Karrie Boss, DNP, RN, APRN, ACCNS-AG, EBP-C, CCRN

System Director Evidence-Based Practice, Summa Health

Dr. Karrie Boss is the System Director Evidence-Based Practice for Summa Health in Akron, Ohio. In her role she leads and develops the strategic and operational goals, objectives, and focus areas that contribute to Summa Health’s Center for Clinical Inquiry. She is responsible for the development, implementation, and sustainment of infrastructural systems and processes related to supporting the clinical staffs’ ability to effectively provide coordinated, evidence-based care.  She has more than 20 years of nursing experience with expertise in critical care/intensive care, trauma and emergency nursing, stroke, and evidence-based practice.

Karrie holds national certifications as an Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (ACCNS-AG), Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), and Evidence-Based Practice (EBP-C). Karrie recently served on the “Grow Your Own Committee” through the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NANCS) and assisted in the development of the “Grow Your Own CNS Toolkit” which has been disseminated nationally. Karrie currently serves as the co-lead of the “Grow Your Own" committee through NACNS that is now focused on showing the value of the CNS and providing nursing leaders with information on how to leverage the role in their organization.

Karrie graduated with her BSN from the University of Akron, MSN from Kent State University, and DNP from Kent State University. Karrie recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Ohio State University Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence Based Practice where she focused on accelerating the translation of evidence into practice and leveraging the synergies between EBP, research, and quality improvement to advance healthcare delivery.

Penelope Gorsuch, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, EBP-C, FACHE, USAF Col (retired) 

Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive, Summa Health

Penelope Gorsuch is an experienced healthcare professional with over 36 years in practice and 26 years of progressive leadership. She has created organizational cultures of inquiry to deliver high-quality, value-based, and reliable care in nationally ranked federal and civilian healthcare systems. Penelope has specific expertise in strategic planning, implementing evidence-based practices and processes, and has created The Center for Clinical Inquiry™, an infrastructure to promote and support change implementation.

Penelope serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Summa Health. She leads and ensures nursing professional practice and quality standards of care for the health system and is an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University College of Nursing in the DNP Executive Leadership track. She joined Summa Health from The Ohio State University College of Nursing where she led and designed nursing executive leadership courses and as faculty for a 5-day Evidence-based Practice immersion and Leading EBP course. Before this position, she served as Associate Director of Patient Care Services at the Dayton VA Medical Center for two years. Before that, she served in the United States Air Force Medical Service for 28 years holding multiple nursing and administrative roles.

Penny earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Brenau Women’s College in Georgia, a master’s degree in nursing as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Touro University Nevada.