Delores Gehr

Delores Gehr, MPA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, CEN is an experienced healthcare professional with a diverse background. Delores began their career at Inova Health System in 1987, where they served as the Director of the Obs Unit. In this role, they successfully led the redesign and conversion of the unit to cater to an adult population. During their tenure, they also built and managed a team of 55 healthcare professionals and ensured the delivery of excellent and safe patient care.

In 2018, Delores joined CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield as the Regional Director. In this position, they oversaw the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program in two large regions. Delores provided leadership to a multi-faceted team and played a key role in the business development and execution of the program. Delores also focused on educating and raising awareness about opportunities to improve the quality and cost of healthcare through practice transformation.

Most recently, Delores joined Valley Health in 2020 as the Chief Nursing Officer/Director of Patient Care Services. In this capacity, they have been responsible for the daily operations of various nursing units, including the ER, Medical Surgical, and Critical Care Stepdown. Delores has implemented High Reliability Organization (HRO) principles to drive cultural change and has significantly improved employee engagement and patient satisfaction scores. Delores has also worked on improving patient monitoring through the implementation of data analytics and has increased overall staffing levels to enhance bed availability. Additionally, Delores has played a role in community outreach and has been involved in planning and facilitating an active shooter drill involving multiple prehospital agencies and community participants.

Delores Gehr, MPA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, CEN completed their education at George Mason University. In 2008, they earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. In 2013, they received a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a focus in Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management. Delores has also obtained additional certifications including Nurse Executive Advanced (NEA-BC) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in October 2022 and Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) from the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) in February 2020. Delores has also obtained certifications in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) in 2022.