Title: Staff Development Coordinator

Company: Blair House of Tewksbury

Location: Chelmsford, Mass.

Wielding 18 years of spiritual services, Kara Conner continues as development coordinator at Blair House of Tewksbury. There, she provides her expertise in long-term health care for Chelmsford, Mass., attributing her success to her family. Initially, Ms. Conner became involved in her profession because her father was ill when she was young, and she observed nurses doing a poor job taking care of him; she felt that she could do better.

Throughout her work-week, Ms. Conner ensures employee health records are current and that fulfillment of the staff’s education meets their needs in a timely matter. She also works with nursing management to train new employees, tracking resident antibiotic use and infection rates, and completing other duties as required. Ms. Conner helps to operate science fiction conventions, and is attempting to stage a literary conference for 2013.

Ms. Conner received a fellowship master’s degree at the Mass Nursing Faculty. She has also earned a master’s degree in health care and nursing education from the University of Phoenix, ten years after receiving a license in registered nursing. Since graduation, she keeps abreast of changes in her profession through her memberships with the Northern Lights Costuming Guild. During her free-time, Ms. Conner supports the USS Hood Star Trek Fan Association.