Darlene Curley Named Executive Director of the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence
Health Policy Leader, Former Legislator and Nurse to Head New York City Nursing Foundation
NEW YORK – The Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence, a philanthropic program dedicated to tackling today’s most pressing nursing workforce issues, named health policy leader and former legislator Darlene Curley, M.S., R.N., as Executive Director. Ms. Curley, who also currently heads a health policy consulting practice and most recently served two terms in the Maine House of Representatives, brings to the Jonas Center extensive executive leadership experience. A nurse and health care consultant, she quickly established herself as one of the Legislature’s foremost experts on health policy issues, earning a spot on the Health Committee of the national Council of State Legislatures. In this appointment, she worked with legislators nationwide to lower health care costs, decrease the price of prescription drugs and improve access to high quality health care. She was also appointed to the State’s Long-term Care Oversight Committee, which oversees programs and policies of the Department of Human Services as they pertain to the long-term care of adults with disabilities and the elderly.
Prior to her election to the House of Representatives, Ms. Curley was founder and CEO of a home health care and medical staffing business, Community Homecare, Inc. She has served on the faculty of the University of Southern Maine and was Director for Strategic Planning for Healthsouth Corporation/Advantage Health, one of the largest health care companies in the United States. Ms. Curley holds bachelor’s degrees in nursing and health education from the University of Maryland at Baltimore and the University of Maine, respectively. She earned her master’s degree in community health administration from the University of Maryland at Baltimore.
“Ms. Curley brings a unique set of experiences to the Jonas Center,” said Donald Jonas, co-founder of the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence. “Her perspective as a nurse, first and foremost, combined with having run a home health care business and her experience fighting for better health care in the policy arena will help propel the Jonas Center to new heights in advancing professional nursing.”
Since its inception in 2006, the Jonas Center has launched several initiatives, including: The Jonas Nursing Scholars Program, supporting educational development of doctoral-level faculty; and its inaugural grant program, Who Will Care for Me?, which awarded 12 grants to partnerships among New York City academic institutions and clinical practice settings to promote nurse recruitment and retention, increase ethnic and racial diversity among the nursing workforce, advance innovative practice models and improve practice environments in New York City and beyond.
“I am extremely pleased to have the opportunity to lead this remarkable organization. In a short period of time, the Jonas Center has made significant strides in improving the state of nursing and providing much needed support for our nation’s nurses – the unsung heroes on the frontlines of health care,” said Ms. Curley. “I look forward to building on the noble work of the Jonas Center to advance the nursing profession.”
About the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence
Founded in February of 2006, the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence (www.jonascenter.org) is supported by the Barbara and Donald Jonas Family Fund. Its mission is to advance professional nursing through grant making and programs that improve nurse recruitment and retention, increase ethnic and racial diversity among the nursing workforce, advance innovative practice models and improve practice settings in New York City.