Media Release

Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-609-2238 or email dmathis@sjrmc.net

FARMINGTON, NM (July 22, 2008) Chief nursing officer Deborah Gerber is retiring from San Juan Regional Medical Center after 24 years. The current clinical director of nursing, Suzanne Smith, will succeed Gerber in the position as of August 15.

During Gerber´s tenure at the hospital, she received many honors, the latest of which was selection as a citizen ambassador to China by the American Organization of Nurse Executives in 2007. She earned her diploma of nursing in 1971 from St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in Wichita, Kansas, and her first nursing job was at St. Francis Hospital. She joined San Juan Regional Medical Center in 1984 as head nurse in the surgical department and a year later was promoted to associate director of nursing. She was appointed assistant executive director of patient care services in 1987, a title which was later changed to chief nursing officer.

Gerber received a B.A., with an emphasis in healthcare psychology, in 1997 from Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa. She also earned a master of public health degree from the University of Minnesota.

Smith began her career at SJRMC on the pediatrics unit in 1983 and became manager of the unit in 1986. She became clinical director in 2002. In 2007, she served on the governor´s task force to address the statewide nursing shortage, and she is currently a district representative for the New Mexico Organization of Nurse Executives. Smith was instrumental in starting several essential services now offered by SJRMC, including the professional resource team in 1989, the outpatient nursing clinic in 1991 and the diabetes education program in 1996.

Smith received a B.S. in nursing and an M.S. in science and nursing administration from the University of New Mexico. She also holds a B.S. in communicative disorders and biology from UNM. After graduating from college, she served a one year nurse internship before joining San Juan Regional Medical Center for her first nursing job.