Valerie Summerlin, RN, MS, NEA-BC, CLSSGB has more than 40 years of experience in post-acute services (chronic care, sub-acute, rehabilitation, and home health). As a senior healthcare executive/nurse executive, Valerie is a strong operation professional with a proven record and expertise in strategic planning, organizational and patient flow redesign, process mapping, employee engagement, regulatory compliance, cost reduction, new program development, and performance improvement initiatives. She has served over 20 years as a CARF surveyor.
Valerie received her master’s degree in nursing as a clinical nurse specialist from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She received the first nursing scholarship from the American Lung Association as her focus was on Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). She is certified as a nurse executive advanced from the American Nursing Credentialing Center and a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (CLSSGB) from Project Management Academy.
Valerie was the project lead in the opening of the rehabilitation center at Kernan Hospital in Baltimore and the closing of a chronic hospital. She has published chapters in Trauma Nursing (4th & 5th editions) and Case Studies in Trauma Nursing. During the COVID pandemic, Valerie worked with the State of Maryland to open a field hospital and infusion center in a decommissioned hospital. During her leadership at the COVID hospital, there were more than 4,000 patients treated at the facility.
Valerie enjoys reading and spending time with family, especially her grandchildren.