumental in leading systemwide initiatives aimed at leveraging technology, AI and automation to solve for unprecedented nursing workforce shortages. She has also helped to lead an expansion of workforce development programs to build a stronger pipeline of the next generation of caregivers. With her help, the system has welcomed hundreds of internationally educated nurses. Ms. DeBoer brings approximately 30 years of experience as a front-line registered nurse, including positions in critical care, clinical leadership and education. Most recently, she was Sanford Health’s senior executive director of nursing and clinical services and clinical informatics.
Renee Delahoussaye. Vice President and Regional CNO at Ochsner Lafayette General (Lafayette, La.). Ms. Delahoussaye provides executive leadership for nursing across Ochsner Lafayette General, guiding strategy, operations, workforce planning and financial stewardship for nursing services in Ochsner Health’s second-largest region. She supports nursing practice standards, policies and procedures across a network that includes eight hospitals, more than 50 clinics and urgent care sites, and nearly 2,000 nurses across a 6,000-person workforce. Under her leadership, the region has advanced nurse-led quality improvement efforts that reduced hospital-acquired infections and improved patient satisfaction, while strengthening professional development pathways that support certification attainment and career mobility. She has also helped lead the integration of digital health solutions to enhance care coordination and patient engagement, aligning innovation with evidence-based practice. A collaborative leader and advocate for nursing, Ms. Delahoussaye partners closely with senior executives and medical staff to sustain high-quality, patient-centered care and a resilient culture of growth.
Melody Dickerson, DNP, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations for VHC Health (Arlington, Va.). Dr. Dickerson, CNO and senior vice president of hospital operations at VHC Health, leads approximately 1,000 nurses. Her leadership has been critical in aligning patient care services with VHC Health’s strategic goals, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, where she improved employee morale and reduced contract staffing by 70%. She spearheaded key initiatives like the interprofessional code sepsis program, which improved sepsis mortality rates by 21%, and oversaw the development of the $250 million outpatient pavilion to enhance patient care access. Dr. Dickerson also launched the innovative “earn while you learn” program, designed to produce more practice-ready nurses, and a mentorship program that boasts a high retention rate.
Anna Marie Dickey, BSN, RN. CNO at Lakeview Hospital (Bountiful, Utah). Ms. Dickey provides strategic and operational oversight for nursing services at Lakeview Hospital, a 125-bed acute care hospital that is part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare. She is tasked with leading initiatives that advance patient-centered care, regulatory compliance, workforce engagement and clinical excellence. As executive sponsor of the facility care experience, she drove patient satisfaction scores from the 70th to the 87th percentile within two quarters across inpatient and emergency services. Under her leadership, Lakeview Hospital achieved zero rates of hospital-acquired pressure injuries, central line-associated bloodstream infection and catheter-associated urinary tract infection, reflecting a sustained focus on quality and safety. She also strengthened nurse and physician engagement, achieving 0% turnover among registered nurse leaders and significantly reducing overall nursing turnover year-over-year. Ms. Dickey’s collaborative leadership approach has supported the successful launch of new service lines and reinforced Lakeview’s long-standing recognition for patient safety, quality outcomes and workplace excellence.
Janeé Dock, MSN, RN. CNO at Piedmont Augusta (Ga.). An experienced nursing administrator who has risen rapidly through the leadership ranks to the top, Ms. Dock is Piedmont Augusta’s first African-American CNO, and the first African-American female on the executive leadership team in the hospital’s 205-year history. She oversees patient care services across the three hospitals that make up Piedmont’s Augusta clinical hub. A renowned clinical leader statewide and nationally, she was instrumental in the development of Augusta Technical College’s School of Nursing and Allied Health partnership and expansion to the Piedmont Augusta Summerville Campus. In 2022, Ms. Dock was asked by the Georgia governor to serve on his statewide workforce development taskforce. She first joined the Piedmont Augusta hospital in 2003 as a patient care assistant and was formerly a Piedmont hospital vice president and CNO, as well as a director of orthopedics, spine and medical and surgical services.
Patricia “Patty” Donley, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive for WellSpan Health (York, Pa.). Dr. Donley was appointed to the senior vice president and chief nursing executive role at WellSpan Health in March 2025. She is tasked with integrating new nursing care models, fortifying nurse research and innovation systemwide, and leading advancements in nursing practice. She has been with the system for over three decades, most recently serving as vice president of patient care services and CNO for WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital in Lebanon, Pa. for five years before becoming the hospital’s president in 2022. There, she led improvements in patient experience and financial performance, including helping to secure a $1.5 million donation to create the Jeanne Donlevy Arnold Center for Nursing Innovation. Outside of the system, Dr. Donley serves her community on the Lebanon Valley College board of trustees, the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce board, the Lebanon County Christian Ministries board, and the South Lebanon Township zoning board.
Inger Donohue, MSN, RN. CNO at Atlantic Health–Atlantic Medical Group (Morristown, N.J.). Ms. Donohue is the inaugural chief nursing officer for Atlantic Medical Group, leading nursing practice across a physician-led multispecialty organization of more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers at 300-plus locations. She defines nursing scope of practice, role accountability and competency structures aligned with Atlantic Health System professional practice, while partnering with multidisciplinary leaders to advance quality, safety and care coordination. She has championed shared governance in ambulatory settings, led preceptor and onboarding programs for more than 900 new clinical team members in a single year, and standardized quality and safety protocols across practices. With more than two decades of ambulatory and clinical operations experience, Ms. Donohue has strengthened nursing engagement, practice consistency and patient experience across one of New Jersey’s largest physician enterprises.
Diane Drexler, DNP, RN. System CNO and Vice President of Patient Care Services for Community Memorial Health System (Ventura, Calif.). Dr. Drexler sets the vision for nursing and patient care across Community Memorial Hospital’s Ojai and Ventura campuses and the Community Memorial Health Centers. Her leadership was instrumental in guiding the organization through the most challenging phases of the Covid-19 pandemic, including developing and implementing procedures for two acute care hospitals, managing staffing shortages, and creating a comprehensive winter surge plan across care settings. With more than 30 years of healthcare executive experience in California and Arizona, Dr. Drexler has held senior leadership roles at various medical centers. Throughout her career, she has successfully implemented shared governance models, led multiple EHR transitions, launched new clinical programs, reduced RN turnover and elevated service excellence. Dr. Drexler is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Tali Edge, DNP. CNO of Corewell Health Dearborn (Mich.) Hospital. Dr. Edge serves as CNO at Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital, where he leads nursing operations, quality and safety initiatives, and strategic planning to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. Known for his analytical rigor and relationship-centered leadership style, Dr. Edge translates data into actionable plans that enhance care delivery and staff engagement. At Corewell Health, he has implemented key operational structures such as discharge lounges and length-of-stay committees to improve patient flow and experience. His work reflects a sustained commitment to equity, patient-centered care, and continuous improvement. His career has also included impactful roles at major academic and community systems, including Emory University and Grady Health System in Atlanta and Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston. Dr. Edge gained national recognition for reducing hospital readmissions through innovative transition management programs and for advancing maternity care excellence as CNO at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, N.Y.
Christopher “Lance” Eiland, MSN, RN. CNO of Crestwood Medical Center (Huntsville, Ala.). Mr. Eiland leads nursing strategies, clinical operations and patient safety initiatives across Crestwood Medical Center. He champions workforce development programs, advances evidence-based practice, and strengthens interprofessional collaboration to enhance care delivery. Under his leadership, the nursing team has achieved measurable improvements in patient outcomes, staff retention rates and quality metrics. This is also exemplified by the fact that as of August 2025, measurable improvements have also resulted in more than 700 days without a catheter-associated urinary tract infection, nearly 600 days without a central line-associated bloodstream infection, and nearly 500 days without a methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infection. Mr. Elland is passionate about mentoring future nurse leaders and advancing innovation in clinical practice to ensure safe, compassionate and high-quality care for every Crestwood patient.
Veronica Elders, DHA, MSN, RN. CNO of Nashville (Tenn.) General Hospital. Dr. Elders has served as interim CEO and chief nursing officer at Nashville General Hospital since March 2025, providing integrated clinical, strategic and fiduciary leadership for the organization. In this dual role, she oversees hospitalwide strategy, financial stewardship, operational performance, and all nursing and care transition functions, including emergency medicine and hospital medicine programs. Dr. Elders joined Nashville General in 2015 and advanced through key leadership roles, including director of emergency services, administrative director of patient throughput and assistant CNO. She brings more than 25 years of healthcare experience. Dr. Elders also serves on the Tennessee CARE Early Head Start policy council and the Tennessee State University Nursing School advisory board.
Kirsten Featherstone. CNO for Mee Memorial Healthcare System (King City, Calif.). As CNO at Mee Memorial, Ms. Featherstone leads the nursing team, overseeing clinical services such as long-term care, education and acute care. She collaborates with the executive team to strengthen healthcare in South County as a whole. Since joining in 2020, she has driven cultural change and bolstered the organization’s mission to provide high-quality care to its rural community. Her leadership extends across hospital operations, quality improvement and nursing support, backed by her experience managing trauma programs and developing stroke centers at multiple hospitals. Ms. Featherstone played a key role in managing Mee Memorial’s Covid-19 response and was promoted to CNO in 2022 after serving in various leadership roles.
Julie Ference, BSN, RN. CNO at AHN Neighborhood Hospitals (The Woodlands, Texas). Ms. Ference is CFO for AHN Neighborhood Hospitals, providing strategic and operational leadership for nursing, emergency department and inpatient services, and a broad portfolio of clinical support specialties that include radiology, laboratory, respiratory therapy and rehabilitation services across five neighborhood hospital locations. She leads a team of 283 staff and works closely with the hospital board, directors, clinical teams and corporate leaders to optimize patient flow, staffing and scheduling, budgeting, vendor contracting, and both short- and long-range operational planning. She also leads key governance and compliance work, including steering committees, pharmacy and therapeutics, and policy development aligned to Department of Health, DNV and CMS requirements. Ms. Ference stands out as a hands-on, bedside-visible executive who maintains clinical readiness and routinely rounds with teams in order to bridge the boardroom and the bedside. She has been a catalyst for innovation in small-format hospital care models, helping advance variable acuity inpatient care, virtual nursing, virtual telemetry and hospitalist tele-resources. Under her leadership, AHN Neighborhood Hospitals became an early adopter of fixed real-time audiovisual telemedicine for all patients.
Diane Ferreira, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services for Butler Hospital (Providence, R.I.). Ms. Ferreira oversees nursing services, nursing education, nursing quality, occupational therapy, social services and pharmacy at Butler Hospital. With over two decades of experience, she has become a vital leader due to her deep understanding of the hospital and its resources. Known for her compassionate approach to healthcare, Ms. Ferreira prioritizes patient care and has been promoted six times during her tenure, reflecting her expertise in behavioral healthcare. Her leadership plays a key role in maintaining high standards of care and ensuring that the hospital’s staff is well-equipped to meet the needs of their patients.
Brandee Fetherman, MSN, RN. CNO for Morristown (N.J.) Medical Center. Ms. Fetherman is CNO at Morristown Medical Center, overseeing nursing care delivery, nursing education and professional development, nursing quality and research, and patient flow. Under her leadership, the medical center achieved its sixth consecutive Magnet designation in 2024, an accomplishment reached by a very small fraction of Magnet-designated hospitals nationwide. A longtime Atlantic Health leader, she joined Morristown Medical Center in 2001 and advanced through management roles spanning critical care, medicine, trauma and neurology before stepping into the CNO role in 2022. She has played a key leadership role in major campus initiatives, including a multi-phase emergency department expansion that nearly doubled treatment capacity in a department handling more than 110,000 annual visits. Ms. Fetherman is also active in professional leadership, recently beginning her role as president for the Organization of Nurse Leaders New Jersey and supporting nursing education through advisory and community roles.
Brian Filadelfia, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse and Clinical Executive at Emanate Health Queen of the Valley Hospital (Covina, Calif.). Dr. Filadelfia provides strategic and operational oversight for nursing and key clinical services, leading approximately 900 full time employees across high-acuity areas including emergency, critical care and perioperative services, as well as departments such as environmental services, transport, sterile processing and therapy services. He maintains the hospital’s comprehensive stroke center status and DNV orthopedic certifications while partnering with medical directors and service line leaders on strategy, quality improvement and financial performance. In 2025, he led a standardized logistics management program and structured huddles that reduced emergency department length of stay for admitted patients by 39.36% in two months, far exceeding the 10% target while improving staff communication and satisfaction. He also led a Covid-19 resurgence plan that saved $500,000 in workforce costs and helped improve the hospital’s Leapfrog safety grade from “C” to “B” within a year. He founded a clinical excellence committee that aligned nursing and physician goals, contributing to a 55% reduction in reportable pressure injuries and zero central line-associated bloodstream infection harm from quarter four of 2021 through 2023, alongside survey readiness achievements with zero conditional findings.
Kate FitzPatrick, DNP, RN. Executive Vice President and Connelly Foundation Chief Nurse Executive Officer for Jefferson Health (Philadelphia). Dr. FitzPatrick is Jefferson Health’s system CNO, providing strategic oversight for nursing practice and patient care programs across 32 hospitals and a vast outpatient and urgent care footprint. She leads more than 14,000 nurses and ensures nursing is represented in critical enterprise decisions, while partnering closely with the Jefferson College of Nursing to strengthen academic-practice integration and grow the talent pipeline. Dr. FitzPatrick elevated nursing voice and accountability through system and regional nursing professional governance structures that embed frontline input into decisions that shape practice and the work environment. She has also advanced new care delivery models on medical-surgical units, including virtual nursing and redesigned team roles, supported by stronger operational partnerships in areas like transport, dietary and lab services. A hallmark accomplishment is the “Nurse SEAL Team” program launched in 2022, an elite, flexible nursing team that scaled from 25 to more than 150 full-time nurses supporting high-need areas across 13 hospitals. She further built workforce sustainability through innovations such as the nurse emeritus program, re-engaging experienced retired nurses as mentors and support for teams and emerging leaders. Dr. FitzPatrick’s work rewards expertise, reduces burnout and strengthens high-quality, compassionate care across the Jefferson system.
Regina Foley, PhD, RN. President of Specialty Hospitals and Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive for Hackensack Meridian Health (Edison, N.J.). Dr. Foley serves in a dual enterprise role at Hackensack Meridian Health, combining system chief nursing executive responsibilities with executive oversight as president of specialty hospitals and clinical services. As chief nursing executive, she supports chief nurses across 18 hospitals, advances clinical transformation and drives workforce strategy. In this role, she prioritizes recruitment, retention, flexible scheduling, leadership development and the conversion of agency nurses into full-time or internal staffing models. She has positioned Magnet designation as a strategic imperative, supporting organizations pursuing redesignations while accelerating others on the path to excellence. Dr. Foley is also integrating the system’s three schools of nursing into a networked pipeline while strengthening partnerships with external academic programs to ensure a steady flow of mission-aligned new graduate nurses. In her president role, she oversees strategic direction and performance for specialty hospitals and services across the network, including rehabilitation, pharmacy, imaging, laboratory, emergency medical services and transfer center operations, transformation, and the office of integration management. With more than 38 years at the system, she has led extensive enterprise change efforts, including pandemic financial recovery work and a portfolio of more than 500 initiatives designed to align the organization, improve revenue and reduce expenses. She builds trust through direct engagement at sites and a consistent focus on respect for team members.
Debra Fox, RN. CNO at University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (Las Vegas). Ms. Fox leads nursing practice for more than 1,200 nurses delivering care to approximately 500,000 patients annually, shaping clinical standards, workforce strategy and an empowered professional practice environment at Nevada’s highest-acuity safety-net provider. Since joining University Medical Center of Southern Nevada in 2015, she has driven a nursing culture transformation grounded in shared governance, academic partnerships and career progression, strengthening nurse satisfaction and stability. Under her leadership, the medical center’s voluntary nurse turnover declined from 18% in 2015 to about 9% in recent years, compared with a reported national nurse turnover rate of 18.4% in 2023. She established the medical center’s nurse residency program, accredited with distinction by the ANCC, to strengthen transition-to-practice and mitigate workforce shortages, while expanding partnerships with University of Nevada, Las Vegas and other schools to build the region’s nursing pipeline. Ms. Fox also advanced nurse-led clinical scholarship through an annual nursing research day and conference that averages 75–80 submissions per year. A proven crisis leader, she strengthened disaster preparedness and supported the medical center’s response to the October 1, 2017 mass casualty event and the Covid-19 pandemic, including large-scale community testing and vaccination services. The medical center is now pursuing its first Magnet designation, which would make it the first Magnet hospital in Nevada.
Kim Francis, PhD, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services for Women & Infants Hospital (Providence, R.I.). Dr. Francis serves as CNO and senior vice president of patient care services at Women & Infants Hospital. Having joined the hospital in 2022, she brings over three decades of progressive nursing leadership experience. Dr. Francis oversees nursing operations, ensuring high standards of patient care and guiding leadership strategies. Her career began as a staff nurse at Women & Infants, and she now leads multiple departments, including postpartum and neonatal intensive care. Prior to her current role, she held various leadership positions at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital and was recognized with the 2020 “Massachusetts Excellence in Nursing Research” award from the American Nurses Association Massachusetts.
Michelle Franklin, RN. CNO for Carilion Clinic (Roanoke, Va.). Ms. Franklin was promoted to CNO in July 2025, bringing more than 30 years of progressive clinical and operational leadership experience to the role. Most recently, she served as vice president with responsibility for women’s and children’s services, nursing support and interpreter services, overseeing care delivery across multiple settings. Ms. Franklin began her healthcare career in 1990 as a nursing assistant at what later became Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital, giving her firsthand insight into bedside care and workforce needs. Throughout her career, she has advanced through a series of leadership roles spanning both hospital and ambulatory environments, consistently driving quality, safety and operational excellence. She previously served as co-interim CNO, where she oversaw the nursing center of excellence and nursing operations at Carilion Medical Center and affiliated ambulatory practices.
Christine Frost, DNP, RN. CNO and Vice President of Nursing for Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (Annapolis, Md.). Dr. Frost is the CNO and vice president of nursing for Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, Luminis Health J. Kent McNew Family Medical Center and Luminis Health Pathways. As the senior nursing executive, she oversees approximately 1,200 nurses while partnering with clinical, medical staff and executive leaders to set nursing strategy and drive quality, safety and operational excellence. With nearly 30 years of experience and a deep personal connection to the organization, where she began her nursing career in 1995, Dr. Frost is known for collaborative, team-based leadership and strong operational and financial stewardship. She has championed nursing care models that improve outcomes and patient satisfaction, supported the hospital’s third Magnet Recognition, strengthened the nurse residency program to improve retention and advanced staff wellbeing initiatives including development of a wellbeing lounge. Dr. Frost has also promoted technology-forward care through virtual nursing and telecommunications upgrades, and, as president of the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders, advocates for nursing and healthcare policy at the state and local levels.
Nancy Gaden, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and CNO for Boston Medical Center. Dr. Gaden is senior vice president of clinical operations and CNO at Boston Medical Center, a 675-bed academic medical center and New England’s largest essential hospital. She leads more than 2,000 nursing professionals and oversees an annual operating budget exceeding $300 million, with responsibility for nursing strategy, operations, workforce development and quality improvement. Dr. Gaden is recognized for advancing a culture of safety, inclusion, innovation and equity for a diverse, medically complex patient population. Under her leadership, Boston Medical Center achieved its first-ever Magnet designation, reflecting sustained nursing excellence, shared governance and improved outcomes. Her professional impact is widely acknowledged, including being named a 2024 “Living Legend” by the American Nurses Association of Massachusetts and being inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2023. She has also held significant regional leadership roles, including serving as president of the Organization of Nurse Leaders and contributing to statewide healthcare leadership through the Massachusetts Hospital Association.
Nicki Gamet, BSN. CNO for Mercy Springfield (Mo.) Communities. Ms. Gamet became CNO of Mercy Springfield Communities in May 2025, bringing nearly three decades of experience and deep organizational knowledge to the role. A Mercy caregiver for 27 years, she began her career as a staff nurse and advanced into leadership after pursuing a nurse manager position. Over the years, Ms. Gamet has held multiple leadership roles, most recently serving as vice president of regional operations, providing strategic oversight for Mercy hospitals and clinics across the Ozarks. She now leads more than 2,400 nurses, guided by a leadership philosophy centered on trust, empowerment and supporting caregivers in their daily work. Known for her ability to connect frontline insight with system-level strategy, she is focused on strengthening nursing practice, culture and patient care outcomes. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Ms. Gamet serves on the executive board of Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri and recently completed a term on the National Rural Advocacy Task Force.
Elizabeth “Tren” Garbo, DNP, RN. Vice President and CNO of Our Lady of the Angels Health (Bogalusa, La.). Ms. Garbo is vice president and CNO at Our Lady of the Angels Health, the only full-service acute care hospital within a 45-mile radius in Washington Parish. She oversees all nursing operations and has led the hospital to state and national recognition through quality initiatives and deep community partnerships. Dr. Garbo played a pivotal role in launching “Rise Up,” a groundbreaking substance abuse intervention program for pregnant women that has since influenced statewide models in Louisiana. Known for her people-centered leadership style, she fosters engagement and trust through initiatives like “Tea Time with Tren” and frequent unit-level celebrations. Her emphasis on staff wellbeing has resulted in nursing turnover rates consistently below 3%. Through compassion, visibility and operational excellence, Dr. Garbo has built a stable workforce and strengthened patient experience in a critical rural setting.
Shari Giese, BSN, RN. CNO of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center (Palmer, Alaska). Ms. Giese is a 32-year veteran of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, where she has served in various roles including director of surgical services, and for the last seven years, CNO. She has fostered a reputation that seeks quality care in every area of her stewardship. Her leadership is extremely vital to the organization in this current environment, where the nursing shortages have become the norm in nearly every community. She continues to focus on improving the hospital’s culture, which has reduced traveler nurse usage to 0.002%, the equivalent of one travel nurse out of 414 RNs, for an overall year-to-date nursing retention rate of 93.92%. Her leadership has been instrumental in improving employee and physician satisfaction and continued growth during a period in which these trends have proven to be challenging.
Jason Gilbert, PhD, RN. Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Indiana University Health (Indianapolis). Dr. Gilbert, executive vice president and chief nurse executive at IU Health, first joined the system in 2011 as director of nursing operations at the Indiana University Health Adult Academic Health Center in Indianapolis. Since, he has held several progressive executive leadership roles at the regional and system level. Now, he leads system operations including supply chain, laboratory services, the department of protective services, contracted services, and a team of more than 9,000 registered nurses and interprofessional team members across multiple hospitals and clinics. Prior to joining the IU Health team, Dr. Gilbert served in a nurse manager and staff nurse role at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. He currently serves on the board and as president-elect of the Indiana Organization for Nursing Leadership and is a member of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Michele Goeb-Burkett, MSN, RN. CNO of AdventHealth East Florida Division (Altamonte Springs, Fla.). Since 2022, Ms. Goeb-Burkett has led nursing strategy and operations for AdventHealth’s East Florida Division, the region’s largest hospital system with seven hospitals, two freestanding emergency rooms and more than 75 practice locations. Her leadership supports over 11,000 team members and 1,400 beds, influencing 1.3 million patient encounters each year. With more than 20 years of nursing leadership at AdventHealth, she has built a strong workforce pipeline by hiring over 800 nurses in 2024, including nearly 100 internationally trained clinicians, and achieving 100% one-year retention for graduate nurses. She also spearheaded dedicated education units with area colleges and helped establish a $900,000 endowment to support nursing students. Under her leadership, all AdventHealth facilities in Volusia County earned American Nurses Credentialing Center “Pathways to Excellence” designations, and AdventHealth Fish Memorial in Orange City, Fla. became the only hospital in Volusia County to receive a CMS 5-star quality rating. She also serves on multiple hospital and foundation boards and supports international mission partnerships.
Andres Gonzalez, RN. CNO at Jackson South Medical Center (Miami). Mr. Gonzalez leads nursing strategy and clinical operations at Jackson South Medical Center, a 262-bed acute care hospital, ensuring consistent nursing standards, continuous improvement, and compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements in alignment with Jackson Health System priorities. He partners with medical staff to integrate evidence-based best practices into daily care delivery while advancing workforce stability and mentoring future nursing leaders. Since joining Jackson South in 2015 as director of the surgical center and becoming CNO four years later, he has helped drive multiple accreditations and reductions in hospital-acquired infections and pressure injuries. Under his leadership, Jackson South achieved designations including level 2 trauma center, bariatric center of excellence and primary stroke center. He also supported the expansion of cardiovascular services through the opening of a new catheterization lab designed for minimally invasive heart and vascular procedures. In 2025, Jackson South was named an American College of Surgeons “Surgical Quality Partner for Excellence in Surgical Care” and was recognized by the Florida Stroke Registry for “Most Improved Door to Needle Time.”
Wendi Goodson-Celerin, DNP, APRN. Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Dr. Goodson-Celerin leads all nursing services across Tampa General Hospital, overseeing nursing practice, quality, safety, regulatory compliance and systemwide collaboration to ensure safe, efficient patient care. A 35-year veteran of the organization who began her career as a clinical nurse, she brings deep operational insight to workforce strategy, capacity management and throughput optimization. She spearheaded Tampa General’s fifth consecutive Magnet recognition, placing the organization among fewer than 2% of hospitals nationwide to achieve this distinction. Under her leadership, nursing vacancy rates declined to below 10%, well under national benchmarks, while reliance on agency staffing was reduced through investments in workforce resilience, education and engagement. Dr. Goodson-Celerin founded and scaled Tampa General’s clinical education department, establishing a best-practice onboarding and training model that continues to support nursing excellence systemwide. She also partners with the University of South Florida College of Nursing to strengthen the talent pipeline and advance academic–practice integration, reinforcing Tampa General’s long-term nursing workforce sustainability.
Tracy Gosselin, PhD, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York City). Dr. Gosselin serves as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s senior vice president, chief nursing executive, and Enid A. Haupt chair in nursing. In this role, she leads the Magnet-designated nursing department’s nurses and nursing support staff across the center’s various care locations. She is tasked with leading strategic nursing initiatives and with enhancing safety, quality and patient experience as it pertains to nursing. She brings over two decades of nursing leadership experience to her role.
Rebecca Graham, RN. CNO of North Vista Hospital (North Las Vegas). As CNO, Ms. Graham oversees all of North Vista Hospital’s clinical operations, including patient care, safety standards for policy implementation, and processes and protocols for positive patient outcomes. Additional responsibilities include organizational, administrative and nursing leadership. She is involved in all aspects of hospital management, including quality, compliance, risk, financial, marketing and more. Ms. Graham has spent nearly three decades with North Vista Hospital, beginning as a floor nurse and working her way up to her current role as CNO.
F. Carlos Gregorio, MSN, RN. CNO for Uvalde (Texas) Memorial Hospital. As the CNO at Uvalde Memorial Hospital, Mr. Gregorio plays a crucial role in ensuring high-quality care across all nursing services and clinical operations. Responsible for patient safety, experience and compliance with certifications like those from the Joint Commission, he also manages finances and operating budgets, upholding critical policies and procedures. Since joining the hospital, he has shown unwavering commitment to the community of over 45,000 residents, primarily seniors, across five counties. His leadership was pivotal in transitioning the hospital’s designation from acute care to rural, maximizing funding for improvements. Under his guidance, the hospital has dramatically reduced emergency room wait times and improved patient satisfaction scores. He has also launched an initiative to establish a local dialysis program, allowing patients to receive treatment closer to home, and is fostering a culture of recognition through the introduction of several staff award programs.
Karen Grimley, PhD, RN. Chief Nursing Executive for UCLA Health (Los Angeles). Dr. Grimley leads professional nursing practice and care delivery across UCLA Health’s five hospitals and more than 280 ambulatory clinics, with oversight of more than 5,000 bedside nurses. In this enterprise role, she drives nursing excellence through evidence-based practice, workforce strategy and systemwide care delivery alignment, supporting Magnet-recognized practice environments and award-winning programs across critical care and emergency services. Dr. Grimley is recognized for strengthening culture and engagement by leveraging resources and relationships to rebuild teamwork and camaraderie. Under her leadership, UCLA Health launched initiatives such as “Safer U” to support the safety and wellbeing of staff, patients and families, and advanced workforce strategies that elevated engagement and excellence measures above national benchmarks across most categories. She also reinvigorated relationship-based care through “Reigniting the Spirit of Caring,” fostering connection between caregivers, colleagues and patients. Previously, she served as CNO at Orange, Calif.-based UC Irvine Health. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Academy of Nursing.
Anne H. Gross, PhD, RN. Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services and CNO at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston). Dr. Gross is responsible for clinical and research nursing practice across Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the only hospital ranked in the top three nationally by U.S. News & World Report in both adult and pediatric cancer care. She oversees nursing practice across inpatient, outpatient and community settings, as well as the Center for Clinical and Professional Development, Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research and a variety of other clinical services. Her professional contributions assure patient access to healthcare and strengthen interdisciplinary teamwork. Since joining Dana-Farber in 2002, Dr. Gross has led the implementation of a primary nursing care model, professional shared governance model, and a nationally accredited with distinction residency program for newly licensed nurses. She established a unique and innovative partnership with Northeastern University School of Nursing and developed academic pipeline and fellowship programs to ensure the future of oncology nursing. Her leadership has been instrumental in Dana-Farber earning its fifth consecutive Magnet designation for nursing excellence. She was recently named Ning Zhao Chair of Nursing, the first endowed nursing position of its kind at Dana-Farber, providing critical resources to continually innovate in patient care and advance the field of oncology nursing.
Andrew D. Harding, DNP, RN. CNO of South Shore Health (South Weymouth, Mass.). Dr. Harding serves as CNO for South Shore Health, leading nursing services and patient safety initiatives across the system’s hospital, visiting nurse association and ambulatory settings, which together serve more than 620,000 residents. He is responsible for strategic planning and operational execution for approximately 2,000 nursing professionals, with a strong focus on quality, safety and financial stewardship. Dr. Harding is recognized for his ability to translate strategy into measurable operational improvements, particularly during periods of external disruption marked by hospital closures and surging patient volumes. Under his leadership, South Shore Health onboarded hundreds of nurses, improved quality outcomes and enhanced productivity while sustaining a collaborative, just culture. These efforts contributed to the system earning its fourth Magnet designation for nursing excellence. His work and results have been widely published in leading nursing leadership journals, reflecting his national influence on nursing operations and strategy.
Tiffany Haynes, MSN, RN. CNO of North Country Healthcare (Whitefield, N.H.). As system CNO for North Country Healthcare, Ms. Haynes holds executive responsibility for aligning nursing resources and clinical operations across three affiliated hospital organizations. She provides strategic oversight for acute care units, emergency departments, surgical services, intensive care units and other hospital-based nursing operations, with a focus on standardizing practice, advancing quality and patient safety, and ensuring regulatory compliance across the system. Beyond hospital operations, she has aligned the continuum of care for palliative care, home health and hospice, strengthening transitions, coordination and consistency of compassionate care across settings. She also leads nursing workforce development and operational efficiency initiatives while maintaining high standards of clinical excellence. In addition to her CNO role, she serves as president and CEO of North Country Home Health and Hospice, reinforcing systemwide integration across acute and post-acute services. Her accomplishments include system alignment of nursing resources across all affiliates, achieving more than 99% medication barcode scanning compliance to enhance medication safety, implementing a system-level infection control platform that reduced hospital-acquired infections, executing one of the region’s strongest cost-control programs without compromising quality, improving care coordination across palliative/home health/hospice, and increasing nursing satisfaction scores.
Kelly Hefti, MSN, RN. CNO of Sanford USD Medical Center and Clinics (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Ms. Hefti is responsible for the nursing practice for the ambulatory and inpatient care units at Sanford USD Medical Center and Clinics, the largest hospital in South Dakota. For more than 30 years, she has served Sanford Health in a variety of roles, including as a practicing registered nurse, clinical leader, senior director, certified nurse practitioner and CNO, and has helped foster a culture of quality nursing care and elevated standards for nursing practice. She is also a champion for nurse wellbeing and safety in the workplace. Working closely with local institutions of higher education, Ms. Hefti has been instrumental in fostering and maintaining educational partnerships, internships and experiential learning opportunities for future nurses. Under Ms. Hefti’s leadership, the medical center and clinics earned a fifth Magnet designation for nursing excellence in 2022.
Jodi Hein, DNP, RN. CNO of Providence Holy Cross Medical Center (Mission Hills, Calif.). Dr. Hein serves as CNO of Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. She is responsible for improving operational efficiency, identifying strategies for improving the quality of patient care and outcomes, and acting as a voice for clinical care nurses. Under her leadership, the medical center has earned several designations and has consistently performed well for patient outcomes. Prior to assuming her current role in 2018, she was vice president and chief nursing executive for Dignity Health- St. Mary Medical Center- Long Beach (Calif.).
Valerie K. Heinl, MSN, RN. CNO for Children’s & Women’s Hospital (Mobile, Ala.). Ms. Heinl was promoted to CNO for Children’s & Women’s Hospital after more than 20 years of progressive clinical, academic and nursing leadership experience within USA Health. She joined the organization in 2002 as a staff nurse and advanced through multiple leadership roles, including nearly a decade as nurse manager at University Hospital overseeing surgical, cardiology, oncology, infusion, telemetry and transitional care units. Most recently, Ms. Heinl served as director of clinical compliance and regulatory services, where she led nursing quality, performance improvement and patient safety initiatives. As CNO, she oversees nursing operations, quality and professional practice, guiding teams in patient-centered care, safety and clinical excellence. She has chaired or served on key committees related to accreditation, infection prevention, medication safety, professional governance and workplace safety, and has led improvement initiatives in areas such as antibiotic stewardship, instrument sterilization, telemetry utilization and anticoagulant management. Ms. Heinl has held leadership roles within the Alabama Organization for Nursing Leadership, including serving as president, and has contributed to nursing scholarship through published research and national presentations on shared governance, advanced practice provider models and accreditation readiness.
Michelle D. Hereford, RN. System Chief Nurse Executive and Ethel Morikis Endowed Chair in Nursing Leadership, University Hospitals (Cleveland). Ms. Hereford serves as system chief nurse executive for University Hospitals, leading nursing operations, professional practice, education, research and clinical services across a large multi-hospital and ambulatory network. Since joining the system in 2021, she has steered a comprehensive workforce strategy centered on retention of experienced nurses, recruitment of new talent and pipeline development to address the nursing shortage. She convenes and leads the nursing leadership roundtable to amplify nurse perspectives, support philanthropy and community engagement, and strengthen University Hospitals as an employer of choice for nursing. Ms. Hereford helped launch innovative pipeline initiatives, including earn-to-learn pathways for nursing assistants and interns, licensed practical nurse earn-and-learn programs, and the licensed practical nurse-to-BSN “LEAP” program supported by an Health Resources and Services Administration grant. Internally, she has advanced leadership and scholarship through expansion of the UH Nurse Leader Center, nursing leadership and research conferences, and recognition programs such as the “UH Distinguished Nurse” awards. She also partnered regionally to expand nursing education capacity through the “Nursing Clinical Adjunct Faculty Initiative” with Cleveland Clinic and community stakeholders. Under her leadership, the system earned the 2025 American Organization for Nursing Leadership “Prism Award” for enterprise-level commitment to recruiting, retaining and developing nursing talent.
Lorie Herrman. CNO of St. Joseph Medical Center (Kansas City, Mo.). Ms. Herrman provides executive leadership and strategic direction for all patient care services at St. Joseph Medical Center, part of Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare. She oversees nursing practice, performance improvement and various clinical departments including respiratory therapy, physical therapy and pharmacy. Since beginning her career as an ICU registered nurse, she has held several clinical and executive roles, including surgical services director and CNO. Ms. Herrman has successfully fostered resilient teams focused on delivering safe, quality patient care. She has also developed staffing models to maintain hospital census while implementing best practices for efficient throughput. Ms. Herrman is a board-certified nurse executive and a certified perianesthesia nurse.
Bonnie Hess, BSN, RN. CNO for North Texas Medical Center (Gainesville, Texas). Ms. Hess is the CNO at North Texas Medical Center, where she leads nursing and clinical quality efforts with a focus on elevating outcomes, strengthening patient experience, and cultivating a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. Her responsibilities center on maintaining high standards for quality and patient satisfaction while implementing operational improvements that support safe, reliable care. During her tenure as CNO, the organization achieved a 5-star CMS rating, eliminated more than $1 million in contract labor, earned the Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality “Center of Excellence in Nursing” award, and implemented a nurse residency program to support workforce development and retention. Ms. Hess also serves as an advisor on the North Central Texas College School of Nursing’s advisory council, reinforcing pipeline development and community partnership. Prior to becoming CNO, she served as Women’s Center director of nursing, bringing frontline operational leadership experience into her executive role.
Andrea Highfill, DNP, RN. CNO for Carson Valley Health (Gardnerville, Nev.). Dr. Highfill has been a pivotal figure at Carson Valley Health since joining as a registered nurse in 2009. Rising through the ranks, she became CNO in 2020, where she oversees multiple departments including nursing, pharmacy, ICU and emergency services. Dr. Highfill emphasizes emotional intelligence in leadership, guiding her managers to focus on patient experience and staff morale, especially in the post-pandemic landscape. Her hands-on approach to hiring ensures that she attracts top talent, fostering a culture of high standards and low turnover within the hospital’s clinical leadership. She has played a significant role in Carson Valley Health’s expansions, implementing processes to enhance patient care as new facilities have opened. Additionally, she serves on several community boards, advocating for improved healthcare access in rural areas.
Nancy E. Holecek, BSN, RN. Executive Vice President and CNO at RWJBarnabas Health (West Orange, N.J.). Ms. Holecek is executive vice president and CNO at RWJBarnabas Health, where she provides enterprise leadership for nursing-related patient care services across New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. She oversees more than 11,000 nurses and leads system nursing strategy spanning strategic planning, fiscal decisions, patient satisfaction, care coordination and quality. Throughout her tenure, she has strengthened patient experience efforts and standardized nursing clinical practice, instituting policies and programs that promote professional development, research and service. A signature accomplishment is co-creating RWJBarnabas Health’s Institute for Nursing Excellence, a systemwide framework that aligns professional practice, education, innovation and research, advances simulation and standardized specialty training, and deepens academic partnerships and interprofessional collaboration. She also established the first systemwide professional nurse practice council to align unit-based governance, launched specialty collaboratives like wound and perioperative, supported a system operating room simulation center, and co-sponsored an obstetrics collaborative focused on maternal morbidity and mortality. She advanced transition-of-care nurse roles to strengthen discharge safety and led programs for succession planning, nurse leader development and registered nurse residencies, while co-leading a workplace violence initiative and supporting nurses’ mental health and wellbeing.
Debra J. Honey, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO at Covenant Health (Knoxville, Tenn.). Ms. Honey serves as senior vice president and CNO for Covenant Health, with enterprise leadership responsibility for quality, safety and nursing operations across the community-owned system. She partners with hospitals and member organizations to build and sustain a safety-oriented culture, identify improvement opportunities, and standardize practices that reduce harm and strengthen outcomes. Since joining Covenant Health in 2017, Ms. Honey has led systemwide protocols that have significantly reduced healthcare-associated infections and improved the system’s patient safety indicator performance, while also cultivating a renewed and data-driven focus on falls prevention through revised risk identification processes, reporting, injury assessment and follow-up analyses. She also led development of a system performance improvement program to align work toward “driving to zero” patient harm and to standardize processes that support both patient care and operations. Ms. Honey expands education on safety protocols and reporting, strengthens bedside handoffs and leader rounding, and launches staff-engagement mechanisms such as a “patient safety challenge” that generated more than 100 frontline ideas, several of which are already implemented or in progress. She is also a national contributor to nursing leadership development, helping author the American Organization for Nursing Leadership certified executive in nursing practice prep course and partnering with the University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business to implement a clinical leadership development program for nurses.
Sarah Horn, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing and Clinical Operations Officer for Salem (Ore.) Health Hospitals and Clinics. As CNO at Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics, Ms. Horn has led transformative initiatives to elevate patient care, nursing empowerment and innovation. Under her leadership, Salem Health has achieved multiple Magnet designations. Ms. Horn’s vision drove the on-time, on-budget completion of Salem Hospital’s seven-story patient tower and emergency department renovation amid the Covid-19 pandemic, significantly expanding patient capacity. She also oversaw the opening of a 36-bed extended care unit and a 33-bed swing unit to ensure patients received appropriate post-acute care. Known for fostering a supportive, highly engaged nursing workforce, Ms. Horn’s initiatives have reduced turnover and enhanced job satisfaction, translating into exceptional patient care. Deeply committed to community health, she serves on various boards, including the Oregon State Board of Nursing and the Liberty House Child Abuse Assessment Center.
Melissa Howard, MSN, RN. Chief Nursing and Clinical Executive at Emanate Health Inter-Community Hospital and Emanate Health Foothill Presbyterian Hospital (Glendora, Calif.). Ms. Howard’s career began in 2000 as a graduate nurse. She has also served as the system’s director of performance improvement and the director of medical-surgical services before she was appointed chief nursing executive in 2012. She encourages collaboration between departments to improve the quality of care patients receive. Ms. Howard was a driving force in the implementation of the hospitals’ new EHR, Meditech Expanse. She has been on the board for the Sigma Theta Tau-Iota Sigma chapter, part of the Hospital Association of Southern California nursing advisory council and is a member of the Association of California Nurse Leader’s quality, safety and engagement committee.
Carrie Howard-Canning, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at University of Vermont Health Network (Burlington). Ms. Howard-Canning provides executive leadership for nursing services across the University of Vermont Health Network, guiding systemwide nursing strategy, practice alignment, workforce planning, quality and safety, financial stewardship and technology enablement. A member of the health network’s executive leadership team, she works closely with partner CNOs, CMOs and hospital presidents to ensure nursing teams are equipped to deliver consistent, coordinated and high-quality care across a large rural service area serving more than a million people. Under her leadership, UVM Health Network developed a comprehensive nursing strategic plan focused on workforce stabilization, professional practice environments, informatics advancement and care delivery redesign. She strengthened nursing professional governance and invested in leadership development, contributing to a 60% reduction in reliance on contingent nursing labor and registered nurse turnover below 10% for two consecutive years. Ms. Howard-Canning also designed a systemwide patient experience governance structure to improve alignment and performance.
Jeffery Hudson-Covolo, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive and Vice President for Patient Care Services for Sierra View Medical Center (Porterville, Calif.). Dr. Hudson-Covolo oversees patient care delivery and safety across Sierra View Medical Center, focusing on quality outcomes and a patient-centered approach. He played a key role in launching and securing accreditation for the hospital’s graduate medical education program, aiming to expand access to healthcare through a rural clinic network. He also led the hospital’s transition from inpatient services to an outpatient model, and managed the upgrade and implementation of a new EHR system. Beyond his work at the medical center, Dr. Hudson-Covolo contributes to healthcare education as a visiting professor at Chamberlain College of Nursing and a lecturer at California State University-Fresno. His commitment to patient care has earned Sierra View Medical Center several accolades across various healthcare services.
Catherine Hughes, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Virtua Health (Marlton, N.J.). Ms. Hughes is senior vice president and chief nurse executive for Virtua Health, leading professional nursing practice and patient care across a multi-hospital system with extensive ambulatory and community-based services. She is responsible for setting systemwide nursing standards, aligning practice and quality expectations across sites, and advancing care models that improve patient outcomes while supporting workforce sustainability. Ms. Hughes stands out for her ability to lead through complexity, notably guiding the integration of nursing operations following Virtua Health’s acquisition of New Jersey-based Lourdes Health System and helping establish consistent standards of care across the expanded enterprise. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she played a central leadership role in response planning and care-delivery redesign to protect frontline teams while sustaining safe, effective care under extreme demand. Post-pandemic, she has driven workforce rebuilding and wellbeing efforts, while expanding pathways for education and career advancement through academic partnerships, as highlighted by the relocation and transformation of the Lourdes School of Nursing into the Rita & Larry Salva School of Nursing and Health Professions. She has also championed forward-looking innovations such as “virtual nurse” care models and the adoption of AI-enabled smart care platforms to reduce administrative burden. She also aims to strengthen safety, including fall prevention, and enhance the patient and clinician experience. Her leadership has supported Magnet redesignation success across multiple Virtua hospitals and a strong shared-governance culture that elevates nurses’ voices in practice decisions.
Tiesa Hughes-Dillard, DNP, RN. CNO for University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences (Chicago). Dr. Hughes-Dillard is responsible for leading the diverse nursing professionals at UI Health. Under her leadership, “Nursing Elevated” has become the mantra for nursing as UI Health maintains record low agency nursing, low turnover, and a laser focus on quality and safety. She mentors many emerging leaders and students in order to continue to expand leadership and education opportunities across the nursing pool. Prior to her current role, she served as associate CNO for UI Health. She was named the Illinois Nurses’ Foundation “2025 Nurse of the Year” in December.
Julie Ishak, MSN, RN. Chief Nurse and Operations Executive at University of Michigan Health (Ann Arbor). Ms. Ishak stepped into her new role as chief nurse and operations executive at University of Michigan Health in December 2025. The role blends nursing and clinical operations into one seamless point of leadership. Prior, she was chief nursing executive for the health system since March 2024, providing strategic direction for the growth and evolution of nursing practice across the adult hospitals, children’s and women’s hospitals, and ambulatory care. Under her leadership in the CNE role, the system sustained a nurse vacancy rate of around 3%. In 2025, she launched “Shared Governance 2.0,” a redesigned nursing governance structure intended to further empower frontline nurses in evidence-based decision-making. She built broad interdisciplinary alignment for this work, partnering with teams such as pharmacy, patient relations, union leadership, security, social work and spiritual care to strengthen cohesion and impact at the bedside. Ms. Ishak previously served as U-M Health’s CNO from 2020–24, and has held senior operations and service-line leadership roles in neuroscience and critical care.
Marissa Jamarik, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and System CNO of Roper St. Francis Healthcare (Charleston, S.C.). Dr. Jamarik oversees acute nursing services across Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s four hospitals. A workforce stabilization expert, her team efforts improved nurse retention year over year, reduced vacancy rates and eliminated acute contract labor. Dr. Jamarik developed the health system’s pipeline program, allowing new nurses to train in various settings before choosing a specialty. In 2023, she launched a three-year nursing strategic plan focusing on workplace violence, nurse wellbeing, professional governance and systemwide Magnet designation. Last year, under her leadership, the nursing teams impacted 19 practice decisions through the adoption of new evidence that directly correlates to improved quality outcomes, such as bedside shift reports, EHR risk for violence flags and four eyes dual skin assessments. Dr. Jamarik previously held leadership positions at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute and Inova Loudoun Hospital in Virginia.
Karyl James, DNP, RN. CNO for Desert Valley Hospital (Victorville, Calif.). Dr. James serves as the leader of all nursing services departments at Desert Valley Hospital, where she focuses on aligning resources to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Her leadership spans multiple sites and teams within a regional platform, promoting a culture of excellence, accountability and collaboration. Dr. James ensures compliance with regulatory standards while advocating for nursing education and professional development. Additionally, she implements Lean methodologies and quality management strategies to enhance operational efficiency and boost patient satisfaction. Driven by a passion for advancing the nursing profession, she is dedicated to delivering patient-centered care that adheres to the highest standards of quality, safety and efficiency.
Kelly M. Johnson, PhD, RN. Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and CNO for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Johnson joined Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 2023 as senior vice president of patient care services and CNO, providing strategic direction across nursing, advanced practice professionals, rehabilitation, psychology, social work, care coordination, and patient and family experience. She leads initiatives to strengthen quality and safety, optimize workforce recruitment and retention, and build a caring culture aligned with CHLA’s mission and strategic goals. Across a 40-plus year career, she has held CNO roles at leading pediatric institutions including Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif., and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco. She has also successfully led multiple Magnet designations and redesignations. Known for advancing compassionate, high-performing work environments, she has also supported health systems through high-stakes periods, including pandemic-era leadership in Hawai‘i. Earlier in her career, her clinical and advanced practice work in spinal cord injury informed a longstanding commitment to underserved communities, including launching innovative access points like a specialized nurse advice line. She currently serves on the boards of the Watson Caring Sciences Institute and the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, and was recognized as a 2025 “Women of Influence in Health Care” by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Michele Johnson, MSN, RN. CNO of AdventHealth Fish Memorial (Orange City, Fla.). Ms. Johnson has served as CNO of AdventHealth Fish Memorial since 2017, leading nursing strategy and operations for the 257-bed hospital as well as care management and pharmacy services. During her tenure, she has elevated the hospital to CMS’s 5-star quality rating while sustaining its 20th consecutive Leapfrog “A” hospital safety grade. In 2024, the ICU earned the “Gold Beacon Award” from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, a national recognition for exemplary patient outcomes, quality metrics and a healthy work environment. Ms. Johnson has pioneered workforce models that cut registered nurse turnover from 30% to 10%, with ICU turnover as low as 1.9%, while also eliminating the need for agency nurses. In 2023, she launched AdventHealth’s first emergency department-focused virtual nursing pilot, reducing emergency room nurse turnover from 39% to 8% within months. She champions professional growth through shared governance, contributing to the hospital’s American Nurses Credentialing Center “Pathway to Excellence” designation. Ms. Johnson has advanced through leadership roles at AdventHealth since 1998.
Lashonda Jones, PhD, RN. CNO at Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital (Miami). Dr. Jones leads nursing practice for Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital and the Jackson Community Mental Health Center, overseeing standards of psychiatric nursing care, staff development and ongoing readiness for safety, quality and regulatory compliance across one of the largest behavioral health providers in Florida. Since joining Jackson nine years ago, she has held various leadership roles including associate CNO for clinical operations at Jackson Memorial Hospital. She has strengthened care delivery infrastructure across both inpatient behavioral health and community-based services. Prior to assuming the CNO role, she led the development of two early recovery after-surgery programs and helped launch key operational initiatives, including the discharge call center and the Covid-19 decision support center, which served as a communication hub for pandemic-related care coordination. Since 2022, under her leadership as CNO, Jackson Behavioral Health has delivered measurable quality gains, exceeding national averages in substance use measures, immunizations, metabolic disorder screening and transition-of-care documentation, while also reducing use of physical restraints and seclusion.
Traci Jordan. CNO for Ochsner LSU Health–Monroe (La.) Medical Center. Ms. Jordan oversees all nursing services and ensures the highest standards of patient care. With over three decades of experience in nursing, she has held various leadership roles, significantly contributing to the hospital’s growth and success. She focuses on improving patient outcomes and fostering continuous learning among the nursing staff, working closely with executive leaders to align strategies with the hospital’s mission. Under her guidance, Monroe Medical Center has achieved numerous accolades, including the American Heart Association “Gold Plus” award for stroke care and designation as a level III trauma center.
Trisha Jungels, MSN, RN. CNO and Vice President of Clinical Services at Jamestown (N.D.) Regional Medical Center. Ms. Jungels serves as the CNO and vice president of clinical services at Jamestown Regional Medical Center. There, she oversees a wide range of clinical services, including laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, anesthesia, surgical services, the emergency department and specialty clinics like the cancer center. Ms. Jungels has been pivotal in establishing the nursing clinical excellence ladder program and expanding clinic service lines, including ear, nose and throat, OB/GYN and urology, as well as opening the Cancer Center in 2019. She has also been instrumental in implementing best practices to enhance patient outcomes, improving staff development in reporting outcome and assessment information set, the creation of a private duty home health aide program, setting productivity standards for home health and hospice, and enforcing organizational excellence principles.
Kathleen “Kathy” Kaminsky, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at Englewood (N.J.) Health. Ms. Kaminsky is CNO at Englewood Health, leading nursing practice and patient care services for Englewood Hospital and guiding a culture where safety, quality and continuous improvement are embedded in daily operations. She collaborates with multidisciplinary leaders to implement evidence-based practices, elevate patient outcomes, and strengthen the experience of both patients and staff. In addition, she actively supports nurses at every career stage through mentorship, education and professional development. Ms. Kaminsky aims to build lasting infrastructure for nursing excellence and translate resources into scalable programs. During her tenure as CNO, she has stewarded a transformational $10 million philanthropic gift dedicated to nursing, founding the Kaplen Institute for Nursing Excellence and expanding education, research and career development opportunities across the nursing lifecycle. She has strengthened academic partnerships and scholarship supports, advanced specialty certification, and fostered structured mentorship and leadership pathways that encourage nurses to grow into unit- and system-level roles. Under her leadership, Englewood Health has continued a long track record of Magnet excellence, earning five consecutive Magnet designations. The nursing program is supported by a professional practice model grounded in patient care management, nursing practice, collaborative practice, leadership and community outreach. Ms. Kaminsky has also helped modernize transition-to-practice support through a nurse residency program accredited through American Nurses Credentialing Center’s practice transition accreditation program, including specialty expansion in emergency medicine.
Adam Karlen, DNP, RN. CNO and Vice President of Patient Care for M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital (Edina, Minn.). Dr. Karlen is CNO and vice president of patient care at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital, overseeing nursing practice and clinical operations across a high-volume, 300-average-daily-census hospital supported by more than 1,300 nurses. As a key member of the executive team, he drives patient-centered, evidence-based care and advances nursing excellence through shared decision-making structures, a unified practice model and continuous professional development. Dr. Karlen leads operational efficiency initiatives, including implementation of an operating management system grounded in Lean methodology to strengthen performance and outcomes. He also manages complex labor relations as the primary executive partner for the nurses’ union, navigating contract negotiations with diplomacy. Beyond the hospital, he is a visible advocate for the profession as policy and advocacy chair for the Minnesota Organization of Leaders in Nursing, equipping nurses to engage in the legislative process and testify effectively. His leadership and statewide impact were recognized when he was named “Nurse Leader of the Year” by the Minnesota Hospital Association in May 2025.
Rhonda Kazik, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive for Essentia Health (Duluth, Minn.). Dr. Kazik serves as the chief nurse executive for Essentia Health, where she oversees nursing activities for the nonprofit health system. With almost four decades of experience in various healthcare settings, Dr. Kazik has taken significant steps to develop a workforce ecosystem that supports nurse growth and engagement. She initiated the system’s journey toward achieving Magnet nursing recognition at four of their hospitals. Dr. Kazik has also created innovative programs to address workforce challenges, such as the introduction of nurse retentionist roles, leading to lower vacancy and turnover rates than national averages. Under her leadership, Essentia launched a nursing residency program in 2022, providing new graduates with comprehensive clinical experiences and professional development opportunities. Dr. Kazik was named the 2023 “Health Care Workforce Champion” by the Minnesota Hospital Association and was inducted as a fellow for the American Academy of Nursing in 2024.
Dan Kelly, BSN, RN. CNO at Providence South Division (Calif.). With more than four decades of experience in nursing leadership, Mr. Kelly is a leader who consistently fosters a culture centered on safety, accountability, operational excellence, high reliability and clinical excellence. He has driven performance enhancements across Providence’s South Division’s hospitals, outpatient programs and community-based programs. Under his direction, caregiver and patient experience has seen marked improvements. Initiatives like stay conversations, job fairs and an RN residency program under his tenure are positively impacting nursing retention and career development. This approach has garnered national recognition, with multiple Providence South hospitals being designated by the American Nurse Credentialing Center as practice transition accreditation programs. In addition, Mr. Kelly co-chaired the patient care leadership council with over 90 nursing executives and clinical educators. This council established clinical practice councils to create standardized work and uniform regulations. In collaboration with physician leaders, Mr. Kelly launched a comprehensive 15-point care progression plan project across the region and created a CMO and CNO council to ensure seamless integration and cooperation between medical and nursing leadership.
Rachel Kemp, DNP. CNO at Singing River Health System (Ocean Springs, Miss.). Dr. Kemp assumed the CNO role at Singing River Health System in September 2025, bringing nearly two decades of nursing experience and extensive executive leadership expertise. She provides strategic and operational oversight for nursing and patient care services, guiding clinical excellence, workforce performance and quality outcomes across the system. With 19 years in nursing and 16 years in progressive leadership roles, including eight years at the executive level, Dr. Kemp has managed complex operations spanning level 1 trauma, neonatal ICU, oncology, transplant services, perioperative care and inpatient rehabilitation. Most recently, she served as vice president of patient care services at Regional One Health in Memphis, Tenn., overseeing daily operations for a 250-bed level 1 trauma and burn center. Under her leadership, the organization achieved a 20% reduction in patient harm events while sustaining an exceptionally low nurse turnover rate of 4% year over year.
Natalie Kennett. CNO of Cottage Hospital (Woodsville, N.H.). As CNO, Ms. Kennett is the senior leader supervising nursing and quality at Cottage Hospital, where she is widely recognized for her hands-on, highly engaged leadership style. She leads from the front, readily stepping in alongside staff to support patient care and operations when needed. One of her most impactful accomplishments has been revamping nurse onboarding, including the implementation of a nurse residency program for new graduate nurses. Coupled with a commitment to competitive wages, these efforts resulted in a remarkable 47% reduction in travel nurse labor. Ms. Kennett’s practical, people-centered approach has strengthened workforce stability and improved continuity of care. Her leadership exemplifies how focused investment in nurses can yield meaningful operational and cultural gains, particularly in a rural hospital setting.
Julie Kim, MSN, RN. CNO at Providence St. Jude Medical Center (Fullerton, Calif.). Ms. Kim oversees and manages nursing practice and patient care services, including strategic planning, patient satisfaction, quality and care coordination. She has led the nursing department to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes, top decile patient satisfaction, and various national awards and honors. The hospital’s nurse-led patient safety and quality initiatives have transformed care via research, innovation and bedside expertise. In addition, the number of St. Jude nurses who have earned or are pursuing further nursing education or professional certification in their specialties exceeds industry averages by far.
Kayla Knight, MSN, RN. CNO of Grandview Medical Center (Birmingham, Ala.). Having previously served as a staff nurse, orthopedic service line administrator and assistant CNO since joining the 440-bed Grandview Medical Center in 2010, Ms. Knight now leads a team of over 1,200 nurses. In her time as CNO, she has spearheaded initiatives to strengthen the nursing workforce, enhance quality care, improve operational efficiency and drive volume growth. Since moving to her current role, she has instituted a shared governance structure to foster professional development and increase the voice of a highly engaged front-line nursing staff. She is passionate about building high-performing teams that prioritize the patient experience and drive positive clinical outcomes across the hospital and the broader community. She is the 2025 recipient of the “Janet Awtrey Award” from the University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing for professionalism and leadership.
Kari Koehler, MSN, RN. CNO at St. Peter’s Health (Helena, Mont.). Ms. Koehler serves as CNO at St. Peter’s Health. She is credited with strengthening nursing leadership through a focus on holistic wellbeing, trust, transparency and innovation. As a member of the executive leadership team, she ensures the voice of nursing and frontline caregivers is represented in enterprise decision-making while advancing culture, retention and care delivery. Under her leadership, St. Peter’s became the first organization in Montana to implement virtual nursing on inpatient units, expanding clinical support and improving the patient and staff experience. She also positioned the system as the first in the nation to beta test AI agentic nursing for inpatients. Beyond the health system, Ms. Koehler serves on the St. Peter’s Health Foundation board and has presented nationally on the system’s virtual nursing journey. Her career foundation includes clinical roles in labor and delivery and in oncology, followed by progressive inpatient nursing leadership positions.
Wendy Kopp, PhD, RN. CNO at Sanford Health Bismarck (N.D.). As CNO at Sanford Health Bismarck, Dr. Kopp leads nurses across Western and Central North Dakota. She was instrumental in guiding the organization through the Covid-19 pandemic, implementing innovative care strategies and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of both staff and patients. Under her leadership, Sanford Health Bismarck achieved its fourth Magnet designation. Dr. Kopp also spearheaded the creation of the “Zen Den,” a wellness room designed to support the mental health of frontline workers. Beyond her organization, she contributes to the nursing profession by participating in professional boards, publishing research, and advocating for policies that prioritize patient care and nurse wellness.
MaryEllen “Mel” Hope Kosturko, DNP, RN. Executive Vice President and System CNO at Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare. Dr. Kosturko oversees inpatient and outpatient nursing and patient care services across Hartford HealthCare’s statewide network, spanning seven acute care hospitals, behavioral health, a multispecialty physician group, home care, senior services, rehabilitation, mobile neighborhood health and multiple institutes. She is responsible for the professional practice of more than 7,000 nurses and 2,700 nursing support staff, advancing strategies that improve patient and colleague experience, quality and safety outcomes, and fiscal performance. She established the system’s center for nursing excellence to elevate professional practice through evidence-based care, research, governance, academic partnerships, workforce wellbeing and operational optimization. Under her leadership, systemwide retention and workforce stabilization efforts produced approximately $68 million in cost avoidance through reduced turnover and premium labor utilization. She also led the “Excellence Starts with Me” campaign to standardize and sustain competency-based orientation and ongoing clinical competencies across settings, work that supports high reliability and strong safety performance. Under her leadership, Hartford HealthCare has reported zero hospital acquired condition penalties for two consecutive years and earned straight “A” Leapfrog safety grades in 2023 and 2024.
Theresa Larson, MSN, RN. CNO of Sanford Health Fargo (Fargo, N.D.). In her CNO role at Sanford Health Fargo, Ms. Larson is focused on setting the standard for clinical and nursing excellence, impacting more than 3,200 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Her efforts helped lead Sanford Fargo to its first-ever Magnet designation, a milestone achieved after 20 years working to align with the American Nurses Credentialing Center standards. Under Ms. Larson’s leadership, the organization earned the Vizient “Rising Star Award” in 2023 and a 5-star rating from CMS in 2024. Alongside high-quality care, Ms. Larson is passionate about building a supportive culture that empowers nurses and promotes professional development opportunities. In addition, she has led several innovative initiatives to address workforce challenges, such as the internationally educated nurses program, which welcomed over 280 nurses to Sanford Fargo as of 2024, with plans to hire an additional 100 annually. To further strengthen the nursing workforce, Ms. Larson has established strategic partnerships with colleges and universities, including tuition-support programs tied to work commitments at Sanford Health.
Cindy Leathers, BSN. Vice President and CNO at Saint Francis Health System (Tulsa, Okla.). Ms. Leathers drives leadership at the Saint Francis system by influencing core patient and nursing unit improvements, overseeing three areas of the health system including case management, the department of education and the patient logistics center. She strives to be a present, visible, transparent and good listener for her staffers. She also brings feedback from the frontline staff to the C-Suite. She has launched a virtual nursing program in three med surg units. She also ushered in educational initiatives, with Saint Francis Hospital becoming a Rogers State University satellite campus and allowing students to earn their BSN there.
Cody Legler, DNP. Senior Vice President and CNO at Maimonides Health (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Dr. Legler is senior vice president and CNO at Maimonides Health, where he leads systemwide nursing strategy and professional practice across a wide spectrum of specialties including emergency medicine, critical care, cardiology, surgery, pediatrics, labor and delivery, perioperative services, oncology and hematology, radiology, behavioral health and ambulatory care. He is accountable for nursing’s strategic, operational and clinical performance, driving quality and safety outcomes, patient and associate experience, and professional development infrastructure. Prior to joining Maimonides in 2024, Dr. Legler held senior nursing leadership roles at Columbia, Md.-based MedStar Health, including vice president and CNO at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton and system leadership for perioperative services. There, he helped create and launch a surgical tech apprentice program and guided teams to achieve American Nurses Credentialing Center “Pathway to Excellence” and Baby-Friendly designation. He also contributes academically and professionally as adjunct faculty at Marymount University, chair of the dean’s advisory council at the George Washington University School of Nursing, and an advisory board member for the Pacific University School of Nursing.
Melissa Leonard, RN. CNO of AdventHealth Celebration (Fla.). Ms. Leonard has more than 27 years of nursing expertise and leadership. She began her career at AdventHealth Orlando in 1998. Over the course of her career, Ms. Leonard has held leadership roles in cardiovascular services, emergency medicine, psychiatric care and inpatient nursing. Known for her collaborative style and commitment to excellence, she has consistently focused on enhancing patient outcomes while supporting and developing nursing talent. Her dedication to workforce recruitment and retention reflects her passion for building strong, resilient teams. Prior to her current role, which she assumed in July 2025, Ms. Leonard served as CNO at AdventHealth Apopka (Fla.). Today, she continues to advance AdventHealth’s mission by fostering clinical excellence and cultivating the next generation of nursing leaders. Colleagues and team members recognize her for her focus on elevating patient and team experiences, as well as her unwavering commitment to excellence.
JohnRich R. Levine, DNP. CNO of Reeves Regional Health (Pecos, Texas). As CNO at Reeves Regional Health, Dr. Levine leads all nursing and clinical operations across inpatient, perioperative, emergency and post-acute care in a critical access setting. He drives quality and safety strategy across the continuum, aligning programs with Magnet- and Beacon-level standards while maintaining strong executive and board presence. Dr. Levine has advanced hospitalwide harm-prevention work through initiatives such as the retained surgical items prevention center of excellence and the organization’s journey to achieving the “Beacon Award for Excellence” from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, contributing to record reductions in surgical site infections and preventable harm, including internal milestones of zero surgical site infections for two consecutive quarters in 2025. He strengthens shared governance, expands certification pathways, and elevates onboarding and mentorship to improve first-year retention and reduce overtime reliance. He is also a visible, hands-on mentor and educator, improving cross-team postoperative handoffs, length-of-stay performance, and transitions from surgery to medical-surgical and ICU environments. Nationally, he has shared work through speaking engagements and publications on surgical safety, rural health equity and frontline leadership development.
Angie Long, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO of McLaren Health Care (Grand Blanc, Mich.). In October 2025, Dr. Long returned to McLaren Health Care after previously serving as CNO at McLaren St. Luke’s in Maumee, Ohio. During her earlier tenure with McLaren, Dr. Long led improvements in clinical quality, safety outcomes and operational efficiency, and chaired the systemwide nursing council. In her new role, she will collaborate closely with nursing leaders across McLaren’s 12-hospital, multistate system to design and implement initiatives that advance patient-centered care and drive consistent, high-quality clinical outcomes. She will provide operational oversight across all hospital and ambulatory nursing settings, uniting the system under shared standards of care and professional practice. Dr. Long will also lead efforts to strengthen academic and professional development partnerships to support the growth of McLaren’s nursing workforce. Most recently, she served as CNO and chief operating officer at Mercy Health West in Cincinnati, bringing more than 25 years of nursing experience, including extensive executive leadership, consulting work, and expertise in technology-enabled patient safety and care coordination. In addition, she remains active in academia as a visiting professor and mentor for nursing students at Chamberlain University.
Michael Lopez, BSN, RN. Chief Nurse Executive of Medical City Dallas. Mr. Lopez serves as chief nursing executive of Medical City Dallas, where he leads nursing operations, patient care initiatives and clinical excellence across the organization. In this role, he supports nursing strategy and care delivery for Medical City Children’s Hospital, Medical City Heart Hospital and Medical City Spine Hospital. He brings more than 30 years of healthcare experience, grounded in emergency and acute care settings. He previously served as CNO at St. David’s South Austin (Texas) Medical Center, where he drove improvements in emergency department operations, physician and nurse engagement, as well as inpatient throughput. Earlier in his career, he held key nursing leadership roles at the Heart Hospital of Austin and St. David’s Georgetown (Texas) Hospital. Mr. Lopez began his healthcare career as an emergency room lead patient care technician before transitioning into nursing, giving him a deep frontline perspective that continues to shape his leadership today.
Mark Mahnfeldt, MSN, RN. Vice President of Patient Care and CNO at Emerson Health (Concord, Mass.). Mr. Mahnfeldt oversees nursing and patient care services across Emerson Health, leading workforce strategy, operational performance and care delivery for the system. He is responsible for ensuring high-quality, cost-effective care while addressing ongoing workforce challenges through innovative staffing and care models. Under his leadership, the system implemented a blended registered nurse–licensed practice nurse care model that allows nurses to practice at the top of their licenses while reducing reliance on high-cost traveler staffing. He also partnered with local high schools to create a pipeline program that provides students with a structured pathway into licensed practice nurse and nursing roles, strengthening the future workforce. Mr. Mahnfeldt and his team have shared their results at Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association and Organization of Nurse Leaders conferences.
Eileen Manniste, MSN, RN. CNO for Broward Health North (Deerfield Beach, Fla.). Ms. Manniste leads nursing operations at Broward Health North, which includes a trauma center and comprehensive stroke services. As CNO, she collaborates with managers to enhance service lines and maintain high standards of patient care. Her initiatives have significantly expanded academic partnerships, increasing both student practicum capacity and clinical capacity. Ms. Manniste has implemented standardized evidence-based practices and revitalized training programs for key nursing areas, enhancing the onboarding process for new hires and developing competency programs. She emphasizes nurse wellbeing and mental health, fostering a culture of collaboration through multidisciplinary councils and safety rounds.
Wilhelmina M. Manzano, RN. Group Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City). As chief nursing executive, Ms. Manzano leads the nursing department at NYP and sets the vision and strategic direction for nursing across the system. She assumed her current role in January 2025, previously serving in the additional role of COO of perioperative services. Ms. Manzano has also held the positions of chief quality officer at NYP and COO for NYP/Allen Hospital. Prior to joining NYP in 1998, she held various leadership roles at several New York area hospitals. Ms. Manzano is a fellow of the American Nursing Academy and the New York Academy of Medicine. She served as president and vice president of the American Nurses Foundation for 2020-23.
C.J. Marbley, RN. CNO at University Medical Center and Chief Operating Officer and CNO at New Orleans East Hospital. Mr. Marbley holds a dual executive role spanning two New Orleans-based LCMC Health hospitals. He is tasked with leading nursing strategy, quality improvement and patient care delivery at University Medical Center while also overseeing both nursing and enterprise operations at New Orleans East Hospital. Across these combined responsibilities, he aligns clinical and operational performance with system priorities, strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration, patient flow, safety and outcomes while ensuring readiness for evolving community needs. Drawing on more than two decades of leadership across emergency, critical care and perioperative services, he brings operational fluency to complex environments. Beyond the bedside, Mr. Marbley advances the profession through service on the National Black Nurses Association board and local nursing leadership, and he was recognized as “Administrative Nurse of the Year” by the Black Nurses Association in 2021.
David Marshall, JD, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President of Nursing and System Chief Nursing Executive of Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles). Dr. Marshall has served as senior vice president of nursing and system chief nursing executive of Cedars-Sinai since June 2019. He has over 30 years of experience in healthcare, ranging from bedside nursing to nursing leadership. Before joining Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Marshall was system chief nursing and patient care services executive for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. In 2021, he was named the James R. Klinenberg, MD, and Lynn Klinenberg Linkin Chair in Nursing. He has served on the board of directors of the American Organization of Nursing Leadership and is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Christine Martinez, MSN, RN. CNO of Laredo (Texas) Medical Center. Ms. Martinez has over 20 years of nursing leadership experience. Since returning to Laredo Medical Center in 2023, she has led efforts to improve recruitment and retention of nursing staff through partnerships with the local college and university. She works to cultivate a positive, supporting culture and improve satisfaction with patients, physicians and staff. Her collaboration with executive and clinical leaders has led to a 37% reduction in year-over-year sepsis mortality, and a meaningful decline in hospital acquired infections, falls with injury, pressure ulcers, emergency department wait times, patient ventilator days and primary cesarean section rates. Her leadership has also resulted in a 23% improvement in staff culture of safety score, increased nursing retention rates and decreased nursing vacancies.
Julia Mason, DNP, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital (Boston). Dr. Mason leads more than 4,500 nurses in clinical and leadership roles at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, which hold Magnet designation and Magnet with Distinction, respectively. She oversees nursing practice, education, strategy and operations. She is also the incumbent of the Beth V. Martignetti Endowed Chair in Nursing at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Mason is focused on continuously enhancing quality and safety through implementing evidence-based practices. Over the past year, she has led initiatives to create a more restful environment for patients in the hospital at night, and introduced a nursing bedside handoff that involves the patient and family. An experienced nursing executive, Dr. Mason spent nearly 20 years of her career practicing at the bedside in critical care settings. Hearing directly from clinical nurses about challenges and ideas is important to Dr. Mason, who rounds regularly throughout the hospital and holds a CNO roundtable with staff nurses as another avenue for discussion and feedback.
Sarah Matney, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President of Clinical Services and CNO of Connecticut Children’s (Hartford). Ms. Matney leads Connecticut Children’s Magnet-designated nursing organization and ancillary support teams, and in 2025 celebrated her 25-year anniversary with the organization. This year, she launched an internal nurse leadership academy that focuses on mentoring and developing leaders at all levels, which includes the establishment of an associate CNO structure and team leads. Her focus on building and sustaining team member engagement and career ladders has resulted in a maintained annual nursing turnover of below 10%, compared to the Northeast average of 15.4% annually. Ms. Matney completed the Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive Fellowship at the Francis Payne Bolton School of Nursing in January 2025 to further enhance her leadership skills.
Shari McDonald, RN. Vice President and CNO at Rochester (N.Y.) General Hospital. Ms. McDonald leads the strategic, clinical, operational and financial performance of nursing services at Rochester General Hospital, aligning professional practice with system goals, regulatory requirements and evidence-based care models. She oversees nursing care programs across inpatient, procedural and ambulatory settings and drives performance improvement efforts focused on safety, quality, patient experience and workforce engagement. Under her leadership, the hospital achieved its fifth American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet designation in 2025, a milestone attained by fewer than 1% of hospitals nationwide. Ms. McDonald strengthened shared governance so nurses lead decisions at every level, reinforcing accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. She partners closely with hospital and system leaders on care redesign, capital planning, and long-term recruitment, retention and succession strategies to sustain a diverse nursing workforce. Her leadership approach centers on elevating frontline voices and building a culture where clinical excellence and compassion are consistently reflected in outcomes and team performance.
Theresa McDonnell, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Duke University Health System and Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs at Duke University School of Nursing (Durham, N.C.). Dr. McDonnell leads more than 12,000 nurses and patient care professionals across Duke Health’s hospitals and clinics. She is responsible for advancing clinical excellence, workforce development and system-level integration of nursing practice. Under her leadership, Duke Health reduced nurse turnover from 21% to 11% through strategic investments in professional development and care team innovation. She founded the Duke Nursing Innovation Summit to support frontline-led solutions, several of which are now in development or being adopted systemwide. Dr. McDonnell continues to practice as a gastrointestinal oncology nurse practitioner and mentors emerging leaders. Her commitment to compassionate care has earned her several accolades, including the “Compassionate Caregiver Award” from the National Pancreas Foundation. She was shortlisted for Forbes‘ “50 Over 50” list. She contributes regularly to national forums on healthcare workforce transformation and has been featured in HealthTech Magazine, Chief Healthcare Executive and Healthcare IT News, in addition to speaking at various industry events.
Kristin McVay, RN. CNO of UnityPoint Health–Cedar Rapids (Iowa). Ms. McVay assumed the role of CNO at UnityPoint Health–Cedar Rapids in November 2025, bringing two decades of progressive leadership experience within the organization. She began her career at UnityPoint Health in 2005 as a registered nurse on the orthopedics unit, building a strong foundation in bedside care and team-based practice. Over the years, she advanced through a series of increasingly senior leadership roles, including managing surgical units and overseeing primary care operations across the Cedar Rapids region. Most recently, she served as director of surgical services, where she led operational performance, quality initiatives and multidisciplinary collaboration. As CNO, she is focused on advancing clinical outcomes and strengthening the nursing workforce.
Joy Melgar, MSN, RN. CNO at Avala (Covington, La.). Ms. Melgar serves as CNO at Avala, providing strategic leadership for nursing operations, clinical standards, evidence-based practice and quality improvement initiatives that strengthen patient safety, outcomes and experience. She is deeply focused on building a high-performing nursing workforce by expanding recruitment and retention efforts, growing the preceptor program, and creating ongoing education and skills-development opportunities. Ms. Melgar also drives cross-departmental collaboration and workflow optimization to improve efficiency and consistency across inpatient, outpatient and same-day procedural settings. She pairs culture-building with measurable program advancement, helping Avala earn high-profile orthopedic and spine recognitions like DNV advanced orthopedic and spine center of excellence and Blue Distinction Center+ designations for spine surgery and knee and hip replacement. She also successfully launched the Avala Surgery Center in Metairie, La. in just three months, ensuring the staffing, processes and care standards were in place to deliver safe, personalized specialty care from day one. Beyond the organization, she remains engaged in the profession through active membership in regional and state nursing associations.
Stephanie Meyer, RN. Executive Vice President, Chief Nursing Executive and COO for Inpatient Operations at Children’s Mercy (Kansas City). Ms. Meyer was promoted in 2025 to executive vice president, CNE and COO for inpatient operations at Children’s Mercy, expanding her scope to oversee daily inpatient operations while aligning acute care services with organizational goals. A 26-year Children’s Mercy veteran, she has progressed through roles including vice president of patient care operations, associate CNO and CNO, bringing deep frontline experience to executive decision-making. In her combined CNE and COO role, she strengthens interdisciplinary partnership and operational execution to support excellent outcomes for children and families. Ms. Meyer is active in regional and state nursing leadership, including service with the Missouri Hospital Association board of trustees and participation in nurse leader organizations in Missouri and Kansas. Under her leadership, Children’s Mercy has been recognized for nursing excellence and pediatric specialty care, including sustained Magnet recognition and national rankings for children’s hospitals.
Denise Mihal, BSN, RN. Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing and Clinical Operations Officer at Novant Health (Winston-Salem, N.C.). Ms. Mihal is executive vice president and chief nursing and clinical operations officer at Novant Health, guiding systemwide nursing strategy and clinical operations that support patient outcomes, safety and experience across a large, complex care network. She collaborates with facility nursing leaders and clinical service lines, including surgical services, behavioral health, trauma and emergency services and education teams. She also provides operational oversight for key system functions such as the professional nurse resource team and case management. With nearly four decades in healthcare and a career that includes executive regional leadership and medical center presidencies, Ms. Mihal has built durable workforce pipelines and transition-to-practice structures at scale. Under her leadership, Novant Health’s 12-month nurse residency model has grown into a nationally recognized program that supports new registered nurses through structured mentorship, individualized development and rotation-based exposure. She has also championed education and mobility initiatives that expand access to nursing careers, including tuition and educational assistance, preceptorship enhancement, student apprenticeship pathways and high school partnerships that develop future clinical talent. Her broader impact includes supporting Magnet redesignation achievements and patient-safety performance.
Andrea Miller. CNO for UChicago AdventHealth Hinsdale (Ill.) and LaGrange (Ill.) Hospitals. Ms. Miller has served as CNO for the past seven years across two hospitals, with primary accountability for quality, patient safety, and associate and patient experience. She is a visible leader in the organization’s high reliability journey, championing just culture, psychological safety and transparent safety-event reporting. Ms. Miller established a “just objective peer review” process that has strengthened trust, accountability and patient safety outcomes. Under her leadership, emergency department “left without being seen” rates dropped below 1%, and operating room first-case on-time starts significantly improved. She is deeply committed to nursing education, leading onboarding, a peer buddy system for new nurses and nursing graduation initiatives. Partnering closely with medical leadership, she implemented a dyad clinical leadership model, supporting Magnet designation, CMS 4- to 5-star ratings, and Leapfrog “A” grades across both hospitals.
Zachary Miller. CNO at Banner Boswell Medical Center and Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center (Sun City, Ariz.). Mr. Miller leads nursing operations for two Banner campuses, overseeing nearly 1,800 nurses while driving care model redesign, workforce stabilization and throughput performance. Since November 2024, he has advanced the flexible acuity nursing care model to improve safety, quality and operational flow while strengthening nurse engagement. His leadership has reduced external contract labor by $2 million and lowered nursing turnover to below 10%. With a background that includes serving as CEO for three hospitals in Banner’s western division and chair-elect experience with the Wyoming Hospital Association board of trustees, he brings broad operational and rural health perspective to large-campus nursing strategy in the Phoenix market. Mr. Miller also serves as the nurse executive for Banner’s hospitalist medicine clinical high reliability group, helping drive systemwide care and experience improvements across Banner’s six-state region.
Kerry Milton. Senior Vice President and CNO at St. Tammany Health System (Covington, La.). Ms. Milton supports and mentors the nursing staff at St. Tammany, where she has worked for 40 years. First joining as a telemetry registered nurse, she helped the system to launch a virtual nursing program that aims to enhance the confidence of the newest nursing workforce members. She also launched a nurse residency program, which instills confidence in new workforce members. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, VHA Gulf States Nurse Executive Group, Women’s Healthcare Executive Network and Louisiana Organization of Nurse Executives.
Christy Moody, MSN, RN. CNO for Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center (Hartsville, S.C.). Ms. Moody oversees the nursing division for Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, managing an operational budget and directing more than 400 full-time employees. She is responsible for ensuring that nursing standard practices across all service areas align with current research and national professional benchmarks. Ms. Moody plays a pivotal role in performance activities and collaborates with hospital leadership to optimize patient care and maintain a qualified nursing staff.
Debra J. Morton, PhD. Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nurse Executive at Centralus Health (Ithaca, N.Y.). Dr. Morton is chief nurse executive for Centralus Health, providing strategic leadership and oversight to the CNOs of Cayuga Health System and Arnot Health. She aligns nursing operations with organizational goals and regulatory requirements and leads clinical strategies that promote high-quality, cost-effective, patient-centered care across multiple facilities. Dr. Morton drives initiatives to improve outcomes, operational efficiency and staff engagement, while mentoring senior nursing leaders, supporting executive recruitment and advancing evidence-based practice. She brings nearly 40 years in healthcare and more than 20 years as a chief nurse executive to the role. Across her career in both for-profit and nonprofit systems, she has elevated nursing as a cornerstone of organizational strategy and patient experience, championing high-reliability practices and innovation in care delivery while developing leaders who carry forward her values-driven approach.
Susan Mouret, MSN, RN. CNO at Banner Desert Medical Center and Banner Children’s at Desert (Mesa, Ariz.). Ms. Mouret leads nursing operations for Banner Desert Medical Center, one of the busiest level 1 trauma centers in the western U.S., and at Banner Children’s at Desert, overseeing approximately 2,000 nurses across adult and pediatric services. Known for developing leaders with clinical, operational and innovation expertise, she has advanced workforce pipeline strategies that strengthen specialty readiness and retention. Her leadership was instrumental in launching Arizona’s first pediatric nurse anesthetist student rotation, supported by state and community funding, expanding in-state clinical training capacity and helping retain nurse anesthetist graduates within Arizona. At the enterprise level, Ms. Mouret co-leads Banner’s nurse executive council on clinical quality and patient safety team and serves as the nurse executive for Banner’s women’s and infants’ services clinical high reliability group, advancing safety and care experience improvements across Banner’s multi-state system.
Tiffany Murdock, DNP, MSN. Senior Vice President and CNO at Ochsner Health (New Orleans). Dr. Murdock serves as senior vice president and CNO at Ochsner Health, setting the strategy and vision for nursing practice and leading close to 10,000 nurses across clinical excellence, quality, education and workforce development. She partners closely with system quality leadership to advance enterprise performance while prioritizing nurse wellbeing, development and professional voice. Under her leadership, the system expanded initiatives like a virtual nursing model and strengthened workforce pipelines through programs such as “Ochsner Scholars” and a nurse tech program developed with academic partners and the state board of nursing. She also supported investments in the current workforce, including salary market adjustments, annual merit increases, employee bonuses, retirement contributions and enhanced family benefits. Dr. Murdock maintains direct visibility with nursing teams through quarterly rounding, shadow shifts, frontline and leader meetings, and volunteer events across the system’s seven regions. In 2025, Ochsner Health earned a “Top Workplaces 2025” honor by Top Workplaces for Nursing, thanks to its progress in building a culture where nurses feel valued, empowered and equipped to excel.
Tracey Nixon, MSN, RN. CNO at the University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics (Salt Lake City). Ms. Nixon oversees all nursing aspects within the University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics, including nursing operations, strategic planning, nursing leadership, project management and financial objectives, in addition to performance metrics related to patient satisfaction, clinical quality and finance. Ms. Nixon has been with the system for nearly 20 years and assumed the role of CNO in the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, she appointed a health taskforce to collectively define the mental, physical and financial health for nursing team members. The results informed the ongoing systemwide benefit and operational enhancements. She and her nursing team have garnered national recognition for their efforts to improve the flow of patients within the hospital. Most recently, Ms. Nixon developed and implemented a nursing shared governance program across the system.
Caroline Njau, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and CNO for Children’s Minnesota (Minneapolis). Ms. Njau leads patient care operations and nursing strategy across Children’s Minnesota’s two major pediatric hospitals, with responsibility for nursing education and professional development. She is also tasked with ensuring care teams have the resources to deliver exceptional family-centered care. Joining in 2021, she quickly emerged as a critical operational leader during surges in respiratory syncytial virus and pediatric Covid-19, building and leading a situation response team to stabilize staffing and maintain safe access to care. One signature innovation was the “helpers” program, which mobilized non-clinical staff to support frontline teams across emergency departments, inpatient units and clinics, resulting in volunteers covering roughly 500 shifts. Ms. Njau also modernized demand anticipation by adopting a volume-and-staffing forecasting model that is approximately 95% accurate, extending staffing decision lead time and providing weeks of planning visibility. Recognizing the direct link between staff wellbeing and patient outcomes, she prioritized a wellbeing resource team to address moral distress and supported resiliency workshops. She has also built a long-term pipeline strategy by deepening partnerships with local nursing schools, meeting regularly with deans to address capacity and diversity, and serving as an affiliate professor to strengthen clinical readiness.
Peggy Norton-Rosko, DNP. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at University of Maryland Medical System (Baltimore). Dr. Norton-Rosko is the system leader for nursing practice and standards of care across the University of Maryland Medical System, with responsibility for nursing professional development and academic partnerships with schools of nursing. She supports enterprise strategic planning, nursing workforce development, continuous clinical improvement and the system’s high reliability journey. Bringing experience leading health systems toward high reliability, she previously spearheaded Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health’s regional “zero harm” implementation as interim president at Loyola MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Ill., driving significant reductions in patient falls and improvements in hospital-acquired pressure injury performance. She has developed expertise in building cohesive teams and advancing professional governance structures that empower nurses to shape practice and improve outcomes. Her leadership has been recognized through regional and national honors, including 2025 “Women to Watch” from The Baltimore Sun, the 2025 “Health Care Power List” from The Daily Record and more.
Nicole Ohlinger, MSN, RN. CNO for Myrtue Medical Center (Harlan, Iowa). Ms. Ohlinger accepted the role of CNO for Myrtue Medical Center in March 2025. In the role, she is tasked with providing executive leadership for nursing practice and patient care services. She oversees the surgery department as well as surgery and specialty clinics, with a focus on advancing nursing services and maintaining high-quality, patient-centered care. Ms. Ohlinger brings deep organizational knowledge, having previously served as a registered nurse and house supervisor across Myrtue’s inpatient, emergency and obstetrics departments. Her clinical background spans acute and specialty care, equipping her with a strong understanding of frontline nursing operations. Ms. Ohlinger blends clinical expertise with business acumen to strengthen nursing excellence and support the organization’s mission.
Trish O’Keefe, PhD, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for Atlantic Health System and President of Morristown Medical Center (Morristown, N.J.). As chief nursing executive for Atlantic Health System and president of Morristown Medical Center, a leading 800-plus-bed academic hospital, Dr. O’Keefe plays a pivotal role in managing various specialties, including nursing, cardiology, oncology and pediatrics. She leads the system’s overall nursing functions and has led multiple hospitals to Magnet designation. Under her leadership, Morristown Medical Center has focused on improving quality, access and patient service by implementing initiatives like the comprehensive care for joint replacement program. She has also developed a patient experience accountability model that propelled the hospital’s patient satisfaction scores into the top decile nationally. Additionally, she has overseen major expansions throughout the medical center, including the heart hospital and a comprehensive five-phase emergency department expansion. In 2024, Dr. O’Keefe was appointed as an officer of the board of the New Jersey Hospital Association.
Beth Oliver, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President of Cardiac Services and Chief Nurse Executive for Mount Sinai Health System (New York City). Dr. Oliver serves in a dual enterprise role at Mount Sinai Health System, leading systemwide efforts to advance patient-centered, evidence-based nursing care across hospital and community settings. She partners with executive leadership and site CNOs to align nursing practice with strategic priorities, performance benchmarks and long-term goals focused on safety, transformative care and affordability. Since her 2020 promotion, she instituted an executive cabinet of nurse leaders to strengthen alignment, accountability and systemwide nursing excellence. She made history as the first nurse to serve as president of the American Heart Association’s New York City board of directors, expanding cardiovascular education and community outreach. Under her leadership, Mount Sinai has earned significant nursing and hospital recognitions, including Magnet redesignations at The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens (N.Y.). Dr. Oliver shapes the nursing profession through scholarship, national presentations and her academic leadership as the inaugural Edgar M. Cullman, Sr., Chair of the Department of Nursing at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Rose Ordieres, MSN, APRN. CNO of Ambulatory and Physician Services Administration at Jackson Health System (Miami). Ms. Ordieres leads nursing operations across Jackson Health System’s ambulatory and physician services, with a focus on improving access, efficiency and financial performance. She expanded appointment availability across the system’s ambulatory care center and primary care clinics, reducing patient queue times to 13 months and preventing care leakage by ensuring specialty referrals were scheduled prior to patient departure. Her leadership improved urgent care efficiency, reducing total visit times from 71 to 59 minutes while increasing patient satisfaction. Ms. Ordieres also oversaw the successful opening of the Coral Gables (Fla.) Urgent Care Center in 2023, led the relocation of the North Miami practice, and opened new primary care and cardiology sites within Jackson Medical Group. Her work has strengthened patient access, supported ambulatory growth and reinforced systemwide care coordination.
Michelle O’Rourke, DNP, RN. CNO and Vice President of Patient Care Services for UMass Memorial Medical Center (Worcester). Dr. O’Rourke is CNO and vice president of patient care services at UMass Memorial Medical Center, responsible for systemwide nursing practice and patient care delivery across multiple campuses and specialties. A 30-plus year leader who began her career at the organization as a student patient care assistant, she now leads a workforce of more than 3,700 nursing employees and oversees an operating budget exceeding $650 million. She has advanced shared governance and the organization’s “Pathways to Excellence” journey, strengthening caregiver wellness, professional growth and engagement. Dr. O’Rourke also championed foundational training for frontline nurse managers through a standardized program in human resources, finance, safety and leadership, building stronger unit-level support for staff. Between 2022 and 2025, the organization achieved major improvements in engagement, patient experience and quality performance, reflecting sustained operational and clinical gains. She is a visible advocate for caregiver safety, co-leading executive efforts that include peer support, workplace violence prevention and safe patient handling. She also mentors emerging leaders through DNP student precepting.
Melodie Osborn, BSN, RN. Chief Nurse Executive of Renown Health (Reno, Nev.). Ms. Osborn oversees nursing across Renown Health, Nevada’s first nonprofit academic health system and the 162-year-old community cornerstone for northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northern California. She joined the system in 2011 and serves as the primary nursing voice for over 2,700 nurses and clinical staff across four hospitals, 10 urgent cares and specialty practices, focusing on clinical excellence, workforce development and a person-centric approach. She has been instrumental in implementing evidence-based practice and strengthening recruitment and retention. Under her leadership, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recognized Renown’s intensive, critical care and progressive care units with “Beacon Awards for Excellence” three times in a row, and this year added a fourth honoree, the telemetry unit. Working with donors and the University of Nevada, Reno, Ms. Osborn has created an academic pipeline to address the nursing shortage via full-ride scholarship funding for up to 24 nursing students each year. Scholarship recipients may also complete a paid apprenticeship at Renown, with guaranteed hospital jobs following graduation and licensure. A strong advocate for the nursing profession, she was highly effective during a recent legislative session as nurse representative for Nevada Hospital Association, working to strengthen support for nursing, patient safety and access to high quality care statewide. She is past president of the Nevada Organization for Nurse Leaders.
Gretchen Pacholek, PhD, RN. CNO and Vice President of Patient Care Services at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial (Harvey, Ill.). Dr. Pacholek provides executive leadership for all nursing and patient care services, overseeing multimillion-dollar budgets, nursing professional practice and enterprisewide strategies focused on quality, safety and operational efficiency. Since assuming the role, she has stabilized the nursing workforce, reducing registered nurse turnover from 51% to 20% in three years, cutting agency utilization by 40% and generating more than $26 million in combined savings. Under her leadership, hospital-acquired infections declined by 75%, harm events fell by 42% and emergency department left-without-being-seen rates were reduced by 50%. She led the launch of a 10-bed observation unit to improve patient flow and length of stay while driving a four-point year-over-year improvement in inpatient patient experience scores. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Pacholek served as operations chief of the hospital incident command center, rapidly standing up Covid units, testing and vaccination clinics while maintaining workforce stability amid labor disruptions. A nationally engaged nurse executive, she has served as an American Organization for Nursing Leadership board member, committee chair and faculty member.
Kathryn Pagliaroli, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President, COO and CNO of Oswego (N.Y.) Health. Ms. Pagliaroli, in her role as senior vice president, COO and CNO, offers executive leadership and guidance for clinical operations and nursing programs aligned with Oswego Health’s vision and mission. Her accomplishments include being recognized in 2013 as one of Oswego County Magazine‘s “40 under 40” recipients, receiving the CNY Organization for Nurse Executives and Leaders “Regional Leadership Award” in 2019, and earning a “Rising Leader Award” from the New York Organization of Nurse Leaders in 2022. Ms. Pagliaroli coordinates with Oswego Health’s senior leadership team to address staff retention and recruitment. Ms. Pagliaroli began her career at Oswego Health in 2001 as a RN in the ICU, and has held several leadership positions within the organization since. She was promoted to her current role in September 2024.
Leah Patterson. CNO and Chief of Patient Care Services at Riverside University Health System–Medical Center (Moreno Valley, Calif.). Ms. Patterson oversees nursing and patient care services for a 439-bed academic medical center and level 1 adult trauma center, leading more than 2,100 staff across nursing and clinical support services. Under her leadership, the organization has achieved multiple Joint Commission certifications and advanced designations, including primary stroke center, sepsis, hip fracture, palliative care and perinatal care, while earning national recognition from U.S. News & World Report for maternity care and specialty performance. She has maintained a registered nurse turnover rate of just 3%, far below the national average, and reduced the use of traveling nurses by 97% following a large-scale post-pandemic recruitment effort. Ms. Patterson is the executive sponsor of Lean transformation initiatives that produced measurable gains in patient flow, including a patient flow center that reduced average length of stay from 6.8 days to 4.1 days and a discharge lounge that has supported more than 8,100 patient transitions. She also empowered frontline-led innovations such as the nurse-driven “Fluff and Tuck” program, cutting call lights during shift change by 50% and increasing patient experience scores by 26%. Her crisis leadership during Covid-19 included supporting staff wellbeing while helping expand inpatient capacity by 121 beds to meet sustained surge demand.
Emily Pegues, MSN, RN. CNO for St. Mary’s Medical Center (Blue Springs, Mo.). Ms. Pegues is responsible for managing nursing operations at the 137-bed St. Mary’s Medical Center. Her direct oversight encompasses multiple departments, including nursing, pharmacy, respiratory therapy, cardiology and surgical services, among others. With extensive experience in healthcare management, she has a proven track record of achieving success in both nursing and non-nursing operations. Ms. Pegues excels in key areas such as communication, labor management and team building, which enables her to foster collaboration and develop leaders within the organization. Notably, she successfully executed a $5 million reduction in labor expenses during her first year as CNO by stabilizing the workforce, minimizing reliance on agency staff and improving daily management of patient length of stay.
Michelle Peña, MSN, RN. Regional CNO for Trinity Health Michigan (Livonia). Ms. Peña was appointed regional CNO of Trinity Health Michigan at the end of August 2025. There, she oversees nursing strategy and operations across the statewide health system. In this executive leadership role, she is responsible for advancing clinical excellence, workforce development, patient safety and operational efficiency across one of Michigan’s largest providers of care. Ms. Peña brings more than 20 years of progressive nursing leadership experience within Trinity Health. Most recently, she served as CNO of Trinity Health Grand Rapids (Mich.), where she led the organization to Magnet redesignation. During her tenure, she launched West Michigan’s first accredited nurse residency program, strengthening the nursing pipeline and supporting early-career nurse retention. She also implemented Trinity Health’s virtual nurse model, “TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care,” and played a critical leadership role in guiding nursing operations through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shannon Pengel, MSN, RN. Vice President and CNO at Cleveland Clinic. Ms. Pengel provides executive leadership and strategic oversight for nursing operations across Cleveland Clinic’s main campus, which includes approximately 1,400 hospital beds and more than 100 operating rooms. She leads nursing strategy across all clinical institutes on main campus, advancing innovative care delivery, evidence-based practice, financial stewardship and continuous improvement, with all main campus nursing directors reporting directly to her. Previously, Ms. Pengel served as associate CNO for main campus and as clinical nursing director for the anesthesiology institute and the heart and vascular institute, overseeing extensive cardiac step-down, ICU, interventional and outpatient operations. At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, she served as CNO for Cleveland Clinic’s Hope Hospital, guiding the rapid development and activation of a 1,006-bed surge facility in less than one month. A Cleveland Clinic nurse leader for more than two decades, she began her career as a staff nurse in cardiothoracic step-down and has since driven systemwide initiatives including rapid response standardization, central monitoring integration and the successful activation of the 1-million-square-foot Miller Pavilion. Ms. Pengel is also a strong advocate for nursing education, certification, research and leadership development across the organization.
Dina Pérez-Graham. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at University Health (San Antonio, Texas). Ms. Pérez-Graham leads the recruitment, retention, performance, development and financial management of more than 8,000 nurses across University Health’s two hospitals and more than 30 clinics and centers, making nursing the largest professional group in the public health system. She is guiding nursing strategy through a major growth trajectory, including the opening of additional clinics in underserved areas, expansion into a third hospital complex in 2026 and the planned launch of two new community hospitals in 2027. In a highly competitive labor environment, she has sustained exceptional workforce stability, with year-to-date turnover at 5% and vacancy at 2.9%, while nearly eliminating reliance on traveling nurses. She oversees enterprise training and workforce transition planning as current staff move into new facilities and new hires are recruited and prepared for high-acuity environments, including South Texas’ only level 1 civilian trauma center, a high-risk maternity center and NICU, and a transplant institute. Under her leadership, University Health has earned Magnet recognition, achieved first-time Emergency Nurses Association “Lantern Awards” for adult and pediatric emergency departments, secured American Nurses Credentialing Center practice transition program accreditation with distinction for its nurse residency, and supported multiple American Association of Colleges of Nursing “Beacon Award”–recognized units, alongside a fourth consecutive Leapfrog “A” safety grade and Premier’s “100 Top Hospitals” recognition.
Beena S. Peters, DNP, RN. System Chief Nursing Executive of Cook County Health (Chicago). Dr. Peters serves as system chief nursing executive for Cook County Health, one of the nation’s largest public health systems, overseeing nursing practice across hospitals, community health centers, public health and correctional health services. She provides strategic leadership for nursing operations, quality, education, workforce development and a $300 million nursing services budget. Under her leadership, Cook County Health achieved dramatic improvements in nurse-sensitive outcomes, including a 95% reduction in hospital-acquired pressure injuries as well as major declines in falls and infections. She has advanced workforce development by securing more than $5 million in federal grants and launching externship programs and academic partnerships across the Midwest. Dr. Peters also established a nursing innovation and research center and initiated the system’s journey toward “Pathway to Excellence” recognition. Her leadership has driven measurable quality gains, including Chicago-based Stroger Hospital’s rise from a Leapfrog “F” to a “B” and first-time national accreditation for correctional health services.
Louise Philp, BSN, RN. CNO at Orlando Health–Health Central Hospital (Ocoee, Fla.). Ms. Philp leads initiatives, processes and policies that ensure exceptional patient care while supporting nursing and clinical teams at Orlando Health–Health Central Hospital. She began her nursing career at Orlando Health in 1995 as a frontline nurse in the neuroscience unit at Orlando Health Orlando (Fla.) Regional Medical Center, building a strong foundation in complex clinical care. Over nearly three decades, she has progressed through a wide range of leadership roles across multiple specialties, earning a reputation for operational excellence and collaborative leadership. Most recently, she served as associate CNO at ORMC, overseeing catheterization labs, cardiovascular services and medicine service lines. Ms. Philp is actively engaged in the professional nursing community through membership in Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American Organization of Nurse Executives. She also extends her leadership beyond healthcare, serving on the board of the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando.
Julie Powell, MSN, RN. President, CEO and CNO at McAlester (Okla.) Regional Health Center. Ms. Powell serves as president, interim CEO and CNO at McAlester Regional Health Center. As CNO, she oversees all nursing aspects at McAlester Regional, including every nursing department, nursing education, risk and regulatory and the medical staff office. Since becoming CNO, she has made changes to sustain the system’s nursing workforce, improve quality outcomes and improve customer service scores. She leads by educating and modeling professionalism to her frontline staffers. In addition to leading nursing services, she is responsible for overseeing pharmacy, home care services, education and patient safety.
Amber Price, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO at Sentara (Norfolk, Va.). Dr. Price oversees nursing practice and care delivery across Sentara, along with employee health, infection prevention, accreditation and regulatory compliance, system resource allocation, emergency management, virtual nursing, clinical education and professional practice. She also serves as executive sponsor for Sentara’s women’s employee resource group and women’s health high performance team, advancing workforce inclusion and clinical excellence. Prior to assuming the system CNO role, Ms. Price served as president of Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, where she launched new trauma, obstetrics hospitalist and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery programs, all while championing employee wellness and inclusive care design. These efforts resulted in the hospital becoming the first in Virginia to earn sensory inclusive certification. Earlier in her career at Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, she held division vice president and COO roles, overseeing hospital design and construction projects, developing innovative hospitalist and maternal care models, and leading a maternal and neonatal helicopter flight program from concept to implementation.
Jean Putnam, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive at Baptist Health South Florida (Coral Gables). Dr. Putnam serves as chief nurse executive for Baptist Health South Florida, overseeing nursing practice and patient experience strategies across the region’s largest nonprofit health system. With more than 30 years of experience, she leads more than 9,200 nurses and clinical partners and is accountable for building a consistent nurse experience across the system, strengthening mentorship and development pathways, improving scheduling processes, and ensuring clinical quality and patient safety remain central in operational decisions. Dr. Putnam has helped achieve a nurse vacancy rate of just 2.7%, the lowest in the system’s history, while contributing to consistently strong Press Ganey performance and earning the Press Ganey “HX Guardian of Excellence Award” in patient experience. She is also a recognized nurse leader and innovator, receiving the “Excellence in Leadership Award” from Executive Women in Healthcare for 2022) and being named “Patient Experience Innovator of the Year” by the Millennium Alliance in 2021. As a research-focused executive, she has sponsored and led major nursing innovation and care design transformation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on nearly $10 million in federal, state and private grants.
Linda Puu, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive for The Queen’s Health Systems (Honolulu). Ms. Puu brings nearly four decades of experience as a nurse and nurse leader to her roles as senior vice president and chief nursing executive of The Queen’s Health Systems. Her clinical background in critical care and telemetry provides the executive team with a unique perspective. Ms. Puu is responsible for meeting the system’s goals in relation to nursing, overseeing nursing across clinical settings, transforming the future of nursing, improving patient safety and outcomes, and developing and implementing strategic plans for clinical quality and patient safety. She leads the creation of fiscal year strategic plans, has established academic-practice partnerships with schools of nursing, launched a nurse residency program, created educational training pathways for nurses and led negotiations with Hawaii Nurses Association to benefit nurses.
Karla Ramberger, DNP, RN. Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Baylor Scott & White Health (Dallas). Dr. Ramberger is responsible for advancing clinical practice among Baylor Scott & White Health’s nursing staff, as well as improving safety and quality outcomes across the system. In 2019, she joined Baylor Scott & White Health as CNO of the system’s central region and Baylor University Medical Center. During her tenure, the medical center earned its fifth consecutive Magnet Designation with exemplars, and achieved its zero preventable harm goals each year. She also was the driving force behind standing up the health system’s first North Texas Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program. Previously, Dr. Ramberger served as CNO for Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, where she was instrumental in reducing nursing turnover and boosting engagement. She began her career as an emergency department intern and went on to have a 24-year tenure in various leadership roles, including CNO with Methodist Dallas Medical Center and as system CNO for Dallas-based Methodist Health System.
Debra Raupers, MSN, RN. Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for Guthrie (Sayre, Pa.). As executive vice president and chief nurse executive, Ms. Raupers oversees nursing practice across the entire Guthrie health system, ensuring high standards of patient care and clinical outcomes. She collaborates with senior leadership to set strategic goals and integrate nursing practices into overall operational performance, focusing on improving clinical outcomes and supporting interdisciplinary care teams. Ms. Raupers has been instrumental in developing performance improvement initiatives and a professional practice model for patient care, tailored to each facility’s unique needs. Her leadership was key in the implementation of team-based nursing, allowing nurses to operate at the top of their license, as well as the creation of the Guthrie Pulse Center, which provides virtual support to bedside nurses. Ms. Raupers has decades of nursing leadership experience, including her previous role as Magnet program director.
Kelsey Reed, DNP, MSN. Vice President, CNO and COO at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center (Americus, Ga.). Dr. Reed serves as vice president, CNO and COO at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, leading clinical care, nursing operations and innovation for a 76-bed community hospital. She advances bedside care through technology-enabled models, with the medical center serving as a pilot site for systemwide rollouts including virtual nursing and mobile documentation tools. Dr. Reed spearheaded the development and systemwide implementation of a virtual nurse program now staffed by more than 30 virtual nurses, with sepsis bundle compliance improving by 20% under her leadership. To ensure digital tools reduce burden and improve workflows, she established a frontline nurse advisory committee to guide EHR optimization and inform vendor improvements. She also contributes to enterprise nursing strategy through the harm reduction team, nursing leadership council and other governance groups, and she was appointed by the Georgia governor to a Senate study committee on violence against healthcare workers. Thanks in large part to her leadership, the medical center earned the American Heart Association’s “Get With The Guidelines–Stroke Rural Silver Achievement Award” in 2025.
Cheryl Reinking, DNP, RN. CNO for El Camino Health (Mountain View, Calif.). Dr. Reinking has led the health system’s nursing division for over a decade, overseeing a team of more than 2,000 nurses and support staff. She is a staunch advocate for professional development and work-life balance for her nursing staff. With over 35 years at El Camino Health, she has built a career in nursing that has taken her from clinical nurse to CNO. Under her leadership, the system earned its fourth consecutive Magnet Designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2021. She has been instrumental in developing innovative nurse retention strategies, contributing to a nurse turnover rate below the national average. Her efforts have also led to the El Camino Health emergency department receiving the 2023 “Lantern Award” from the Emergency Nurses Association for excellence in leadership and practice. Dr. Reinking serves on multiple boards, including Pathways Home Health and Hospice.
Mandy Richards, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Executive and President of Children’s Health at Intermountain Health (Salt Lake City). Dr. Richards is responsible for systemwide nursing practice and the advancement of patient care services across Children’s Health at Intermountain, with executive oversight of pediatric care strategy and operations. As a member of the enterprise leadership team, she has aligned nursing governance, unified priorities, simplified processes and optimized work to better support quality, patient experience, staff engagement and labor efficiency. Dr. Richards led nursing through a systemwide EHR expansion and unification effort, strengthening standardization and coordination across care settings. She designed and implemented Intermountain’s nursing professional practice model with frontline nurses, anchored in advocacy, empowerment, innovation, collaboration and inspiration. She also launched iAspire, a development and recognition program that produced a 3.9% turnover rate among enrolled nurses versus 14.4% among eligible non-enrolled peers, and advanced leadership readiness through a nurse leader academy grounded in Magnet transformational leadership principles. Her portfolio includes care model redesign and innovation pilots such as community health worker deployment to address social determinants of health and ambient listening technology in Epic to reduce documentation burden, with early results showing time savings and improved patient satisfaction.
Donna Richardson, DNP, RN. Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive for Parkland Health (Dallas). Dr. Richardson serves as executive vice president and chief nursing executive at Parkland Health, bringing more than 33 years of experience as a clinician, mentor and executive leader. Her career has spanned progressive leadership roles, including nurse manager, director, associate CNO and CNO, all grounded in clinical expertise that began in obstetrics as a labor and delivery nurse. In her current enterprise role, Dr. Richardson provides strategic leadership for nursing practice and workforce development, championing professional excellence, patient-centered care and system resilience within one of the nation’s largest public health systems. She continually works to strengthen nursing retention and engagement, and serves as a mentor to emerging leaders, with one of her mentees recognized with the American Organization for Nursing Leadership’s “Pamela Austin Thompson Emerging Leader Award” for 2025. Parkland Health earned the American Nurses Credentialing Center “Pathway Award” in 2024 under her leadership. Dr. Richardson also remains active in professional and policy work, including service on the Texas Board of Nursing Practice Committee.
Hazel Robertshaw, PhD, RN. CNO and Vice President of Patient Care Services at UR Medicine Thompson Health (Canandaigua, N.Y.). Dr. Robertshaw leads patient care services at UR Medicine Thompson Health, overseeing more than 300 associates and a $35 million-plus operating budget across acute and ambulatory services including the emergency department, ICU, medical-surgical, birthing center, cardiopulmonary, case management and social work, pharmacy and perioperative services. Under her leadership, Thompson Health advanced multiple quality and accreditation milestones, including preparations for the organization’s fifth American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet designation. During the prior designation cycle, the organization outperformed national benchmarks in fall prevention, prevention of hospital-acquired pressure injuries, catheter-associated urinary tract infection and central line-associated bloodstream infections performance, diabetes management in primary care practices and patient satisfaction with nurses. Dr. Robertshaw has expanded academic pipeline and tuition support programs, including partnership in the University of Rochester School of Nursing “Scholars’ Program” and local tuition-for-service collaborations that grow the proportion of BSN-prepared nurses. She also built an RN residency program spanning specialty areas like the operating room, ICU, emergency department, birthing center and post-anesthesia care unit. Additionally, she strengthened recognition and wellness efforts through DAISY Foundation and internal awards, “Signing Day” recruitment events, and nurse-led community initiatives such as an inpatient food pantry.
Betty Jo Rocchio, DNP, CRNA. Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at Advocate Health (Charlotte, N.C.). Dr. Rocchio serves as executive vice president and chief nursing executive for Advocate Health, the nation’s third-largest nonprofit integrated health system, providing executive leadership for more than 42,000 nurses. She oversees systemwide nursing services and professional practice, aligning workforce strategy, quality, technology adoption and regulatory compliance across a highly complex, multi-state organization. Dr. Rocchio joined Advocate Health in November 2025, with 30 years of nursing experience. In her first year in the role, Dr. Rocchio has focused on advancing data-driven nursing operations and leveraging analytics to support a multigenerational workforce. Her leadership emphasizes innovation in care delivery while strengthening nurse engagement and workplace culture. Prior to joining Advocate Health, she served as chief nurse executive at Chesterfield, Mo.-based Mercy, where she built a reputation for integrating technology and analytics into nursing practice. Dr. Rocchio has led organizations with multiple Magnet and “Pathway to Excellence” designations.
Anna Liza Rodriguez, MSN, RN. CNO and Vice President of Nursing and Patient Care Services for Fox Chase Cancer Center (Philadelphia). Ms. Rodriguez leads nursing and patient care services across inpatient, ambulatory, research and specialty oncology settings at Fox Chase Cancer Center, setting the vision for professional practice, quality, safety and patient experience. A board-certified oncology nurse and advanced nurse executive, she pairs clinical expertise with strong operational discipline, including labor relations and the execution of complex technology and workflow initiatives. She helped architect the ambulatory care excellence model to improve access, care coordination, efficiency and role clarity, which earned national recognition with the Association of Cancer Care Centers “Innovator Award” for 2025. Under her leadership, the organization achieved significant progress in harm reduction, including declines in hospital-acquired infections and conditions, while sustaining exceptionally low RN turnover compared with national benchmarks. She has expanded scholarship and research capacity by strengthening nursing publications and presentations, and has recruited research leadership that contributed to meaningful grant funding. Ms. Rodriguez is also advancing evidence-based leadership innovation through initiatives like a four-day workweek model for nurse leaders and data-driven staffing optimization approaches. She continues to contribute nationally through committee work with groups such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
Mary Rogers, MSN, RN. Assistant Vice President for Orlando (Fla.) Health, interm CNO for Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and CNO of Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. Ms. Rogers is interim CNO at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and CNO for Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. She has dedicated nearly four decades to Orlando Health. Starting as a staff nurse in 1987, Ms. Rogers has advanced through various leadership roles, including patient care administrator and nursing operations manager. Her leadership has been pivotal in achieving Magnet designation for both hospitals, reflecting the team’s commitment to quality care. Ms. Rogers played a key role in opening a new hematology oncology unit for pediatric patients and leading redesignation efforts for her Magnet hospitals. She is deeply focused on innovative strategies for onboarding, training and retaining nurses. Looking forward, her leadership will be vital in the development of the new Orlando Health Children’s Pavilion, set to open in 2026.
Robert “Rob” Rose, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President of Nursing and CNO at Ascension (St. Louis). Dr. Rose serves as senior vice president of nursing and CNO at Ascension, providing executive leadership for nearly 35,000 nurses and approximately 10,000 nursing support associates across the organization. In this enterprise role, he leads systemwide strategies to elevate quality, advance patient safety, strengthen talent retention and promote nurse wellbeing. He is also driving efforts to better leverage technology and streamline workflows, which in turn reduces cognitive burden and enables more time at the bedside. With more than half of his career rooted in Catholic healthcare, Dr. Rose brings a mission-centered approach to nursing strategy, aligning clinical excellence with compassionate, holistic care delivery. He is the immediate past chair of the American Hospital Association committee on clinical leadership and has served in national leadership roles with the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Prior to Ascension, he served as market chief nurse for Greater Charlotte and central area chief nursing executive at Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health, leading large teams and advancing nursing practice at scale. In his current role, he continues to position Ascension’s nursing workforce as a national model for mission-driven care.
Jennifer Roth, MSN, RN. Chief Nursing Executive, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services, and Dr. Dori Biester Chair in Pediatric Nursing at Children’s Hospital Colorado (Aurora). Ms. Roth sets the vision and direction for nursing and patient care services at Children’s Hospital Colorado, one of the nation’s premier pediatric academic medical centers. There, she aligns clinical operations with enterprise strategy to advance quality, safety and outcomes. Since assuming the chief nursing executive role, she unified patient care services across all care sites, strengthening consistency, collaboration and systemwide performance. Under her leadership, nursing engagement scores increased from 3.98 to 4.02 year-over-year, with gains in eight of 10 index measures. Quality outcomes improved markedly, including a 31% reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infection rates and a 39% reduction in unplanned extubations within 12 months. Ms. Roth has advanced professional governance, leadership development and communication strategies, while co-designing a systemwide people and culture strategy. She also implemented the “Foundations of Management” program to equip leaders to support high-performing teams. She serves as executive sponsor for care delivery innovations, including redesigned care coordination and the launch of a virtual nursing model to enhance inpatient admissions and discharges. A long-tenured leader at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Ms. Roth has been instrumental in sustaining nursing excellence through the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet recognition program.
Ashley Roy, DNP, RN. CNO of Ochsner Children’s Hospital (New Orleans). Dr. Roy transitioned to the CNO position at Ochsner Children’s Hospital and pediatric services in September 2024. Prior, she was CNO for Meridian, Miss.-based Ochsner Rush Health from 2022 on. Dr. Roy began her career at Ochsner Rush in 2017 as a clinical registered nurse manager, focusing on team engagement and development within the telemetry and medical-surgical unit. As she moved into leadership roles, including vice president of nursing services, she implemented programs that enhanced quality and patient experience while fostering team engagement through feedback initiatives. In her current role, she aims to elevate the nursing voice to enrich and expand Ochsner Children’s Hospital’s pediatrics program.
Caryl Ryan, BSN, RN. CNO, COO and Vice President of Patient Services for UConn John Dempsey Hospital (Farmington, Conn.). Ms. Ryan serves in a multifaceted leadership role at UConn John Dempsey Hospital as CNO, COO and vice president of patient services. She oversees a wide range of departments, including nursing, epidemiology, clinical quality, cancer services and inpatient services, while also being responsible for the operational and regulatory oversight of the hospital. With nearly four decades of service at UConn Health, Ms. Ryan has advanced through various nursing roles, from ICU staff nurse to nursing director, demonstrating a deep commitment to patient-centric care and infection prevention. Her leadership has driven the development of key units within the hospital. Ms. Ryan is also a member of the Connecticut Hospital Association’s quality and safety committee.
Kelli S. Sadler, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive for Corewell Health’s East Division (Mich.). Ms. Sadler is senior vice president and chief nursing executive for Corewell Health’s East Division, providing executive oversight of nursing operations across eight hospitals and leading close to 10,000 nurses. She is accountable for clinical excellence, workforce development, regulatory compliance, nursing practice advancement and the execution of divisionwide strategies aligned to system goals. Ms. Sadler partners with hospital presidents, CMOs and senior executives to optimize care delivery models, improve outcomes, standardize evidence-based practice and strengthen transitions of care. She is recognized for advancing and sustaining Magnet designation and redesignation efforts across the division, and for building a stable workforce through innovative staffing and retention strategies like eliminating agency nursing usage across the division. Ms. Sadler also established key academic partnerships, including with Oakland University’s School of Nursing, and launched initiatives such as the “Nurse Scholars Program” to develop future talent and leaders. In addition to her executive duties, she leads systemwide councils and committees focused on nursing practice, workforce planning and restraints, reinforcing shared governance and consistent standards across sites.
Lisa Salameh, BSN, RN. Vice President and CNO at Sturdy Health (Attleboro, Mass.). Ms. Salameh provides executive leadership on all matters related to nursing practice and nursing administration at Sturdy. She is responsible for nursing practice throughout all service lines, providing leadership at Sturdy Memorial Hospital and across the system’s primary and specialty care practices. She leads the inpatient and ambulatory nursing teams, including emergency services, acute care and medical practice-based nursing teams. In addition, she oversees perioperative and surgical services, pharmacy services, respiratory services, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, endoscopy and clinical education. She has been integral to the creation of a strong clinical leadership governance structure and the enhancement of patient and staff safety. She has also strengthened recruitment and retention efforts.
Carly Sanders. CNO/Director of Nursing of South Central Health (Wishek, N.D.). Ms. Sanders leads all nursing operations at South Central Health, a 24-bed critical access hospital. She oversees the development and implementation of nursing policies and procedures, and is accountable for recruiting, hiring and retaining qualified nurses and certified nursing assistants while cultivating a professional, supportive work environment. In addition to staffing and clinical leadership, Ms. Sanders manages departmental budgets spanning core patient-care areas including med-surg, the emergency department and the operating room, and collaborates with senior leadership on broader organizational initiatives. A key achievement of her tenure is her leadership role in the hospital’s transition to a new EHR system, which has improved workflow efficiency and supported better coordinated care. She is a dedicated patient advocate with a consistent focus on improving the patient experience and ensuring delivery of high-quality care in a rural setting.
DeeAndra Sandgren. CNO of Good Samaritan (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Ms. Sandgren oversees nursing and clinical services at Good Samaritan, one of the nation’s largest senior care and services providers. She is responsible for care management, clinical reimbursement, nursing shared governance, admissions, social services, life enrichment and dietary. Under her leadership, Good Samaritan improved clinical outcomes, workforce stability and innovation, transforming care delivery for 10,000 seniors in rural America. In 2024, she drove a 20% increase in applications for national quality awards with strong results. Also in 2024, the long-term care provider achieved resident vaccination rates exceeding industry benchmarks by 15% for Covid-19 and 7% for influenza. As a result of retention and recruitment strategies, the director of nursing vacancy rate dropped from over 20% to under 10% in two years. She shares her best practices nationally through media and speaking engagements, helping elevate standards across healthcare. By stabilizing clinical leadership in its long-term care centers, Good Samaritan is well-positioned to help shape the future of care delivery, leveraging new resources and models such as virtual care, resident-centered technology and automation. Good Samaritan has 94 rehab and skilled nursing centers, 56 assisted living and memory care facilities, 44 independent living locations, and 37 home health and hospice agencies. Good Samaritan is part of Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health’s integrated health system, with services in the upper Midwest and 70% of residents living in rural communities.
Kathleen Sanford, DBA, RN. Senior Executive Vice President and CNO at CommonSpirit (Chicago). Ms. Sanford is tasked with managing and operating the nursing practice, patient care services, care coordination, nurse education, nursing research, patient experience, behavioral health, nursing informatics and more for the system. She brings over four decades of healthcare management and strategy to her role. Prior to joining CommonSpirit in 2006, she served as chief nurse and acting state surgeon/medical commander of the Washington Army National Guard. She has also served on several boards, including the American Hospital Association and the Tri-Council for Nursing. She is also past president of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, as well as a current fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Susan Santana, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and CNO of Southern New Hampshire Health (Nashua). Dr. Santana leads nursing operations and patient care services at Southern New Hampshire Health, driving clinical excellence, workforce development and patient-centered innovation. She is widely respected for guiding the organization to its fourth consecutive Magnet designation, an achievement attained by only a small percentage of hospitals nationwide. Dr. Santana’s leadership emphasizes shared governance, evidence-based practice and strong mentorship pipelines that support nurse engagement and retention. Previously, she was instrumental in securing Lowell (Mass.) General Hospital’s first Magnet designation, underscoring her ability to build and sustain high-performing nursing cultures. Beyond the organization, Susan serves on the board of directors for the Front Door Agency, extending her impact to community health and social support.
Roland L. Santos, MSN, RN. CNO of Encino (Calif.) Hospital Medical Center and Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Hospital. Mr. Santos serves as CNO for both Encino Hospital Medical Center and Sherman Oaks Hospital, providing executive oversight of nursing and associated clinical operations across two community hospitals serving a diverse patient population. He works to align staffing, resource allocation and department collaboration to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care across acute medicine, surgical services, critical care and emergency medicine. Mr. Santos partners closely with medical leadership and hospital administration to drive quality improvement, cost reduction and service line performance. He has advanced clinical program development and growth, including the expansion of key offerings such as cardiac catheterization and subacute services to better meet community needs. In addition to his operational leadership, he is a nursing professor, mentoring and preparing future nurses for practice and leadership. He also serves the community as a board member of the Philippine Nurses Association of Southern California, reinforcing nursing’s role in advocacy, service and professional connection.
Tina Santos, MSN, RN. Assistant Vice President and CNO of Orlando (Fla.) Health Orlando Regional Medical Center. Ms. Santos is the CNO of Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, where she leads nursing strategy, clinical practice and care delivery at one of Florida’s largest and most complex tertiary hospitals. With more than 14 years of executive nursing leadership experience, Ms. Santos has driven excellence in quality, safety and professional practice. She is credited with fostering top-decile team engagement through a strong shared governance structure and a deeply relational leadership style. Ms. Santos also regularly practices alongside frontline nurses to stay grounded in patient care realities. Under her leadership, the medical center achieved Magnet designation in 2023 and earned a record 17 “Beacon Awards for Excellence” from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, the most earned by any hospital in the state. The hospital’s emergency department, a level 1 trauma center, is one of only 94 nationwide to receive the Emergency Nurses Association’s “Lantern Award” from 2024–2027. Prior to joining Orlando Health, Ms. Santos was CNO and vice president of patient care services at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Mass.
Maureen Scanlan, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for Montefiore Einstein (Bronx, N.Y.). Ms. Scanlan serves as senior vice president and chief nurse executive at Montefiore Einstein, providing strategic direction for nursing services and advancing professional practice across the health system. She leads Montefiore’s nursing strategic plan and governance infrastructure, including the CNO cabinet, NYC core cabinet and nurse executive council, ensuring shared decision-making informs policy, practice and outcomes at every level. Ms. Scanlan is guiding four hospital campuses on the journey toward “Pathway to Excellence” and Magnet designation, advocating for resources and aligning leaders around sustained nursing excellence. She created campus-based CNO advisory boards that provide a direct voice for frontline nurses and have driven measurable gains in RN satisfaction, communication and unit-level quality outcomes. Under her leadership, Montefiore secured a $4.5 million “Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Nursing Workforce Initiative” grant to support workforce stability and professional practice advancement at the Moses campus – the largest nursing-focused grant in the organization’s history. She has also delivered strong outcomes in retention, with NYC region RN turnover performing above the 90th percentile nationally, supported by leadership development and wellness strategies. Clinically, Ms. Scanlan’s implementation of the evidence-based “tailored interventions for patient safety” fall-prevention program contributed to a 40% reduction in falls with injury, with the system’s NYC hospitals sustaining performance above national benchmarks for more than eight consecutive quarters.
Jennifer Schmidt-Kaklis. CNO at Lakeview Regional Medical Center (Covington, La.). Ms. Schmidt-Kaklis leads nursing and clinical operations for Lakeview Regional Medical Center, overseeing patient care delivery across emergency, surgical, heart and vascular, pediatrics, rehabilitation, behavioral health, and women’s and infant services. As the hospital’s senior on-site nursing leader, she drives evidence-based practice, quality and safety performance, regulatory readiness and operational efficiency while prioritizing staff development and mentorship. With more than two decades of service within the New Orleans-based Tulane/LCMC system, she has progressed from staff nurse to CNO, bringing service-line depth from prior roles spanning pediatric ICU clinical supervision, pediatrics leadership, and women’s and children’s services. Ms. Schmidt-Kaklis is recognized for crisis-tested leadership, including critical operational roles during Hurricane Katrina, and for building strong leadership benches through the promotion and development of nurse leaders across high-acuity services.
Kathie Seerup, BSN, RN. Vice President and CNO of Children’s Hospital Colorado-Colorado Springs. Ms. Seerup is vice president and CNO for Children’s Hospital Colorado-Colorado Springs, providing strategic, operational and clinical oversight for patient care services that support more than 54,000 patients across Southern Colorado. She sets the vision for regional clinical operations, aligning annual goals, performance metrics and financial stewardship with the organization’s mission and long-term strategy. Ms. Seerup leads efforts to uphold nursing excellence through Magnet standards and professional governance across the continuum of care, while serving as an executive sponsor for major systemwide initiatives and regulatory compliance. With nearly 40 years in pediatric and neonatal care and 35 years in progressive leadership at top-ranked children’s hospitals, she brings both deep specialty expertise and a systemwide operating perspective. Among her signature achievements is eliminating contract agency staffing within six months, saving more than $10 million. She also guided the nursing executive council through a human-centered leadership initiative, elevating leadership practices and strengthening team engagement. During the Covid-19 response, she served as operations chief, providing calm, decisive leadership through unprecedented operational strain. She continues to extend her impact through community and professional board service, including as board chair of the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
Amanda Shrout, DNP, RN. CNO and Vice President of Patient Care Services at Sinai Hospital and Grace Medical Center (Baltimore). Dr. Shrout leads nursing and patient care services at Sinai Hospital and Grace Medical Center, overseeing daily nursing operations, workforce recruitment and retention, patient experience initiatives, and continuous improvement of clinical quality and organizational performance. Both hospitals are part of Baltimore-based LifeBridge Health. During nearly a decade serving within the system, she has advanced through roles spanning clinical nurse specialist, director of clinical excellence, director of emergency departments and observation, and CNO. At Sinai, she built out a clinical excellence infrastructure and launched a simulation center to strengthen evidence-based practice and staff readiness. She also led major access and throughput initiatives, including doubling the size of the emergency department and opening a new outpatient rapid observation center. In addition, Dr. Shrout advanced patient- and family-centered care by implementing 24/7 visitation, and championed competency-based nurse onboarding to accelerate unit readiness. Her operational impact includes creation of an emergency department-specific dashboard to improve accountability; the implementation of a throughput nurse role that drove sustained improvement in observation length of stay; and a 55% reduction in door-to-triage times for pediatric patients.
Patricia “Trish” Shucoski, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive for BayCare Health System (Clearwater, Fla.). Dr. Shucoski is BayCare’s chief nurse executive, leading nursing practice, education and programs across a 16-hospital nonprofit system with hundreds of care locations and more than 11,000 nurses. She brings 28 years of experience to her current role, which she assumed at the end of 2023. As a member of the executive leadership team, she connects frontline nursing needs with enterprise strategy, guiding growth, access and operational efficiency, all while overseeing the annual nursing operations budget. She is redesigning BayCare’s nursing care delivery model, including the integration of innovation and virtual nursing to bring care more directly to patients and streamline workflows. Her leadership has driven measurable workforce and financial improvements, including cutting contract labor utilization by more than half and reducing incentive premium pay, while reinvesting into base compensation. She applies performance improvement expertise to reduce patient harm, with notable progress in lowering central line and urinary catheter use and associated infection risks. With a strong emphasis on education and pipeline development, she partners with academic institutions to expand career pathways and strengthen the future nursing workforce.
Opal Sinclair-Chung. CNO for NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Ms. Sinclair-Chung has received multiple leadership awards for her work as CNO at NYC Health + Hospitals, including the prestigious “Sloan Public Service Award” from the Fund for the City of New York. She currently leads the nursing workforce at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, the largest municipal hospital in Brooklyn and a level 1 trauma center. Under her leadership, Kings County became the first hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y. and the second in New York City to achieve “Pathway to Excellence” designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Additionally, her nursing staff from the medical ICU, cardiac care unit and neonatal ICU received gold and silver “Beacon” awards in 2024 from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Mrs. Sinclair-Chung is committed to developing effective policies and procedures that foster highly engaged team members, prioritizing patient experience and quality outcomes.
Maureen Sintich, DNP, RN. Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for Inova (Falls Church, Va.). Dr. Sintich serves as executive vice president and chief nurse executive for Inova, where she leads the system’s nursing professional practice team and oversees six CNOs across five hospitals and nursing informatics. In this role, she is responsible for systemwide nursing strategy, including models of care, staffing standards, patient experience and the integration of population health initiatives. Prior to joining Inova, Dr. Sintich served as senior vice president and network CNO for Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health, providing executive oversight across a large, multi-hospital health system. Across more than two decades in nursing leadership, Dr. Sintich has driven clinical excellence, operational alignment and workforce optimization at scale. Her work consistently focuses on strengthening nursing practice, improving care delivery, and aligning nursing strategy with organizational and community health priorities.
Bryan W. Sisk, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at Memorial Hermann Health System (Houston). Dr. Sisk leads nursing strategy and workforce development for a large nonprofit health system, overseeing approximately 14,000 nurses and advancing clinical practice, education, research and innovation. He launched a 44,000-square-foot institute for nursing excellence as well as a state-of-the-art simulation and training center designed to strengthen workforce pipelines and reduce barriers to entry. In addition, he co-led the creation of HEAL High School, a $31 million Bloomberg Philanthropies–funded program integrating secondary education with healthcare career pathways. Under his leadership, first-year RN turnover declined from 21% to 9% in two years, overall RN turnover fell below 10% and the system eliminated reliance on contract labor. He elevated the voice of nursing through a systemwide professional governance congress and expanded advocacy engagement, with more than 180 nurses participating in legislative initiatives. Dr. Sisk also advanced nurse-led research and evidence-based practice, supporting nearly 200 publications and presentations in a single fiscal year and piloting innovations such as virtual nursing, robotics and workflow automation. A retired U.S. Army Major, he brings extensive system-level and military leadership experience to his role.
Kim Slusser, PhD, RN. CNO ad interim at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston). Dr. Slusser leads a nursing workforce of more than 5,400 nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, providing strategic oversight for nursing practice, clinical operations, quality, safety, emergency management and interdisciplinary collaboration at the nation’s leading cancer center. In 2025, she guided the organization to its sixth consecutive Magnet designation, supported by an 8% nurse turnover rate, high certification and education levels, and strong nurse engagement scores. Her focus on strengthened patient flow and high-reliability practices has contributed to reduced patient wait times, improved discharge efficiency, lower ICU mortality and a 50% reduction in nursing overtime. Dr. Slusser also serves on the executive leadership team for the Meyers Institute for Oncology Nursing and is the inaugural co-lead of its growth and wellbeing focus area, advancing resiliency, professional development and wellness initiatives. She recently led the development of the nursing division’s multiyear strategic priorities, informed by input from frontline nurses and more than 140 nursing leaders across the enterprise. A nurse scholar, Dr. Slusser’s research focuses on early palliative care integration in oncology. She has published in peer-reviewed journals, including The Journal of Nursing Administration and The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care.
Tracey Smithson, MSN, RN. Vice President and CNO for St. Dominic Hospital (Jackson, Miss.). Ms. Smithson leads St. Dominic Hospital’s patient care services division, overseeing more than 1,400 nurses and 571 beds while setting nursing standards, policies and quality, safety, environmental and infection control programs. She is a key operational and strategic leader within the hospital’s decision-making structure, partnering with the governing body, medical staff and clinical leaders to advance interdisciplinary care, patient experience and financial performance. Since joining in 2023, Ms. Smithson has delivered measurable improvements in culture and outcomes, including a dramatic reduction in nursing turnover from 20.02% in September 2023 to 12.29% by June 2025. She strengthened patient-centered practice through evidence-based initiatives such as bedside shift report and nurse leader rounding, contributing to gains in patient experience measures. Ms. Smithson also expanded recognition programs and awards, reinforcing a culture where compassionate care is seen and celebrated. She broadened shared governance by adding unit practice councils and created listening forums through nursing town halls, giving frontline teams a stronger voice in decisions that shape practice. Most recently, she helped launch a professional enhancement program that rewards and recognizes bedside RNs who demonstrate leadership and clinical excellence, aligning retention and engagement strategies with high-quality outcomes.
Sharon Smyth, DNP, RN. Vice President of Nursing and Patient Care Services and CNO for The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore). Dr. Smyth has served as vice president of nursing and patient care services and CNO at The Johns Hopkins Hospital since February 2025, providing executive leadership for nursing practice, regulatory affairs, and patient and guest services. She leads the clinical care and strategic initiatives of the nursing department at the academic medical center. She first joined Johns Hopkins in 2018 as senior director of nursing for the department of emergency medicine at both The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, where she standardized emergency nursing care across Baltimore City campuses. During this time, she also led the lifeline critical care transport team and served as co-director of the Judy Reitz Capacity Command Center. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Smyth served as CNO of the Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital, overseeing large-scale emergency response, testing and vaccination efforts. In 2021, she was named vice president and CNO at Johns Hopkins Bayview, where she implemented strategies that reduced nursing turnover and improved engagement. Dr. Smyth first began her career as a bedside nurse in critical care, neonatal intensive care and emergency nursing.
Sherri L. Sprague, BSN, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at Kent Hospital (Warwick, R.I.). As CNO at Kent Hospital, Ms. Sprague leads the nursing team and spearheads nursing practices. With a history of leadership roles at Providence, R.I.-based Care New England, including interim CNO and associate CNO, she has a strong track record of achievements that align with Kent Hospital’s compassionate care mission. Notable accomplishments at Kent Hospital include developing an ambulatory service dashboard, increasing patient portal enrollment, and reducing emergency department ambulance diversion hours through a rapid triage model. Ms. Sprague has also optimized workforce recruitment and engagement, stabilizing nursing vacancies and reducing labor costs. Additionally, she played a key role in representing Care New England in legislative discussions on multi-state nursing license requirements. In 2022, she was honored with the Providence Business News “40 Under Forty” award.
Mila Sprouse, EdD, MSN, RN. CNO of North Puget Sound at Providence Swedish (Renton, Wash.). Dr. Sprouse leads nursing across Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (Wash.), Swedish Edmonds (Wash.) and Swedish Mill Creek in Everett, overseeing nearly 3,000 nurses across the North Puget Sound service area. She pairs operational rigor with cultural transformation grounded in accountability and just culture. Under her leadership, Providence Regional Medical Center Everett completed one of its strongest Joint Commission surveys, with zero conditional findings in the provision of care. She reduced nurse vacancy from 48% to under 20% and lowered premium agency costs by 65%, strengthening workforce stability and financial sustainability. Dr. Sprouse also advanced professional practice engagement, driving a 40% increase in shared governance council participation and a 69% increase in unit practice council engagement, alongside sustained reductions in hospital-acquired infections and improvements in patient safety practices. She launched a nurse manager mini leadership institute, combining American Organization for Nursing Leadership-aligned development with her “Courageous Leadership” curriculum to build a stronger leadership pipeline. A nationally engaged nurse executive, she founded and serves as the first president of the Philippine Nurses Association Emerald City.
Dayna Stahl. Vice President of Patient Care Services and CNO at Heywood Healthcare (Gardner, Mass.). Ms. Stahl provides executive oversight for patient care services across a two-hospital system that includes Heywood Hospital, a 134-bed nonprofit community hospital, and Athol Hospital, a 21-bed critical access hospital. She is tasked with leading more than 700 employees through eight direct-report leaders. She sets the strategic vision for nursing and patient care delivery, drives quality and safety performance, ensures regulatory readiness and manages a patient care services budget exceeding $7 million. Under her leadership, Heywood Healthcare achieved measurable declines in patient falls, healthcare-associated infections and pressure ulcers, while strengthening employee engagement through recognition programs for nurses and non-nursing support staff. Ms. Stahl has advanced fiscal stewardship through overtime reduction and internal temporary staffing models that improved efficiency without compromising care quality. She also invests in leadership development and professional growth, expanding nurse leader roles, mentoring emerging leaders and supporting continuing education partnerships with local community colleges. In addition to leading internal nursing quality and policy structures, she serves on Massachusetts Hospital Association advisory councils and co-leads enterprise compliance and Joint Commission readiness efforts.
Cathy Stankiewicz, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO at AdventHealth Central Florida Division (Orlando, Fla.). Ms. Stankiewicz leads nursing and clinical operations for AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division’s hospitals and off-site emergency departments. She joined AdventHealth in 1991 as a graduate nurse and has since served in various roles and leadership positions, most recently as CNO for AdventHealth Orlando (Fla.). During her tenure as CNO, AdventHealth Orlando improved key clinical measures, achieving the Leapfrog “A” hospital safety grade. She was also recognized by her team for her leadership and presence throughout multiple Covid-19 surges. Post-pandemic, Ms. Stankiewicz led the health system’s strategic plan to refortify nursing workforces, cutting RN turnover in half, reducing travel-nurses by 98%, and recruiting more than 7,500 registered nurses and thousands of patient care technicians and licensed practical nurses. Additionally, since 2020 she has overseen the investment of over $100 million into nursing pay and bonus initiatives, as well as $15.5 million towards Florida’s nursing schools, the introduction of dedicated education units at seven hospitals in partnership with area colleges and universities, and the implementation of virtual nursing in inpatient and emergency department settings.
Helen Staples-Evans, DNP, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services at Loma Linda (Calif.) University Health. Dr. Staples-Evans, senior vice president and CNO at Loma Linda University Health, oversees the nursing team and focuses on strategic leadership, professional development, retention and engagement. She has played a key role in enhancing the professional practice of nurses by developing programs such as the clinical ladder program and the new graduate nursing residency, which provides mentored experiences to new nurses. Her leadership was instrumental in Loma Linda’s achievement of Magnet designation, particularly during the pandemic when she navigated the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s first-ever virtual site visit. She has also led new construction efforts, maintaining high patient care standards throughout. Her four-decade-plus tenure at the health system has resulted in her receiving the system’s “President’s Distinguished Service Award” for 2024.
Rachel Start, PhD, RN. CNO of City of Hope National Medical Center, Vice President of Patient Care Services, and Regional CNO for National Medical Center, Orange County and Clinical Network at City of Hope (Duarte, Calif.). Dr. Start serves as City of Hope’s National Medical Center CNO and as vice president of patient care services and regional CNO for the National Medical Center, Orange County and the clinical network. She is tasked with setting strategic direction and ensuring operational excellence for nursing and patient care services. Her responsibilities span inpatient and outpatient practice, patient safety, evidence-based care delivery, nursing leadership development and the advancement of professional governance, mentorship and resilience initiatives aligned with City of Hope’s mission. Since taking on the role in July 2025, she has worked to elevate shared governance and interdisciplinary partnership so nurses have meaningful influence over decisions, practice standards and improvement work. She also champions the integration of clinical research into bedside care to strengthen patient outcomes and innovation readiness. Her leadership is especially pivotal as City of Hope prepares for major growth.
Renee Stewart, MSN, RN. CNO of Lower Bucks Hospital (Bucks County, Pa.). Ms. Stewart serves as a key figure at Lower Bucks Hospital, providing both clinical and administrative guidance to ensure high-quality patient care. Her leadership has significantly improved physician engagement, nursing practices and overall care quality, leading to notable achievements such as optimized patient flow and reduced emergency department stay lengths. Ms. Stewart emphasizes performance improvement and education for nursing professionals while fostering collaboration among nursing staff, physicians and clinical departments. Under her direction, Lower Bucks Hospital has garnered numerous accolades, including from Healthgrades and Leapfrog. Before joining Lower Bucks Hospital, Ms. Stewart was manager of case management at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.
Andrew Storer, PhD, DNP, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Buffalo, N.Y.). Dr. Storer was named CNO of Roswell Park in 2023, three years after he joined the cancer center as deputy CNO and executive director of nursing professional development, practice and research. Nurse engagement has risen dramatically through his leadership, resulting in record-low turnover and vacancy in nursing positions. His contributions led to accreditation with distinction for Roswell Park’s nurse residency program, approval for a continuing education program, the creation of the first nurse training facility at any cancer center to incorporate high-fidelity simulation and, supported by $2.11 million in funding from the National Cancer Institute, a first-of-its-kind research education program for nurses with advanced degrees. Dr. Storer has also driven transformation in care delivery, creating healthy work environments, promoting sustainability and supporting a culture of innovation in scholarship. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Organization of Nurse Leaders, the New York Organization of Nurse Executives and Leaders, the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society, the Oncology Nursing Society, the New York State Nurses Association and more.
Michelle Strider, BSN, RN. CNO for UVA Community Health (Charlottesville, Va.). Ms. Strider is CNO for UVA Community Health, leading nursing operations across three acute-care hospitals as well as a network of ambulatory clinics in Northern Virginia and surrounding counties. She aligns nursing practice with UVA Health’s strategic priorities and Magnet standards while overseeing inpatient, emergency, procedural and ambulatory nursing, emphasizing workforce development, shared governance and safe, efficient care delivery. Ms. Strider has driven measurable workforce gains, including reduced agency utilization and large-scale RN hiring, all while expanding clinical ladders, preceptor programs and academic partnerships to strengthen recruitment and succession. She previously served as interim chief nursing and quality officer and as chief quality officer, where she led regulatory readiness, safety, infection control and accreditation outcomes, resulting in achievements including Leapfrog “A” ratings and zero-deficiency Joint Commission surveys. Her leadership is credited with benchmark performance across quality metrics and coordinated community impact during Covid-19, including large-scale vaccination delivery. Known for high visibility and authentic engagement, she builds cultures of accountability and empowerment so frontline nurses shape practice and performance. She also serves on the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association quality board advisory council.
Regenia Stull, DNP, RN. CNO of Liberty (Mo.) Hospital. Dr. Stull is CNO of Liberty Hospital, where she oversees all nursing services ranging from inpatient nursing, perioperative services and more. She manages approximately nursing employees with a collaborative leadership approach. Since Dr. Stull joined the hospital in January 2022, the organization has reinstated an effective professional governance model, implemented nursing pipeline strategies, revived many of its recognition programs and reduced nursing turnover. Under her guidance, the executive team has established premier workplace habits and encouraged partnerships with stakeholders across the organization.
Annette Sy, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Executive for Keck Medical Center of USC (Los Angeles). Dr. Sy has served as chief nursing executive for Keck Medical Center of USC since 2012, leading all inpatient and outpatient nursing services across Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. She oversees approximately 1,300 nurses and is accountable for nursing competency, clinical quality standards, patient experience and survey readiness across both hospitals and their outpatient clinic network. Dr. Sy led Keck Hospital to its first American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet recognition and helped secure redesignation in 2023, reinforcing a sustained culture of nursing excellence. She also developed and launched Keck Medicine’s nursing institute to advance education, leadership development, clinical expertise and research for approximately 4,000 nurses across four hospitals and more than 100 clinic locations. A key differentiator of her leadership is the nursing professionalism program she created in partnership with the Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy, including training roughly 200 nurse “peer messengers” and contributing to work published in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. Dr. Sy established a clinical ladder program to recognize bedside expertise and strengthen retention, while also chairing major committees including patient identification error reduction and policy, and co-chairing throughput. Under her tenure, Keck Hospital has also earned high-profile quality recognition, including top specialty rankings, Vizient top-performer recognition, a CMS 5-star rating and repeated Leapfrog “A” safety grades.
Michele Szkolnicki, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO of Penn State Health–Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center. Ms. Szkolnicki serves as CNO for Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, with accountability for nursing practice across all inpatient and ambulatory settings in both the adult and children’s hospitals. Reporting to the hospital president, she provides strategic and operational leadership for a 647-bed, Magnet-designated academic medical center that includes a level 1 trauma center, a level 4 neonatal ICU and more than 70 outpatient clinics. She aligns nursing strategy to institutional goals while driving quality, safety, patient experience and regulatory compliance across care environments. As Penn State Health’s nursing platform executive, she also leads collaboration among enterprise CNOs, spearheading a unified nursing strategic plan and systemwide councils for practice, informatics, education and quality. She has delivered measurable workforce and financial results, including major reductions in turnover, vacancies and agency spend. She is also recognized for culture-building initiatives such as the weekly “We are…” publication and staff wellness and safety programs.
Kristen Taylor, MSN, RN. CNO at St. Luke’s Health–The Woodlands, Lakeside and Springwoods Village Hospitals and the Huntsville Emergency Center (Texas). Ms. Taylor serves as CNO for multiple hospitals and a freestanding emergency center, leading more than 600 nurses across North Houston. The organizations she leads are part of the broader CommonSpirit Health system, which is based in Chicago. In her current role, which she assumed in June 2025, she sets nursing strategy, develops policies and procedures, champions evidence-based practice and fosters a culture of clinical excellence. She plays a critical role in workforce planning, recruitment, retention and professional development, ensuring nurses are supported through education, mentorship and career growth. With more than 20 years of clinical experience and over a decade in progressive leadership roles, she has a strong track record of improving quality and operational performance. Ms. Taylor is widely recognized for her commitment to high employee engagement and advancing professional nursing practice. Beyond her organizational role, she currently serves as president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses North Houston Montgomery County Chapter and has held multiple regional critical care leadership roles.
Renae Taylor, BSN, RN. Vice President and CNO at UNC Health Southeastern (Lumberton, N.C.). Ms. Taylor serves as vice president and CNO at UNC Health Southeastern, with responsibility for all inpatient and outpatient nursing care across the system. Her scope also includes pharmacy, wound care, sleep services, respiratory therapy, surgical services and maternal-child health, in addition to leading quality and safety initiatives. She has been instrumental in implementing a tiered daily safety plan that brings leaders together each morning to proactively identify risks and system impacts. Under her leadership, the organization has achieved meaningful reductions in inpatient length of stay and observation hours, improving efficiency while maintaining patient-centered care. Ms. Taylor has also driven enrichment and engagement programs that have improved employee and patient satisfaction for four consecutive years. Through nursing-focused quality initiatives and residency programs, she has significantly strengthened recruitment and retention across the system.
Nicole Telhiard, DNP. CNO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at Our Lady of the Lake Health (Baton Rouge, La.). Dr. Telhiard has served as CNO since 2015, providing strategic and operational oversight for nursing and patient care services across a large continuum that includes a 729-bed medical center with a level 1 trauma center, a 57-bed hospital, a critical access hospital, two freestanding emergency departments and a nursing home. A trained incident commander, she also leads disaster response efforts to ensure continuity of care and regulatory adherence during crises. Dr. Telhiard is known for driving measurable workforce improvements, including revamping compensation, reducing agency nurse utilization dramatically, and lowering nurse turnover while expanding pathways such as accredited transition-to-practice programming and tuition-supported sponsorship models. She also helped establish a centralized patient transfer hub that reduced transfer time from 40 minutes to 10 minutes, and is now leading the expansion of that model across key regional corridors. Her leadership blends Lean performance improvement, academic partnerships and deep community engagement, including founding a patient family advisory council that influenced tangible experience improvements. With more than 30 years at Our Lady of the Lake, she has earned significant recognition, including Southeastern Louisiana University’s “Distinguished Alumnus Award” and statewide and national honors for nurse executive leadership.
Sheri Testani, DNP. CNO of Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe (Mich.) Hospital. Ms. Testani is the CNO at Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital, where she oversees nursing operations, daily hospital performance and strategic initiatives focused on quality, safety and patient experience. With nearly three decades of healthcare leadership experience, she is known for her exceptional communication skills, emotional intelligence and ability to foster psychologically safe, high-performing teams. Dr. Testani plays a key role in system governance, leading a quality, safety and experience council as well as serving on multiple executive and practice councils. Her leadership has driven strong clinical outcomes and contributed to recognitions including Magnet designation, Leapfrog “A” safety grades, and Healthgrades and U.S. News honors. Previously, she led nursing operations across multiple markets and founded a consulting firm focused on culture transformation and leadership development. Her career is defined by mentorship, inclusive leadership and sustained improvements in both patient care and workforce engagement.
Kim Tharp-Barrie, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO for Norton Healthcare (Louisville, Ky.). With over 40 years of healthcare experience, Dr. Tharp-Barrie exemplifies care in action through advocacy and innovation. Focusing on building systems that create the next generation of compassionate professionals, in 2010 she created what is now called Norton Healthcare Institute for Education & Development, growing it from four nurses to 81 to serve clinical education needs and advance nursing practice. Committed to understanding the importance of giving voice to employees, she was also named a Louisville Business First “Enterprising Woman” for 2023. She elevates several nursing programs and continues creating equitable pathways to bring more people into nursing. She has been key in the public schools academy program, which brings nursing opportunities to the classroom. In the community, she focuses on leading sexual assault and intimate partner violence programming for victims and their families.
Amy Thiesse, PhD, RN. CNO at Sanford Health Network, South Region (Sioux Falls, S.D.). With more than 30 years of nursing experience in tertiary and frontier hospitals, ambulatory and nursing home settings, Dr. Thiesse oversees nursing practice and the provision of nursing services in more than 25 rural medical centers and dozens of clinics. An advocate for equitably meeting the needs of rural communities, she is committed to upholding high standards for safe nursing practices, as well as skill and professional development opportunities tailored to rural frontline nurses. Understanding the unique needs and challenges associated with recruiting qualified nurses to smaller communities, Dr. Thiesse works closely with higher education institutions in the area to create opportunities for investigative learning and internships for nursing students.
Janet Tomcavage, MSN, RN. Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive of Geisinger (Danville, Pa.). Ms. Tomcavage drives strategies to strengthen Geisinger’s nursing practice, focusing on retention and recruitment efforts that promote professional development, innovation and recognition. Retention efforts like Geisinger’s “Nursing Scholars” program helped more than 380 employees begin a nursing career at Geisinger. Expanding the program to include additional nursing and support roles more than doubled enrollment, contributing to its highest number of internal promotions to registered nurses. She also guided the expansion of Geisinger’s nursing co-op and intern/extern programs to secure a student-to-employee pipeline. These efforts contributed to top-decile nurse retention, with inpatient RN turnover at 8.5% and ambulatory nurse turnover at 8%, alongside an 8-point increase in RN engagement from the previous year. She spearheaded Geisinger’s virtual nurse program, which has completed 34,364 admissions and 19,615 discharges remotely, and saved more than 27,000 nursing hours to date. This program is allowing bedside nurses to focus on direct patient care and work to the top of their skill set, license and education. Under her guidance, pilot programs using AI to detect patient falls and hospital acquired pressure injuries are also underway.
Kathleen “Kathy” Tregear, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President of Nursing Operations and Chief Nursing Executive at Beebe Healthcare (Lewes, Del.). Ms. Tregear serves as chief nursing executive of Beebe Healthcare, providing executive oversight for nursing operations and patient care services across the health system. She leads the system’s nursing workforce in advancing patient safety, clinical quality, operational efficiency, workforce planning and regulatory readiness across the continuum of care. She partners closely with physicians, executive leaders and multidisciplinary teams to implement evidence-based protocols, improve patient flow, and sustain a culture of safety and continuous improvement aligned with the system’s five-year strategic plan. Ms. Tregear brings not only clinical expertise but also business acumen and legal training, lending her a unique leadership perspective. Since joining the system, she has strengthened quality and safety programs and improved throughput and efficiency, which has contributed to national recognition including “Gold Seal of Approval” from Joint Commission, strong CMS quality ratings and U.S. News & World Report recognition. Her collaborative approach emphasizes physician–nurse partnership, multidisciplinary pathways and practical execution that raises the standard of care.
John Tressa, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Executive for Endeavor Health (Evanston, Ill.). Dr. Tressa is Endeavor Health’s system chief nurse executive, driving nursing excellence across nine hospitals and more than 300 sites of care, including eight Magnet-recognized acute care hospitals. He partners daily with the organization’s nine CNOs to standardize practice and ensure care is consistently safe, seamless and personalized across the system. A hands-on and collaborative leader, he spends significant time rounding in hospitals and ambulatory sites, engaging nurses, leaders and patients to strengthen the care experience. With nearly four decades in nursing, Dr. Tressa brings a uniquely broad leadership background that includes CNO, COO and CEO roles, as well as earlier experience in pediatric critical care, neonatal and pediatric transport, and flight nursing. Prior to joining Endeavor Health in 2018, he served as system senior vice president for heart and vascular and trauma service lines at Memorial Hermann in Houston.
Joy Upshaw, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO at TMC Health (Tucson, Ariz.). Ms. Upshaw serves as senior vice president and CNO at TMC Health, leading nursing practice across a broad range of clinical specialties. Her work focuses on advancing professional nursing development to drive improvements in quality, safety and patient outcomes. She is recognized for building strong, high-performing nursing leadership teams and fostering a culture of accountability, innovation and excellence. Through creative retention strategies, she has consistently maintained nursing turnover well below national benchmarks. With more than 16 years of nursing leadership experience, her background spans oncology, cardiac care, maternal-child health, emergency services, intensive care and more. Ms. Upshaw’s impact has been recognized as one of “Tucson’s Fab 50 Nurses” by Tucson Nurses Week Foundation and as one of “Oklahoma’s Great 100 Nurses” by the Great 100 Nurses Foundation.
Hollie Vaughan, RN. Region VI CNO for Prime Healthcare (Ontario, Calif.). Ms. Vaughan serves as the CNO for Prime Healthcare’s region VI, overseeing hospitals in Florida, Indiana, and Ohio. With over 20 years of nursing experience, including more than a decade in CNO roles, Ms. Vaughan’s leadership focuses on establishing standards and fostering strong nursing leadership. She has achieved significant milestones throughout her career, such as helping a hospital earn American College of Cardiology chest pain accreditation and developing a centralized cardiac monitoring department. Additionally, Ms. Vaughan has helped hospitals reduce nursing turnover, implement new EHRs and improve patient satisfaction scores.
Kelly Vaughn. CNO of Nebraska Medicine (Omaha). Ms. Vaughn provides strategic leadership that aligns nursing practice with Nebraska Medicine’s broader goals, while fostering a collaborative, supportive environment for nurses and care teams. She played a key role in launching an innovation design unit in December 2024, a 17-room active patient care unit for testing advanced care models, AI-enhanced technology and facility design staffed by 40 inpatient providers. Her leadership has driven significant improvements in patient safety, including a 35% reduction in hospital-acquired infections and a 40% decrease in patient falls. Prior to being named CNO at Nebraska Medicine, Ms. Vaughn began as a nursing assistant before becoming a staff nurse, nurse manager, program manager and vice president of operations. Ms. Vaughn also serves on Nebraska Medicine’s board of directors. Throughout her 26-year journey within the Nebraska Medicine system, she has been able to learn, challenge herself and grow within the organization.
Barbara Vazquez, DNP, RN. CNO of Christus Children’s Hospital (San Antonio, Texas). As CNO for Christus Children’s Hospital, Dr. Vazquez oversees nursing, patient care services and the hospital’s nurses. She leads the charge in convening problem-solving and policy-forming conferences, which ultimately shape the trajectory of the hospital’s nursing services. Under her leadership, all quality metrics for nursing have improved, including reduced hospital acquired infections, surgical site infections and unplanned extubations.
Heather Veltre, DNP, RN. CNO at Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center (Summit, N.J.). Dr. Veltre provides executive leadership for nursing professional practice, education, research and clinical services during a major, multi-phase hospital transformation. Since joining in 2024, she advanced nurse-driven protocols, launched a two-year transition-to-practice roadmap, and led mobility and behavioral health crisis unit redesigns to improve safety for patients and staff. She developed and executed a recruitment and retention strategy that reduced vacancies and agency utilization, while guiding the organization to Magnet with Distinction recognition in 2025, marking its first at this level. Dr. Veltre also strengthened shared governance and systemwide nursing alignment. She was appointed the system CNO representative for the nursing quality improvement council and patient fall council. Under her leadership, the medical center’s emergency services earned the Emergency Nurses Association “Lantern Award” and sustained excellence across emergency, maternity, neurological and medical-surgical services.
Elizabeth Vieito-Smith, DNP, RN. CNO of University of Miami Health System. As CNO, Dr. Vieito-Smith develops and directs the overall nursing activities for University of Miami Health System, which includes overseeing, coordinating and evaluating nursing services to ensure quality and continuous improvement. She set industry-leading low staffing ratios to promote nursing satisfaction and optimal patient outcomes. She also crafted and implemented an admission, discharge and transfer nursing role, making the system one of the first in the U.S. to create a specific role to address patient throughput. She is also the associate dean of academic health centers integration for the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Smith brings more than 40 years of nursing career experience to her role.
Ashley M. Virts, MSN, RN. CNO at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus and Vice President of Nursing for the Women’s and Pediatric Service Lines (Falls Church, Va.). Ms. Virts serves as CNO at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, overseeing nursing operations and clinical practice at one of the region’s largest hospitals. She also serves as vice president of nursing across Inova’s women’s and pediatric services lines. She leads nursing alignment with Inova’s care imperatives while representing nurses in senior leadership and quality forums. Over her 15-year career at Inova, Ms. Virts has progressed from nurse extern to executive leadership, overseeing more than 4,000 nurses and 3,800 full time employees across multiple hospitals and service lines. She has led the design and opening of new inpatient units, specialty program expansions and major performance improvement initiatives. Notably, she championed a flexible four-day workweek option for leaders with 24/7 accountability, transitioning the program from pilot to permanent practice in 2025. Her leadership has contributed to improved engagement, reduced vacancies, and continued national recognition for quality and safety.
Gail Vozella, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Executive of Houston Methodist. Ms. Vozella serves as the chief nursing executive for Houston Methodist, bringing 38 years of healthcare experience. She has launched transformative initiatives like the nursing science fellowship program, implemented nursing workload innovation projects, and led key strategic programs in patient care and nursing education. She aims to ensure the nursing workforce is ready for the future, including the creation of an optimal work environment to provide exceptional patient care. Part of that vision is to improve the transition to practice for new graduate nurses.
Kasandra Wald. CNO of Linton (N.D.) Regional Medical Center. Ms. Wald serves as CNO at Linton Regional Medical Center, overseeing critical clinical areas including med-surgical services, the emergency department, trauma, surgery and outpatient services. In this role, she focuses on strengthening day-to-day hospital operations while fostering innovation within nursing and across patient care services. Ms. Wald is noted for pivotal leadership in implementing major operational and clinical advancements, including the successful rollout of the hospital’s trauma program, an important capability expansion that strengthens emergency readiness and community access to timely care. She also played a key role in the organization’s transition to Epic EHR, which has supported improved clinical workflows, more reliable documentation and smoother coordination across departments. Through these initiatives, she has helped position the hospital for stronger patient-care delivery and more streamlined operational performance in a critical access environment.
Ginell Walker-Way, BSN, RN. CNO of Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center (Pompton Plains, N.J.). Ms. Walker-Way has served as CNO at Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center since April 2022, overseeing daily operations across nursing, case management, emergency services, patient experience and other key service lines. She partners closely with physicians and leaders at both the hospital and system levels to ensure safe, high-quality care and strong clinical performance. A longtime Atlantic Health leader who began her career in 1995 as a cath lab staff nurse at Overlook Medical Center, she has steadily advanced through leadership roles across multiple Atlantic Health sites. Her clinical and operational background spans cardiology, critical care, outpatient services and surgical services, giving her a broad perspective on care delivery and patient flow. Known as a strong advocate for nursing excellence, she prioritizes recruitment, retention, employee engagement and professional development, all while promoting a culture of inclusion and empowerment. In 2025, she earned the “DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award” from the DAISY Foundation, recognizing more than 25 years of leadership, mentorship, advocacy and compassionate care.
Eric Wallis, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Henry Ford Health (Detroit). Dr. Wallis is responsible for advancing innovative care models, professional development, education and engagement for Henry Ford Health’s systemwide nursing community. He partnered with Michigan State University to develop a new model of clinical faculty roles for Henry Ford nurses to increase clinical placements and nursing program enrollment. He developed the first staffing office for the system and is responsible for launching the first system virtual ICU in Michigan. His efforts thus far have decreased first year RN turnover as well as overall turnover. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and currently serves on the Michigan Hospital Association legislative policy panel and on the Oakland University School of Nursing board of visitors.
Jacqueline “Jackie” Ward, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and System Chief Nurse Executive of Texas Children’s Hospital (Houston). Dr. Ward is senior vice president and system chief nurse executive at Texas Children’s Hospital, overseeing nursing operations across all campuses and leading workforce strategy, staffing models, professional development and retention for a system of nearly 20,000 employees. A Texas Children’s nurse by career foundation since starting as a graduate nurse in 1993, she has risen through progressive leadership roles to shape enterprisewide nursing strategy. Dr. Ward helped lead the nursing component of “Tomorrow Together,” a $130 million workforce initiative launched in 2021 that included compensation improvements, restoration of paid time off, and expanded flexibility to strengthen recruitment and retention. She advanced innovative staffing and pipeline approaches, including continuum-based pathways that integrate student nurses and patient care technicians into nursing roles, and the “tandem nurse” role to support new graduates in high-acuity settings. Under her leadership, Texas Children’s accelerated hiring through centralized hiring hubs, reducing time from application to onboarding from about 180 days to roughly 45 days to offset staffing shortages. She emphasizes wellness, mentorship and “work-life harmony,” building structures that support nurses across life stages while developing future leaders across the organization. Her influence extends beyond the hospital through advisory and board service and statewide workforce efforts. Her leadership has been recognized through multiple honors, including the 2025 “Outstanding Woman in Healthcare Award” from YWCA Houston.
Anne Marie Watkins, DNP, RN, CENP. Chief Nursing Executive and Senior Vice President at UCI Health (Orange, Calif.). Dr. Watkins serves as chief nursing executive and senior vice president at UCI Health, overseeing nursing practice and patient care delivery across six hospitals and multiple ambulatory sites. She also holds an academic appointment as assistant dean of nursing education, strengthening academic–practice integration and workforce development. During 2024–25, she led the integration of four newly acquired community hospitals and consolidated operations under a single hospital license to streamline regulatory compliance. Under her leadership, RN turnover at the Orange campus declined from 15.4% to 9.1%, and multiple high-potential leaders were promoted into director roles. She sponsors major system initiatives including “Epic Reimagined,” the UCI Capacity Command Center, and centralized monitoring to improve patient flow and clinician workload. Dr. Watkins has also advanced patient experience, driving gains in documentation compliance and physician–nurse communication scores.
Michelle Watson, MSN, RN. Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations at Lifepoint Health (Brentwood, Tenn.). Ms. Watson leads enterprise nursing across Lifepoint Health’s acute, rehabilitation and behavioral health settings, with responsibility spanning clinical operations improvement, patient experience, virtual care models, and regulatory and accreditation performance. She is a key partner to system quality and safety strategy, including oversight of elements of the national quality program and enterprise workforce recruitment and retention. Under her leadership, the system launched an evidence-based RN residency program across 38 acute hospitals in 2023 and expanded it to all 60 acute hospitals in 2024, with additional rollout into select rehabilitation and behavioral health sites. The program achieved 86% retention for new graduate RNs in 2024, generated 450 net new bedside RNs across acute hospitals, and drove a 125% increase in RN resident hires. Since its launch, the residency has sustained 82% retention with more than 1,300 RN residents enrolled. She also advanced the RN fellows program to develop experienced nurses as specialty preceptors and mentors, supporting 92 RN fellows across 18 facilities year-to-date in 2025 toward national certification. Ms. Watson further helped launch Lifepoint’s “REACH” workforce strategy and serves as executive sponsor for “EMPOWER,” the organization’s women’s employee resource group. She also participates in the Joint Commission’s CNE/CNO council.
Tammy Webb, PhD, RN. Chief Nurse Executive for Children’s Health (Dallas). Dr. Webb leads a diverse nursing team at Children’s Health, focused on delivering high-quality, compassionate care. Under her leadership, the organization achieved its fourth consecutive Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2023. Dr. Webb has driven various strategic initiatives to enhance patient care, including expedited antibiotic protocols for vulnerable patients and minimal stimulation guidelines for children with brain injuries. Her work is highlighted in the annual nursing report, which showcases innovative nursing practices and reinforces Children’s Health’s position as a leader in pediatric nursing.
Jamie White, PhD, RN. Vice President of Patient Care and CNO of Frederick (Md.) Health. Dr. White is a transformational leader dedicated to the elevation of nursing practice at Frederick Health. She has created a culture rooted in safety, interprofessional collaboration and professional growth. Under her leadership, focused initiatives addressing workplace violence, positive practice environments and flexible staffing have increased nursing engagement scores above the national average, improved patient throughput and decreased monthly door-to-discharge performance in the emergency room from 247 minutes to 222 minutes. She directly addressed deficiencies that improved clinical quality indicators. Hospital acquired conditions improved by 23 percentage points in calendar year 2025, and patient experience scores of interventions piloted in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 showed improvement across six out of seven key attributes including overall hospital rating, nurse communication, hospital environment, communication about medicine and discharge information. She is committed to mentoring emerging nurse leaders and creating innovative development programs.
Ena Williams, PhD, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health. In March 2025, Dr. Williams was named chief nurse executive of Yale New Haven Health, bringing more than three decades of dedicated service and progressive leadership within the system. She joined Yale New Haven Hospital in 1992 as an operating room nurse and advanced to CNO in 2018, where she led the organization through its third Magnet redesignation. Under her leadership, the hospital navigated the Covid-19 pandemic and earned the 2024 American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet prize for an innovative patient experience survey tool for psychiatric inpatients. As system chief nurse executive, Dr. Williams steered multiple Magnet efforts in 2025. She is also responsible for leading systemwide standardization of nursing best practices, training opportunities, and workforce strategies to meet evolving care demands. Nationally recognized for her influence, Dr. Williams serves on The Joint Commission board of commissioners and the American Nurses Foundation board of trustees, was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2023, and will serve as president of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership in 2026.
Amy Wilson, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive for SSM Health (St. Louis). Dr. Wilson leads the systemwide strategic direction and operations of nursing and clinical services at SSM Health, including the health at home program. She also manages responsibilities spanning workforce management, continuous improvement and philanthropy. She is widely associated with building “joy in practice” through modern workforce strategies that support recruitment, retention and flexible staffing in a challenging labor environment. Under her leadership, the system’s nurse extern program has scaled to bring student nurses into paid, credit-bearing clinical experiences, with hundreds of externs participating across multiple states. She has also advanced a comprehensive workforce model that includes flexible options, international nurses and a social strategy that leverages nurse influencers to strengthen engagement and hiring. Dr. Wilson helped establish a major education partnership with Chamberlain University to fund nursing education, enhance readiness and create clear pathways to employment across SSM markets. She has also led care transformation initiatives that improved operational performance, including reducing excess observation time and generating significant cost savings.
Christopher G. Wilson, MSN, RN. CNO at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan (New York City). Mr. Wilson oversees nursing and patient care services at a 338-bed academic community hospital, including nursing, advanced practice nursing, radiology, laboratory, social services, respiratory care, behavioral health, creative arts therapy and pastoral care, with additional oversight of behavioral health regulatory improvements. Under his leadership since 2022, the hospital earned multiple national recognitions, including “GOLD Beacon Awards” from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for both the neonatal ICU and adult ICU, the Emergency Nurses Association “Lantern Award” for the emergency department, Baby-Friendly re-designation, Safe Sleep GOLD redesignations, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses centers of excellence and “Pathway to Excellence with Distinction,” making the organization the first in the world to achieve that distinction. Operationally, he reduced agency staffing by more than 95% while converting at least 60% of agency nurses to permanent roles, opened a new inpatient unit and an inpatient psychiatric unit, and reduced hospital-acquired pressure injury and catheter-associated urinary tract infection by more than 75%. RN turnover declined from 28.54% in 2022 to 2.26% in 2025, supported by a rebuilt education department that expanded from two educators to 14 and accelerated recruitment of RNs and nurse leaders. Mr. Wilson has earned multiple state and professional honors for nursing best practices and inclusive leadership.
Heidi Wolf, MSN, RN. CNO at DeTar Healthcare System (Victoria, Texas). Ms. Wolf has been in executive nurse leadership for two decades, and with DeTar Healthcare System for five of those years. She oversees nursing practice, operations, clinical integration and a team of nurses at DeTar Hospital Navarro and DeTar Hospital North. She also leads patient experience and capacity optimization initiatives. Ms. Wolf has introduced a new nurse graduate program with an enhanced focus on ICU nursing, which has resulted in new grad ICU nurses. She has also focused on filling vacant nursing positions and improving nurse retention rates. Ms. Wolf also serves on the Hope of South Texas Child Advocacy Center board of directors.
Laura J. Wood, DNP, RN. System CNO and Executive Vice President of Patient Care Operations at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Wood leads nursing and patient care operations at Boston Children’s Hospital. Over the past decade, her initiatives have led to a 46.5% reduction in serious preventable harm, a 200% outperformance of the RN engagement national excellence mean for fundamentals of quality nursing care, and a doubling of the racial and ethnic diversity in the nursing workforce. She is an RWJ Foundation Executive Nurse fellow alumna and American Academy of Nursing fellow. She provides national advocacy for nursing research funding, scholarship and professional practice environments through board service to Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research, SIGMA Foundation and American Nurses’ Credentialing Center, and was ANCC president for 2024-2025.
Launette Woolforde, EdD, DNP. Executive Vice President and CNO of Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). Dr. Woolforde was named executive vice president and CNO of Northwell Health in November 2025. She is charged with oversight of 22,000 nurses across Northwell’s 28 hospitals and 1,000 outpatient facilities. She has been in the healthcare sector for 32 years, with the previous 20 spent at Northwell. Most recently, she served as deputy CNO, working with the system’s prior CNO to advance nursing practice and improve patient care. Dr. Woolforde is also the former system vice president of nursing and CNO of three of the health system’s hospitals. In her previous roles, she managed the creation of Northwell’s nurse residency program and helped launch the system’s air medical transplant program.
Phyllis Yezzo, DNP, RN. Executive Vice President and CNO for WMCHealth Network (Valhalla, N.Y.). Dr. Yezzo was appointed executive vice president and CNO of Westchester Medical Center Health Network in 2022, expanding her role to oversee nursing operations across all WMCHealth hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and provider practices. With nearly five decades of experience, she is responsible for maintaining high nursing standards across the network’s nine hospitals, where nurses represent the largest workforce segment. In 2022, Dr. Yezzo played a key role in negotiating three nursing union contracts, securing a 27% pay increase over five years and preserving benefits for more than 1,500 nurses. She also collaborates with New York Medical College and 20 other institutions to train nursing students. Beyond her work at WMCHealth, Dr. Yezzo holds leadership roles in several professional organizations and serves as an adjunct professor at Touro College.
Kathi Zarubi, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive for HonorHealth (Scottsdale, Ariz.). Dr. Zarubi, chief nursing executive at HonorHealth, leads strategic nursing operations across the system’s hospitals and outpatient clinics. With over 40 years of nursing experience, Dr. Zarubi focuses on empowering nursing teams to strive for professional excellence and improve patient outcomes through collaboration and human connection. Her leadership emphasizes nurse retention, job satisfaction and quality care. Dr. Zarubi also supports innovative initiatives, such as the implementation of a virtual nurse pilot, which improved both patient satisfaction and employee engagement. She is dedicated to fostering nurse-led decision-making, ensuring that nurses have a voice in improving quality, safety and the overall patient experience.
