Nurse Executive Dr. Deborah Zimmermann to Lead The DAISY Foundation™

It is with great pride and excitement for the future that DAISY Co-founders Bonnie and Mark Barnes, FAANs, announce the appointment of Deborah Zimmermann, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, as Chief Executive Officer of The DAISY Foundation. Deb has served on the Foundation’s Board since 2018 and very effectively ran The DAISY Award® program when she was the Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health System. She will assume her new role as of November 1, 2021. 

“Deb is truly an inspirational leader. Her engagement in The DAISY Award at VCU was superb, as she fully understood its many benefits and how best to empower her team to make it successful as meaningful and authentic recognition. She has the brainpower, business perspective, and importantly for us, the heart to take DAISY’s mission into the future as nursing and healthcare are transformed post-pandemic,” said Bonnie Barnes, DAISY’s current CEO.  

Deb’s experience in healthcare is an ideal portfolio to lead The  DAISY Foundation into the future. She served in the United States Army Nurse Corps, practiced as a nurse practitioner, and for 25 years served in executive positions in New York and Virginia.

She is the President-Elect of the American Organization for Nursing  Leadership (AONL) and for three years, chaired the AONL Foundation. Deb co-chairs the AACN-AONL Academic Practice Council – work highly relevant to DAISY’s mission to ensure meaningful recognition elevating nurses in both arenas. She was the Chair of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on the Magnet Recognition Program®. ANCC is an important partner for DAISY as meaningful recognition is a key  component of the journey to excellence.

She has led listening  forums on racism in healthcare, introduced policies on care for the  LGBTQ community, and worked with community leaders on equitable access and education on the COVID-19 vaccine. All this plus her work on the AONL Diversity and Belonging Committee will support DAISY’s focus on the role of nurses advancing health equity through recognition and research. Deb is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. 

Deb is “thrilled beyond words to be joining the incredible team at DAISY. The DAISY Foundation shines a light on all that is right in  nursing and in healthcare.” 

Bonnie and Mark will continue to serve the Foundation as Board  Co-chairs and will maintain a visible role in DAISY’s expression of  gratitude to nurses.