Media Contact
Allison Kenty
617-529-3123
allison.kenty@mainehealth.org
Jennifer has deep roots in healthcare. She started work as an EMT at the age of 16 and has been with MaineHealth/SMHC since 2002, beginning as an Emergency Department nurse and then as a Nurse Practitioner in the Urgent Care setting. She then went on to become a nursing director for several units, before being promoted to Senior Director for Hospital based services in 2019.
“Jennifer’s clinical experience and proven leadership in nursing all contribute to the success she has had in the interim CNO role – a position she took on and excelled at all in the midst of a global pandemic,” said Nathan Howell, President, SMHC. “Jennifer is a valued member of our SMHC team who is dedicated to patient-centered care and nursing development. We are very excited that she will fill this position in a permanent capacity.”
She played an instrumental role in the hospital’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as Co-Incident Commander since March, leading the organizations daily efforts to respond to the changing healthcare environment.
Jennifer earned her associate degree in paramedicine from Southern Maine Community College, a BS in Nursing from the University of Southern Maine, and MS in Family Nurse Practitioner from Husson University in Bangor. Jennifer recently completed a post-master’s certificate program through Cornell University in high performance & executive leadership. She is a certified emergency nurse, certified pediatric emergency nurse, certified nurse manager and leader, board certified nurse executive and board certified family nurse practitioner
Jennifer also currently serves as 2021 President-Elect for the Emergency Nurses Association, a national organization she has been passionately involved with since 2004. She was also named Maine ENA Educator of the Year in 2009.
Jennifer is a Maine native who resides in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, with her husband, an Emergency Department Physician at SMHC, and their five children.
###
About Southern Maine Health Care
Southern Maine Health Care (SMHC) is an award-winning health care organization that includes a full service, acute care medical center in Biddeford and a medical center in Sanford with York County’s only inpatient behavioral health unit. Both medical centers offer 24/7 Emergency care, surgical and diagnostic services. SMHC offers primary care, specialty care, outpatient diagnostic and therapy services across York County and Walk-In Care centers in Kennebunk, Saco, Sanford and Waterboro. SMHC is Joint Commission accredited and is part of the MaineHealth system, a growing family of health care services in northern New England with a non-profit mission dedicated to “improving the health of our patients and communities by providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers, and researching better ways to provide care.” To learn more, visit www.smhc.org.