Michelle Peña, MSN,RN,NEA-BC

Michelle brings over 20 years of nursing leadership experience. She currently serves as Chief Nursing Officer for Mercy Health Saint Mary’s and Mercy Health Physician Partners Grand Rapids. Michelle has spent her career in the areas of critical care, emergency services and nursing leadership. She has held progressive leadership positions at Mercy Health. Michelle has experience in healthcare design, programmatic development and innovative healthcare models. Michelle served for 16 years as a Clinical Service Director for Emergency/Trauma and Critical Care services. In that role, she co-led the building and planning of the Hauenstein Center, the Southwest Campus, the development of the organization’s first urgent care centers and the area’s only freestanding emergency department. In addition, Michelle also designed the innovative care model of acuity adaptable units. Michelle is a past long -term Executive Board Member of Kent County EMS (KCEMS) and the Kent County Human Trafficking Medical Subcommittee. She became involved in Human Trafficking education after working with Senator Judy Emmons’ office and the Michigan Women’s Coalition.  Most recently, Michelle co-led the organization through the unprecedented time of COVID-19 preparedness and response. Michelle currently serves on the Board of the West Michigan AHA and is leading the path to Mercy Health Saint Mary’s third Magnet® Designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, demonstrating Michelle’s transformational leadership style. This is the nation’s most prestigious honor for nursing achievement excellence, a measure of quality earned by only about six percent of U.S. hospitals. Magnet designation is the national verification of the excellence in nursing care.