Donna Mazyck

Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN, CAE, FNASN. After 14 years as a nurse in community settings, Donna Mazyck discovered school nursing. She began her school nurse role in a high school and an alternative school. Donna has lived systems changes, and understands the importance of collaboration across school health leadership. In her role at a state education department, she provided consultation and leadership to local school health services and school-based health center programs, working with government, community agencies, and other stakeholders in the development of school health policies and regulations. During this time in her career, Donna volunteered at the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) as a board member (1999-2003) and as president (2007-2009). In 2011, Donna was hired to lead NASN as executive director. She retired in 2023. A thoughtful and strategic leader, she led an expansion of the influence and impact of school nurses in addressing student and school community health and safety. Major initiatives during her tenure include the launching and operationalizing a strategic plan focused on shared leadership, increasing the commitment to evidence-based practice and data collection, and increasing the emphasis on interprofessional collaboration by school nurses; the creation of The Framework for 21st Century School Nursing, defining the role of student-centered school nursing and its complex mix of community/public health, leadership, care coordination, quality improvement and standards of practice components, and growing NASN’s grant-funded activities to include major efforts in chronic conditions, data collection, and evidence-based practice. Currently, Donna serves as a board member for Evermore, a nonprofit advancing US bereavement care and policy, and as an advisory council member for Maryland English Language Learner Family Involvement Network (MELLFIN). She enjoys traveling with her husband, chatting with her adult children, playing with her granddaughters, and being in gardens.