Marie Simmons became a nurse to serve others. She is a clinical manager and has served at Children’s National for 42 years. She began her career as a Child Care Technician (CCT). She has been a nurse at Children's National for 41 years. Ms. Simmons enjoyed her pediatric clinical rotation, and her first nursing position was in the pediatric step-down Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where she worked for eight years. She found her passion as an ambulatory nurse in the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) clinic, where she has served for over 30 years. She was one of the first ambulatory nurses at Children’s National Hospital.

Ms. Simmons has functioned in numerous roles. In addition to being a direct care nurse, she has used her skills to educate and improve quality. Ms. Simmons has developed competencies, written protocols, and revised processes. She taught trach care courses to school nurses and has been a CPR instructor. Ms. Simmons facilitated the teach-back rollout for the ENT clinic, the development of a postpartum screening toolkit and resources for the ENT clinic, and the standardization of education materials across ambulatory. Implementing best practices and ensuring compliance, she revised the process of disinfecting reusable instruments and sterilizing flexible scopes.

As a nurse leader, Ms. Simmons displays a humble awareness that there is always something to learn from others and is willing to share her wisdom with everyone. She serves as a mentor to new nurses, enabling their personal and professional growth. She willingly shares her expertise with those around her. She is known for her work developing relationships with patients and families, ensuring service recovery.

Ms. Simmons received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Maryland and her Master of Science in Nursing from the Catholic University of America.