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Dean's Roundtable
Bringing Relevant Experience to the Classroom
Each semester, Pace University's Development and Alumni Relations Office partners with the College of Health Professions (CHP) to put together a series of roundtable discussions between alumni and current students. This event series supports CHP's mission of bringing relevant experience into the classroom and providing our students with active learning opportunities. This is a Zoom series, led by Dean Tye and a group of CHP's high academic standing students. Alumni share their experiences since graduating from Pace, and give industry advice for students. These roundtable discussions provide an opportunity for students to learn and ask questions, as well as provide alumni with an impactful and engaging experience.
Spring 2024 Speaker
April 8: Kate O'Keefe Cotter, FNP, MSN, BSN, RN, CPHQ, '97
Vice President, Quality Management, Risk and Regulatory at Northern Westchester Hospital, retired
Monday, April 8, 2024
12:10 p.m.–1:10 p.m.
Kate O'Keefe Cotter is recently retired from her role as vice president, quality management, risk and regulatory at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York. She has over 40 years experience in the healthcare field earning her bachelor of science in Nursing from the College of Mount Saint Vincent followed by a master of science in Nursing and certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Pace University.
Kate began her career working as an RN in several specialty areas (ED, NICU, PACU); however, her interest in patient advocacy and safety led to a position in the Office of Legal Affairs & Risk Management working with in-house counsel and outside defense firms managing claims against the organization. This work deepened her passion for quality patient care and after several years, Kate returned to a clinical role as a family nurse practitioner caring for children and their families with HIV/AIDS. She provided primary care and disease management, working with a multidisciplinary team to address the social issues and special needs of children and families coping with a chronic illness. Kate then transitioned to Blythedale Children’s Hospital, an acute children’s rehabilitation hospital. As a nurse practitioner on the Adolescent Unit, Kate coordinated the care of adolescents admitted for intensive inpatient rehabilitation and management of complex medical issues due to acute and chronic illness. In addition, Kate was an adjunct professor at the College of Mount Saint Vincent for the Nurse Practitioner master's program.
Kate returned to a quality/risk management/compliance role in 2007 at Nyack Hospital and in 2010, moved to Northern Westchester Hospital. As a member of the executive team, her responsibilities included the development & implementation of hospital wide QI Plan including departmental performance measures; performance improvement priorities, monitoring of outcomes; root cause analysis, coordination of medical staff peer review, nursing quality, nursing education, Magnet Recognition Program, regulatory affairs, accreditation readiness, safety event reporting system and risk management in conjunction with Northwell Corporate Risk Management.