If you heard someone call Margo Karsten a positive deviant, you might think she'd take some measure of offense.

Not a chance.

Positive deviance—the theory that in every community there is a group experiencing uncommon success without having any material or knowledge advantages—is something Margo has always embraced. "I think I was just born this way," she says. "As a leader, at every engagement, I always went in looking for what was good in an organization. Even in a dark place, there's some light. I look for that light—that good—and try to extend it across the culture of the hospital."

Learn more about Margo A. Karsten.

As a co-creator, author, and editor of the Relationship-Based Care series of books and seminars, Mary helps health care organizations create a framework for delivering world-class care with strong underlying values and principles, and then works with them to implement that framework.

Mary is known as an innovator, creator, and gifted facilitator. She enjoys inspiring people to recognize their unique gifts and the sacred trust inherent in the work of caring. She achieves results by identifying and using existing strengths and capacities of individuals and groups. One of Mary's most far-reaching programs, Re-Igniting the Spirit of Caring, helps members of the health care team transform their workplaces into cultures where responsibility prevails, relationships thrive, appreciation is openly expressed and caring and healing are the foundations of each working day.

Learn more about Mary Koloroutis.

Though she claims her enthusiasm for bringing transformational change to health care organizations "borders on obnoxiousness," Jayne doesn't deny it when someone accuses her of being CHCM's CEO—that is, Chief Exuberance Officer. But who can blame her? She thrills in seeing organizations change when they embrace CHCM's programs. She watches as caregivers realize that they have the power to change their immediate reality: they accept responsibility, plan the change, implement the change and refine and revise the change so as to always keep progressing in ways that focus on what's best for patients, families, care providers and the organizations in which they serve.

Learn more about Jayne Felgen.

Saying Marie has seen it all might be both literally true and an understatement. The founder and president emeritus of CHCM, Marie has been a nurse since, she says, "practically age five." And through that time, she's been motivated by the same burning passion: focus on the nurse-patient relationship, and its potential for healing. She makes it sound simple when she explains just how critical that relationship is: "You have to see what supports that relationship and what interferes with that relationship, then enhance what helps, minimize what hurts."

Learn more about Marie Manthey.

A staff development specialist known for her irreverent wit—she's sometimes called "the humorist in health care—Donna brings a global perspective to her work—literally. She's worked on every continent but Antarctica, and she has her eyes set on that, too ("There's an infirmary there!" she says).

In this country and in the over two dozen others where she's worked, Donna's best known for the work she does based on two of her books, The Ultimate Guide to Competency Assessment and Relationship-Based Care (co-authored with several CHCM colleagues). The Ultimate Guide has been translated into Japanese, and has become the industry standard for HR departments in establishing and assessing competency, and Donna specializes in setting up systems for organizations to ensure accountability and measure competency.

Learn more about Donna Wright.

Among her colleagues, Shirley is consistently described as wise—they gush over her knowledge and more than 45 years of experience, noting that "there's not too much that's brand-new to her." And yet she'll tell you herself that there are plenty of things she doesn't know, and she makes a point of never pretending to know what she doesn't. She combines that humility with the authenticity that comes from having worked—digging in, up-to-her-elbows worked—in a wide variety of health care organizations all over the world. Together, those qualities help her make meaningful, lasting connections with everyone at the organization, from the CEO to the medical staff to the managers and front-line staff. "You have to resonate with people if you're going to help guide them through major events like redesigning roles and processes, remodeling care delivery systems, focusing on collaborative practice, teamwork and driving cultural change," says Shirley.

Learn more about Shirley Ruch.

Susan partners with hospitals to improve patient care through the design and implementation of Relationship-Based Care. She develops leadership teams to build trust, collaboration and personal accountability. She also specializes in creating an engaged workforce and building professional practice environments consistent with Magnet® Recognition criteria.

Learn more about Susan Wessel.

Susan describes her role at Creative Health Care Management as "a privilege and honor to be part of this life-changing work." When she facilitates a Re-Igniting the Spirit of Caring program with a group of multidisciplinary health care providers, she observes two important outcomes: personal transformation and a deeper sense of community. People are re-energized around the importance of their work and the impact they have on patients and their families. "I'm reconnected to my purpose by getting other people reconnected with theirs," she says.

Learn more about Susan Edstrom.

Gen wears many hats at CHCM, but at heart her roles are all focused on advancing nursing as a profession and nursing professional development. Whether it's educating on Relationship-Based Care, helping education departments with structure and competency metrics, or guiding organizations as they establish a culture of excellence, including the journey to Magnet® designation, Gen sees the possibilities in all of her clients. She takes them as they are, meets them where they are in their development, and helps them reach their personal, staff and organizational goals.

Learn more about Gen Guanci.

"Health care," says Mourine, "has to be different than it's been in the past." And she and her colleagues at CHCM fully intend to lead that necessary transformation. Mourine is particularly focused on inspiring caregivers to reach higher levels of achievement through—well, not so much education, but learning. "The ultimate outcome is the learning," she says. She imparts this learning by teaching people tangible, practical skills, and her uncanny ability to be simultaneously brilliant and simple ensures that participants quickly grasp concepts and immediately apply them to their work.

Learn more about Mourine Evans.

Janet practiced relationship-based care before it became Relationship-Based Care. As a bedside nurse, Janet says, "I really connected with my patients and felt great compassion for them. Back then, I didn't know how important that was. It was just my nature." As her career evolved and she moved into leadership roles, something she's done for nearly 30 years, Janet brought that same sensitivity to her teams. She's always been able to recognize potential in other people, and helping them recognize it themselves and develop it is a singular joy of leadership. "I love helping others grow and achieve goals— sometimes goals they didn't even know they had!" she says.

Learn more about Janet Weaver.

Suzanne Cleere, RN, MSN, MSBA, CENP CHCM has more than 35 years of experience in health care and nursing leadership. Suzanne began her nursing career as a staff nurse, progressing to more advanced positions including senior management and consulting. For 15 years, as a vice president in various organizations in Michigan, she served as executive champion for patient- and family-centered care. She has been an adjunct faculty member with CHCM for the past four years.

Learn more about Suzanne Cleere.

Mary Griffin Strom, RN, MSN, AOCNS, has more than 30 years of health care and nursing leadership experience. Mary's nursing career includes positions as Oncology Service Line Director and Director of Nursing at a large community hospital. Mary has also provided leadership for Relationship-Based Care (RBC) implementation and a facilitator for Re-Igniting the Spirit of Caring. She is experienced in training and facilitation techniques including WorkOut, Open Space Technology, and World Café.

Learn more about Mary Griffin Strom.