Denise Dunford, DNS, FNP-BC, APRN, has been named director of the advanced practice environment for Kaleida Health.
Among other responsibilities, Dr. Dunford will work with advanced practice providers (APP) across Kaleida Health to organize an APP Council that would engage APPs in making decisions about their work and develop ongoing professional opportunities, including a clinical ladder.
Dr. Dunford is a recognized leader on issues affecting advanced practice, such as educational preparation, state licensure, professional certification, contracts, onboarding, interprofessional practice, collaborative agreements, accreditation, and workplace requirements. She will report directly to Cheryl Klass, chief nurse executive and chief operating officer for Kaleida Health.
While this is a new role, Dr. Dunford has worked at Buffalo General Medical Center for 43 years beginning as a med-surg nurse from 1980-1995 and as a nurse practitioner for the last 28 years in the Emergency Department (ED). From 1998 to spring 2022, Dr. Dunford balanced clinical work in the ED with teaching at D’Youville University. Dr. Dunford’s academic position expanded from direct classroom instruction to becoming the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program director, graduate chair, doctoral program director and assistant dean.
Dr. Dunford earned her bachelor’s degree from D’Youville University and her master’s and doctoral degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She is double board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and an Emergency Nurse Practitioner. In addition, she serves as a trustee on the Board of Directors for the Health Foundation of Western and Central New York (HFWCNY).
After a short transition period, Dr. Dunford plans to hold in-person and virtual town hall meetings with APPs to gather their perspectives on the practice environment. Because collaboration, teamwork and relationship-building are crucial for any project’s success, Dr. Dunford welcomes hearing from anyone who would like to be involved with the APP Council at mdunford@kaleidahealth.org.