Celebrating Excellence with Therese Courtenay

Courtenay named a Becker’s Hospital Review Chief Nursing Officer to Know

We are proud to share exciting national recognition for one of our own. Therese Courtenay, DNP, MBA, RN, FACHE, Associate Patient Care Executive at Adventist Health Mendocino Coast, has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s prestigious list of Hospital and Health System Chief Nursing Officers to Know.

This recognition highlights nurse leaders across the country who are driving innovation, advancing care quality, and strengthening clinical excellence within their organizations. According to Becker’s, CNOs included on this list are recognized for leading initiatives that elevate patient care while supporting and empowering clinical teams, work that Therese exemplifies every day.

With more than 25 years of healthcare leadership, Therese brings a rare blend of clinical expertise, system-level perspective, and deeply people-centered leadership. In her role at Adventist Health Mendocino Coast, she provides strategic and operational oversight for nursing practice, quality, patient safety, and the patient experience. Her work ensures that high standards of clinical excellence are paired with compassion, dignity, and respect for every patient and family we serve.

Therese’s nursing journey began in Auckland, New Zealand, where she earned her Bachelor of Nursing from Massey University. She later moved to the United States, serving as an ICU nurse in Miami before beginning a more than two-decade career with Adventist Health. Over the years, she has held a wide range of leadership roles, including positions in Telemetry, Medical-Surgical, Clinical Information Systems, Education, Behavioral Health, Palliative Care, Staffing, and Nursing Administration at Adventist Health Castle in Hawai‘i.

Her leadership reach later expanded to the system level when she served as System Director of Patient Experience for Adventist Health, supporting 22 hospitals and hundreds of clinics in elevating patient-centered care and caregiver engagement. She also served as Interim Patient Care Executive at Adventist Health Clearlake before joining the Mendocino Coast team.

Throughout her career, Therese has been a strong advocate for quality, safety, and the voices of caregivers. She is especially recognized for her expertise in patient experience, helping build cultures where patients feel heard and supported, and where caregivers are empowered to do their best work.

Her leadership philosophy centers on collaboration, listening, and accountability. Guided by her belief to “strive for excellence while never leaving anyone behind,” Therese is intentional about creating environments where progress and compassion move forward together. Colleagues often describe her as authentic, thoughtful, and visionary, someone who leads with both head and heart.

Academically, Therese holds an MBA from Loma Linda University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She is certified in Nursing Informatics and Patient Experience and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

Therese credits much of her leadership inspiration to mentors who modeled what was possible for nurse leaders within Adventist Health, as well as to her late mother, whose legacy of kindness and joy continues to shape her approach to life and leadership. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time by the ocean with her husband and three children, and she maintains a lifelong love of ballet and the arts.

Her recognition by Becker’s Hospital Review reflects not only her individual accomplishments, but also the commitment of Adventist Health Mendocino Coast to living God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness, and hope.