Vice President & Chief Nursing Executive, University of Rochester Health System

As Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at the University of Rochester Health System, Dr. Karen Keady provides executive system leadership for nursing and clinical support staff for Strong Memorial Hospital, Golisano Children’s Hospital, Wilmot Cancer Center and the 5 regional community hospitals within the system. In this role, Karen has focused on standardization and collaboration across the health system, analyzing opportunities for optimizing infrastructure and resources, improving patient and staff safety, harmonizing technology, and developing leaders. Over the last year, she has lead strategic initiatives to successfully navigate the COVID-19 pandemic including implementation of new nursing care delivery models, creative incentive plans, wellness and resiliency programs, and workforce recruitment and stabilization activities. Diversity, equity and inclusion are top priorities for Karen as she works to develop teams and new clinical programs. At the University of Rochester School of Nursing, Karen serves as the Assistant Dean for Clinical Practice and is an Associate Professor. Prior to joining the University of Rochester 3 years ago, Karen spent 30 years with the Johns Hopkins Health System in Maryland. Her clinical nursing background is in Neuroscience Critical Care, and she held several leadership roles while at the Hopkins Hopkin Hospital including Nurse Manager of the Cardiac Care Unit and Director of Medical Nursing. Karen also served as Chief Nursing Officer at Howard County General Hospital, a Johns Hopkins Health System affiliated community hospital. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Towson University, Karen earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.  She is an international speaker and published author in the fields of heart failure, self-care, cognitive impairment and leadership development. Karen is board certified as an Advanced Nurse Executive.