Kennedy Krieger Institute announces the promotion of three members of its nursing staff, Shellie B. Williams, MSN, MHA, RN, CRRN; Yvonne Paraway, PhD, MSM, RN; and Elizabeth DiPietro, MSN, CRRN, PCNS-BC.
Williams has been promoted to the positions of nurse executive and vice president of nursing, overseeing a department of 245 nurses and staff. During her 30-year tenure with Kennedy Krieger, she has served in nursing roles that have progressed in leadership and responsibility, including as inpatient staff nurse, inpatient day charge nurse, inpatient senior staff nurse, performance improvement committee chair, inpatient nurse manager, nurse recruiter, and her current role, director of nursing operations. She has also served on Kennedy Krieger’s Ethics Committee and currently serves on the Institute’s Accreditation Task Force and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee.
As the nurse executive and vice president of nursing, Williams will be responsible for sustaining and advancing a professional nursing environment in which members of the Institute’s nursing workforce continue to be critical and valued members of the healthcare team in providing safe, quality care across the Institute. She also will assist in strategic planning for Kennedy Krieger, while working closely with members of the Institute’s senior leadership team to further enhance the Institute’s mission and goals.
“As someone who began at Kennedy Krieger as a staff nurse and has now become the nurse executive, Shellie has the invaluable ability to interact with and understand staff and patient concerns and needs at many levels,” said Dr. Bradley Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her new roles, and we are excited to welcome her to these important leadership positions.”
For the past two years, Williams has served as the president of the Maryland Association for Health Care Recruitment (MAHCR). Under her leadership, the chapter was recognized as a Platinum Chapter by the National Association for Health Care Recruitment. MAHCR is one of only two chapters to receive this designation, which it has retained for two years. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Hampton University, and her master’s degrees in nursing and healthcare administration from the University of Phoenix.
Dr. Paraway has been promoted to the position of assistant vice president of outpatient nursing services. She will serve as a member of Kennedy Krieger’s nursing leadership team and will assist with strategic planning for the nursing department. Dr. Paraway has been employed at the Institute for 19 years and has served in many roles, including as nurse manager, certified CPR instructor, Accreditation Task Force member, and director of outpatient nursing services and school-based programs. She also mentors undergraduate and graduate nursing students.
Dr. Paraway has served as a commissioner on Maryland’s Statewide Commission on the Crisis in Nursing, as well as on the Maryland Nursing Workforce Commission, addressing Maryland’s nursing shortage. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Coppin State University, her master’s degree in management from the Florida Institute of Technology, and her master’s and doctorate degrees in nursing from the University of Phoenix.
DiPietro has been promoted to the position of assistant vice president of inpatient nursing. She will be responsible for leading all aspects of inpatient nursing on Kennedy Krieger’s Pediatric Comprehensive Neurorehabilitation and Feeding Disorders Unit and Neurobehavioral Unit. She will also focus on preserving high standards for patient care delivery, enhancing a supportive environment to benefit the patients and families served by the Institute, and growing and developing the inpatient nursing team.
DiPietro has been with Kennedy Krieger for 30 years, and has served in many roles, including as clinical nurse intern, inpatient staff nurse, nurse educator, nurse manager and clinical nurse specialist. She is also the Institute’s training center coordinator for CPR and a member of the Accreditation Task Force, and she holds an adjunct appointment with the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.
DiPietro received a Bachelor of Science degree, with a major in biology, from Washington College, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from the John Hopkins University School of Nursing. She also earned a post-master’s certification as a clinical nurse specialist from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and is a board-certified pediatric clinical nurse specialist.
About Kennedy Krieger Institute:
Kennedy Krieger Institute, an internationally known, non-profit organization located in the greater Baltimore/Washington, D.C. region, transforms the lives of more than 25,000 individuals a year through inpatient and outpatient medical, behavioral health and wellness therapies, home and community services, school-based programs, training and education for professionals and advocacy. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children, adolescents and adults with diseases, disorders or injuries that impact the nervous system, ranging from mild to severe. The Institute is home to a team of investigators who contribute to the understanding of how disorders develop, while at the same time pioneer new interventions and methods of early diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Visit KennedyKrieger.org for more information about Kennedy Krieger.
