Karen Kolega DNP, MSN-CNL, RNC-OB, C-EFM, C-ONQS

Karen Kolega is the Chief Nursing Officer at PeriGen. Before joining PeriGen, Karen served as Divisional Director of Clinical Care at Universal Health Services(UHS) in Florida where she developed and implemented the nursing clinical standards for all acute care service lines to improve patient outcomes. She led the Grow Your initiative which successfully improved nurse retention through reward and recognition programs and influencing changes to foster healthy work environments. Her prior leadership positions included the Director of Women’s and Children’s Clinical Practice with a focus on developing safety cultures of high reliability resulting in significant improvements in care and reduction in obstetric claims.

Dr. Kolega earned her DNP from the University of Central Florida in Nursing Executive Leadership, and her master’s in clinical Nurse Leadership from the University of South Florida. She holds certifications in Inpatient Obstetric Care, Electronic Fetal Monitoring, and Obstetric and Neonatal Safety. Karen is a member of Sigma Nursing, serves as an American Nurses Association Mentor, is the AWHONN Florida State Chair, serves on the AWHONN National Membership Committee, and is a designated instructor for AWHONN EFM Intermediate and Advanced courses. She prides herself in building exceptional teams through empowering innovation and driving evidence-based care.