* Recipient of the 2017 Pioneering Spirit Award by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for lifetime contributions to the profession.
* Recognized as nursing leader to honor on the cover of Nurse Leader Magazine - 2014
“ Staff Scheduling in the Era of Millennials” AONL webinar 2019
“Work/Life Balance Matters – Millennial Influences and the Changing Nursing Workforce” AONL webinar 2019
“Our Changing Workforce, Are You Ready for Millennials?” Connect Conference 2019
“The Radical Responsibility of Leadership” Thrive Leadership Conference 2019
“ Staffing Excellence in the Era of Cloud-based Technology” Connect Conference 2017
“ How ACOs Are Changing Our World” AONE March 2013
“Nurse Consultants” Catalyst Academy May 2012
“Harmony Wellbeing and Circles” Key Note Oncology Nurses Association Nov 2011
“Harmony, Wellbeing and the Circle” ANCC Oct 2010
“On Staffing Excellence: Informed Action, Bigger Impact” Balancing Staffing and Quality for Healthcare Executives - HACEC June 2010
“Competency and Staffing; The Backbone of Patient Safety” Healthcare Forum on Leadership June 2010
“Thought Leaders of Staffing Excellence” Healthcare Forum on Leadership June 2010
“Outcomes Achieved Through Innovations in Staffing Excellence” – ANCC Oct. 2009
“Excellence and Evidence in Staffing” NO-AONE June 2009
“An Evidence-based Consortium for Staffing Excellence” , AONE 2009
“Achieving Excellence in Staffing :A Roadmap for Healthcare Organizations”, ANCC 2008
“Evidence-based Staffing” Hospital Council of Northern California, Charting Nursing’s Future Sept 2008
“A Systems Approach to Organizational Workforce Management” VCU Health System's "5th Annual Leading the Way, Mid-Atlantic Nursing Leadership conference" June 2008
"Workforce Management Solutions for Creating Sustainable Solutions "Catalyst Client Academy 2008
“Reductions in Labor Spend Through Improved Staffing Practice” HFMA Region 11 Jan 2008
“Workforce Management Solutions that Create a Sustainable Future” STTI Nov 2007
“Applying a Systems Thinking Model Approach to Effective Staffing” AONE April 2007
“Leveraging Bidding Technology as a Retention and Recruitment Strategy” HIMSS Feb 2007
“Staffing Effectiveness; Creating Effective Strategies and Exploring New Solutions” NOVA 2006
“The Introduction of Bidding Technology into Healthcare” Nursing Symposium, AMIA 2005
“What We Have Learned About Staffing Effectiveness and Managing the Costs of Labor with the Introduction of Bidding Technology in Healthcare” THA 2005
“Leveraging Bidding Technology as a Retention and Recruitment Strategy” HR-MedCom 2005
“Nursing's Role as Key Stakeholder in Defining IT Requirements & Systems Acquisition” Van Slyck Conference 2004
Nurses Cry Too – Author Published 2021
Generational Complexities Present New Challenges for Nurse Leaders – Nurse Leader, 2020
The Dance of Caring - A Caregivers Guide to Harmony - co-authored with Eddie Madril and Sara Moncada, Published 2016
Why We Should Be Paying Attention to the Evolving World of Staffing Technology, Nursing Economics, Sept. 2016
Death and The Healthcare Professional – Practical Guide to a Difficult Topic – co authored with Marilyn Schultz, PhD, Published World View Enterprises 2016
How Data is Changing Our World, Nurse Leader, Oct 2014
Leader to Honor, Kathy Douglas RN, Cover Article Interview, Nurse Leader, Oct 2014
Staffing Unleashed Column – Nursing Economics
Staffing Excellence, Beyond the Numbers – Editor Special Issue, Nursing Economics, Oct 2013
Talent Management the Next Frontier, Retaining, Nurturing and Growing Our Nursing Workforce, Nurse Leader, Jan 2013
Forging the Future of Staffing Based on Excellence, Second Edition, Part 2, Editor, Special Issue, Nursing Economics, Oct 2012
Reflections on NURSES If Florence Could See Us Now, Nurse Leader, Aug 2012
Forging the Future of Staffing Based on Excellence, Second Edition– Editor, Special Issue, Nursing Economics July 2012
Forging the Future of Staffing Based on Excellence, Editor, Special Issue, Nursing Economics July 2011
Digital Dashboards and Staffing Decisions a Perfect Match, American Nurse Today May 2110
National Collaboration Explores Excellence and Evidence in Staffing, Nurse Leader April 2010
Evidence-based Staffing and Communityship as the Key to Success; Nurs Clin N Am 2010
Economic Turmoil: The Opportunity for Nursing Nurse Leader, Oct 2009
Self-Directed Floating, Cover Story, RM Magazine, May 2009
Excellence and Evidence in Staffing; Essential Links to Staffing Strategies, Design and Solutions for Healthcare , Booklet 2009
Applying a systems thinking model for effective staffing, Nurse Leader Oct 2008
Evidence-based Staffing: Potential Roles for Informatics, Nursing Economic June 2008
Achieving effective staffing through a shared decision-making approach to open-shift management, Journal of Nursing Administration 2008
Incentive Programs; Using Non- monetary Rewards to Motivate Staff and Improve Morale, HR Pulse, June 2007
Shift Bidding Technology a Substantial Return on Investment, Nurse Leader, Feb 2006
Shift Bidding Technology: A Strategic Tool for Open Shift Management, HealthCare Review, Mar 2006
Pioneering New Solutions in Nurse Staffing: Implementing a Bidding System for Filling Open Shifts. Nurse Leader, Aug 2004
2019 - 2021
EXECUTIVE VP AND CNO, PROLUCENT HEALTH – Healthcare Workforce
Member of the founding team that launched Prolucent, bringing new innovation and thoughtful disruption to meeting the workforce demands in healthcare.
2019- Present
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, VIDEO PROJECT - Media Company
Provide oversight and direction for this not-for-profit media company that provides programming on critical social and global issues to universities, collages, elementary schools, libraries and communities.
2018- Present
COUNCIL MEMBER, AONL FOUNDATION CORPORATE ADVISORY COUNCIL
Work with a national group of corporate nurse leaders to advise the American Organization of Nurse Leaders in the areas of nursing leadership, research and education.
2008 – Present
CEO, THE SEDONA GROUP – Strategic Consulting
Work with executives from media, technology, services, and care delivery sectors on a wide range of initiatives. Specialized in the healthcare workforce and all aspects of workforce management. Work with both executives and teams in the areas of sales, marketing, software design, user persona needs and experiences, responding to generational influences, fund raising, rapid growth, and leadership.
2010 – Present
FOUNDER, WISE WOMEN CIRCLES – Film Production Company
Founder of this film production company committed to positive and inspirational filmmaking. Among other films, created and directed the film NURSES If Florence Could See Us Now which has won national and international acclaim. Work as Executive Producer, Director and consultant on a variety of film projects.
2015 – 2017 CCO
SHIFTHOUND - Cloud-based Workforce Management
As Chief Clinical Officer responsible for healthcare strategy, building market awareness, and assuring that current issues facing healthcare are considered as ShiftHound’s products and services evolve.
2011 – 2014
CNO, API HEALTHCARE – Workforce Management Solutions
As Chief Nursing Officer, responsible for healthcare strategy, building market awareness, and assuring that current issues facing healthcare are considered as API’s products and services evolve. Established and lead API’s National Advisory Board. Lead a team of industry experts, analyst, data architect, designers and engineers to develop API’s next generation solutions for the healthcare workforce.
2009 – 2014
EDITORIAL BOARD, NURSING ECONOMICS - Journal
Editorial Board member for this highly regarded peer-reviewed journal. Help set strategic direction, identify contributing authors and review submission. Co-Editor across multiple years of what became an annual special issue on the Healthcare Workforce. Editor of the regular column Staffing Unleashed that explores new thinking and innovation in the healthcare workforce arena.
2008 – 2013
FOUNDER, INSTITUTE FOR STAFFING EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION / ON NURSING EXCELLENCE
Started and lead this not-for-profit organization focused on staffing and nursing excellence. In collaboration with thought leaders from across the country, authored the first white paper to define staffing excellence and an evidence-based staffing model, using data to drive effective decision-making.
2003 – 2008
CNO, CONCERRO (PREVIOUSLY BID-SHIFT) – Web-based Staffing Solutions
On the founding management team of this industry changing, start-up company that brought the first SAAS offering to workforce management for healthcare. Took on a variety of responsibilities as the company grew including leading Sales, Marketing and Client Service. Ultimately became Chief Nursing Officer, responsible for healthcare strategy, building market awareness and assuring that the current issues facing healthcare were considered as Concerro’s products and services evolved. Established and lead Concerro’s National Nurse Advisory Board and User Group. Authored many articles and frequent speaker on effective staffing strategies.
2000 - 2001
VP, PROJECT ARENA – Professional Services Automation Software
As Vice President of Professional Services oversaw the creation of a company wide customer strategy aligning Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Accounting, Services and the Management Team around a focus on the customer experience. Established a Professional Services team that regularly exceeded customer expectations confirmed by customer surveys. Worked with the Professional Services team to developed Project Arena’s services strategy, implementation methodology, training, support services and impact studies with delivery models for both on-site and remote customers.
1991 - 1999
EXECUTIVE VP, OCEANIA, INC. – Computerized Patient Record Software
Joined Oceania as one of the first employees. Brought strong leadership, systems thinking and creative problem solving that played a significant role in the growth of Oceania from start-up to over 200 employees. Multiple roles summarized below.
Executive Vice President, Commercial Division
Responsible for Sales, Marketing, Client Services and Consulting with Vice Presidents of each area as direct reports. Developed overall strategy for Commercial Division, Worked with the leaders of each area to establish action plans, processes, procedures, models and agreements in support of company and division goals. Part of merger and acquisition evaluation team.
Vice President, Client Services
Responsible for all customer relationships their success and growth, supported sales in gaining new customers and closing deals. Played significant role in the development of corporate culture with focus on values and growing a learning organization. Lead development and implementation of successful strategy to grow existing customer accounts, negotiated contracts that resulted in increased annual revenues from $1.3 to $18 million. Created and implemented rapid growth strategy (doubled in size each year), built highly motivated and high performing team of Relationship Managers, Engineers, Physicians, Nurses and other Healthcare Professionals who were effective both internally and externally. Established team focused on Government accounts and spun off into separate Division
The early days… active in all aspects of company; software design, sales, marketing, implementation, training and user support. Instrumental in winning first and all subsequent customers.
1986 - 1992
DMC - Consulting
Co-founder, Partner
Built successful consulting business offering business solution consulting, systems development and integration, marketing services and design consulting serving such customers as Charles Schwab, YMCA, SeaTech…
1989 - 1990 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL - Information Systems
Project Manager
Managed large installation team comprised of department managers, consultants and vendors for the implementation of an integrated clinical information system. Responsible for workflow analysis, process redesign, system design and customization, system testing, implementation and evaluation.
1987 - 1989 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL - Nursing Management
Manager, Adult Intensive Care
Developed and implemented turn-around strategy that resulted in a decrease of staff turnover from 24% to 6 %. Responsible for staff of 50, administered capital and operating budget, served on multiple hospital committees, developed and implemented merger strategy for combined intensive care departments.
1978 - 1987
Held multiple positions in healthcare including, Instructor/Consultant for Critical Care, Project Manager, Staffing Manager and Critical Care Direct Care Provider.
Stanford Business School - Executive Program (1999)
University of San Francisco - Masters Degree, Healthcare Administration (1997)
Saint Mary's College - Bachelors Degree, Healthcare Administration (1990)
Butte College – Associate Degree, Registered Nurse (1985)
Co-developed program to help senior citizens have a safe way to talk about death.
Donate significant time supporting filmmakers who create stories that inspire positive social change in the world.
Taught Critical Care Nursing in Beas, India
