Emily J. Winters, DNP, MS, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, has been named senior director for nursing excellence programs at Kaleida Health.
In this role, Winters will work collaboratively with nurse leaders across the organization to ensure efficient and effective system-wide nursing operations for all of Kaleida Health nursing, including global projects, recruitment and retention activities, leadership development strategies, and clinical program development and design. She will also coordinate the design, implementation and project management for the organization’s nursing plan of excellence design.
Winters joins Kaleida Health from Highland Hospital in conjunction with the University of Rochester Medical Center, where she most recently served as nursing professional development specialist. With more than 30 years of experience, Winters began her nursing career at Lakeside Memorial Hospital in Brockport and took on several leadership roles including the director of education. She then took a role as director of nursing education at Highland Hospital. Under Winters’ leadership as program director of the Highland Nurse Residency Program, the hospital was the first in Western New York to receive “accreditation with distinction” from the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the organization received its second accreditation in 2023.
Winters received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Gannon University and her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Roberts Wesleyan College. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Aspen University. She is Nurse Executive Advanced board certified, Nurse Professional Development board certified. She is also a Crisis Prevention Intervention Certified Instructor and a Crucial Learning Certified Instructor.
She is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), New York Organization for Nurse Executives and Leaders (NYONEL), Finger Lakes Organization for Nurse Executives and Leaders (FLONEL), Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) and serves on the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) Health Equity Taskforce.