Barbara A. Donaho
A long-time friend of Kent State University and the College of Nursing, Barbara A. Donaho
has spent more than 50 years dedicating her life’s work to the advancement of the nursing
profession as an educator, lecturer, director of nursing and senior vice president of patient
services. Her vast career has spanned the Midwest, and both eastern and southern coasts.
Most recently she was president and CEO of St. Anthony’s Health Care Center in St. Petersburg, FL, where she is
currently president emeritus. Born and raised in Ohio, Barbara holds nursing degrees from Johns Hopkins School
of Nursing, as well as degrees in Nursing Education and Administration from the University of Chicago, and an
honorary doctorate of law from Kent State University. She is a graduate of Johnson & Johnson-Wharton Fellows
Program in Management for Nurses and held the distinction of being the only nurse member of the American
Hospital Association Board of Directors, which in turn honored her with the Trustees Award. She is a former
commissioner of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCACHO) and was named
distinguished alumna of the year at Johns Hopkins, later being appointed to serve on its board of trustees.