ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
O’Briens Nurture Family Tradition in Nursing
J
ohn O’Brien ’16 had some big
experience as a fire chief at Pearl River
shoes to fill when he decided
Hook and Ladder and as an EMT with
to enroll in the RCC Nursing
the Pearl River Ambulance Corps. He
program two years ago. Both his father,
has risen to Chief Nursing Officer at
Dave, and grandmother, Terry, served as
Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center in
student speakers at their Nurses Pinning
Palm Beach, FL.
ceremonies when they graduated in 2006
Jessica O’Brien became a clinical
and 1975, respectively. Following in the
nurse specialist and serves as a project
family tradition, John recently became
manager for quality and safety at New
the third member of the O’Brien family
York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical
to earn student speaker honors at an
Center in NYC. John’s girlfriend,
RCC pinning.
Christine McCarthy, graduated with
But the family nursing connection
him from the RCC Nursing program in
does not stop there. John’s mother, sister
December 2016, and works as a nurse’s
John O'Brien '16 (center) with his parents, sister and girlfriend,
and girlfriend are all nurses, too. Terry
aide at Good Samaritan Hospital in
fellow nursing grad Christine McCarthy '16.
O’Brien has retired after a long tenure
Suffern. John is a monitor technician on
as staff nurse at Nyack Hospital, but the others are keeping the
the telemetry floor at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy
O’Brien name prominently aloft in the profession. John’s mom,
Hollow, NY, with expectations of landing a nursing position soon.
Diane, whom he endearingly calls “the matriarch of the family,” has
“The more skilled people you have on your team, the stronger
been a nurse for more than 30 years and currently serves as director
you are,” said John, who was raised in Pearl River and now lives in
of staff education at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm
Nyack. “Nursing is a team effort, and I think that’s what draws my
Beach, FL.
family to it. It’s amazing being able to help people and to progress
Dave O’Brien gave up a successful printing business after
and grow everyday as a unit.”
September 11, 2001 to heed a call into nursing, drawing on his
NURSES’ PINNING, CLASS OF DECEMBER 2016
Bottom Row: Nicole Dilorenzo, Tiffany Perrone, Sarah Zlotnick, Rossana Merino, Millard Tomelden, Renee Gnisci. Second Row: Venette Myrtil, Daphmy Francois, Wynter Starke, Eleanor Conway, Donna
Heitz, Alissa Genao, Eileen Fagan, Jenny Rodriguez. Third Row: Liza Bloom, Briana Slutsky, Shantel Taylor, Bonnie Alfonso, Kadiann Letts, Danielle Bontemps, Jodi-Ann Fairclough, Leah Akuka.
Back Row: Christine McCarthy, John O'Brien, Johnanthony Malizia, Tzvi Farkas, Riki Peterson-Jicha, Samantha Glielmi, Angie Lovinsky, Jennifer Schnalzer. Not in photo: Edward Henry, Ashley
McKenzie, Aine O'Sullivan, Michelle Thompson-Henry
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