Kelly demonstrates exceptional leadership by communicating unit goals, challenges, and decisions with consistent openness and clarity. She uses diverse and engaging methods such as regular pancake breakfasts and ongoing Unit-Based Council collaboration—to ensure every staff member feels informed, valued, and connected to the team’s shared progress. Her weekly Friday update emails further reinforce transparency, allowing staff to trust in both the information provided and the leadership guiding them.

What truly distinguishes Kelly is her active, hands-on leadership style. She is fully present on the unit and leads by example, modeling the professionalism, compassion, and resilience expected of the team. She consistently steps into critical situations by actively responding during codes, assisting with ECMO cannulations, or participating in cardioversions, always standing shoulder to shoulder with bedside staff. Equally important, she supports the team during routine but essential tasks, such as answering call lights or assisting patients, ensuring no staff member ever feels alone during demanding moments.

Kelly’s unwavering presence, integrity, and dedication create a culture of trust and empowerment. Her actions reflect the highest standards of nursing leadership, making her not only an outstanding manager, but a role model whose influence elevates both staff performance and patient care. These qualities make her an exemplary candidate nominee for an outstanding Nurse Leader.

Over the past two years, Kelly has championed the engagement of three critical care units in the AACN Healthy Work Environment Collaborative, an initiative centered on six key standards: Skilled Communication, True Collaboration, Effective Decision Making, Appropriate Staffing, Meaningful Recognition, and Authentic Leadership. Her leadership in this work has played a vital role in reducing burnout and turnover among nursing teams while supporting improved patient outcomes.

Deeply committed to cultivating a unit culture rooted in these standards, Kelly has led the CICU, MPCU, and CTICU through this initiative by coordinating meetings, presentations, ongoing check-ins, and engaging with mentors. During this time, she has organized both a unit-based project within the CICU and a multi-unit project spanning all three departments. Each effort focused on strengthening collaboration across disciplines and has demonstrated measurable success through improved survey responses from staff members.

Within the CICU, Kelly supports all staff members to participate in interdisciplinary shadowing opportunities, helping them better understand and appreciate the roles of the colleagues they work closely with at the bedside. Beyond these structured projects, she has thoughtfully advanced each of the six standards within the CICU through skilled rounding and dedicated support of staff, continually working to elevate the team’s overall work environment and experience.

Kelly holds both herself and her staff to a high standard of consideration and professionalism. She believes that nursing is a trusted profession and she takes that trust and responsibility very seriously. She is involved in several interdisciplinary initiatives, like the healthy workplace initiative that Kimmi mentioned, as well as acting as a nurse representative during monthly physician-led M&Ms, weekly interdisciplinary heart failure advanced therapy committee meetings, and monthly LVAD committee meetings. She actively cultivates interdepartmental relationships amongst physician partners, physical/occupational therapy partners, and many others, acting as a strong nurse representative when problem-solving and developing initiatives. Kelly is also a Critical Care Registered Nurse through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and remains connected to the national nursing community through this association. Her active involvement through the Healthy Workplace Initiative, a nation-wide project that several institutions have been elected to participate in, shows her commitment to improving nursing workplaces and elevating the profession on a national level. All of these qualities, and so much more, illustrate Kelly's commitment to the nursing profession for herself, her staff, the organization, and the country.

Back in summer of 2025 we had a young patient on the unit who was admitted unexpectedly, and it became apparent she was very sick. This patient had been planning her wedding reception and it was scheduled for a week or two after her admission date. Despite aggressive treatment, it did not look promising that the patient would be discharged in time for her wedding. Kelly took it upon herself to coordinate with the patient and her family to throw a wedding celebration here on the unit. Kelly collected decorations (some of which were donated by fellow nurses from their own wedding ceremonies) and purchased extras. She had desserts delivered and some light catering. She came in on a Saturday to set up the conference room, decorate the patient's room and bed, and help the family coordinate everything. The patient had friends and family fly in from all over the country for the celebration. I was that patient's nurse that day and she just kept saying "I'm so, so happy," and I think a lot of that is owed to Kelly's efforts to make her wedding reception special and beautiful. We were even able to help her get into her wedding dress for her first look with her husband and father, one of her biggest wishes for the day. The patient unfortunately did end up withdrawing life support measures and passing away just a few days after the wedding reception, a decision she was able to be at peace with after spending time with all her family and friends on her special day. As a witness to and participant in the day, I can say it was extremely memorable, and one that touched me deeply. I am so grateful to have a nurse leader like Kelly who can prioritize the most important things for our patients, and be willing to show up for her staff as well so that we can provide the best possible care for our patients.