Carole Kenner

Dr. Carole Kenner is the Chief Executive Officer, Council of International Neonatal Nurses, Inc. (COINN) and Dean & Professor at The College of New Jersey School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in neonatal/perinatal nursing, and a doctorate with a minor in higher education. She has authored more than 100 journal articles and 30 textbooks.

Her career is dedicated to nursing education and to the health of neonates and their families. She founded COINN to connect neonatal nurses globally and works to set standards for education and practice with over 60 countries involved.

Professional achievements include:

Founder of the Journal Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews.
Serves on the Consensus Committee of Neonatal Intensive Care Design Standards, which sets recommendations for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit designs globally, the Gravens Infant and Family Centered Developmental Care Task Force creating standards and competencies.

She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), a National Academies of Practice fellow, and Academy of Nursing Education Fellow, past president of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) and founding President of the Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN), the first international organization representing neonatal nursing.
She serves on Every Newborn Action Plan- sets metrics for neonatal outcomes globally (UNICEF, WHO, USAID, UN Foundation partnership).
She received the 2011 Sigma Theta Tau Audrey Hepburn Award for Contributions to the Health and Welfare of Children internationally.

Personal Statement

I have worked for over 30 years in the international arena. I served as the Deputy Director of an affiliate WHO Collaborating Center for Midwifery and Nursing where I became aware of the importance to link organizations together with grassroots stakeholders to build capacity and promote policy development to change health outcomes. This work led to my founding COINN in 2005 to help improve neonatal health outcomes especially in those countries with the worst maternal/neonatal mortality rates. Through COINN I work with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (PMNCH), Project Hope, International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Paediatric Association (IPA), USAID, WHO, UN Foundation, UNICEF, and many others on setting the outcomes and deliverables to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and Every Newborn Action Plan initiative. As an educator and Dean, I also oversee and promote global exchanges for faculty and students. I have served on many boards-as a member and as an Executive Officer so I understand the time commitment.

Skills

The major skills and assets I bring are: 1. An extensive global network; 2. Experience with building global relationships; 3. Fostering exchanges; 4. Policy making;5. Leadership skills; and 6. Board experience.