Dr. Reinhard, Chair of RWJBarnabas Health Board of Trustees and First Nurse to Hold Position, Honored for Leadership, Landmark Contributions, and Legacy of Excellence
West Orange, New Jersey, June 29, 2026 – Susan C. Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, Chair of the Board of Trustees for RWJBarnabas Health, the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, has been designated by The American Academy of Nursing as a Living Legend. The prestigious honor recognizes Dr. Reinhard for her distinguished leadership, landmark contributions to health care advancement, and a legacy that will endure across the nursing profession for generations to come.
As one of just six nurses nationally to be honored with the designation this year, Dr. Reinhard is a transformative health policy champion who has expertly implemented and built strategic partnerships to advance the care and quality of life for older adults, persons with disabilities, and family caregivers.
“Susan was a national healthcare leader long before she was a member of the RWJBarnabas Health board thanks to a career that has been centered on caring, educating and advancing smart public policy,” said Mark E. Manigan, RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO. “As the first board chair to be a nurse, when Susan speaks it comes from a patient-centered point of expertise and leadership that needs no qualification. Susan is objectively a living legend and now has the formal recognition to prove what we’ve all known for many years.”
Dr. Reinhard was appointed Chair of the RWJBarnabas Health Board of Trustees in 2025. She is the first woman and the first nurse to hold this position for the health system. Dr. Reinhard’s combination of policy expertise, operational experience, and board governance leadership makes her uniquely positioned to guide RWJBarnabas Health’s continued evolution as a leading academic and integrated health system.
A Founding member of the Board since 2016, Dr. Reinhard served as Vice Chair since 2022 and has served as Chair of the Quality and Safety Committee and participated on the Audit, Compliance, Strategic Planning/Academic Affairs Committee and Human Capital and Executive Committee. She also served on the Board of Directors for Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital since 2013 and was a member of its Finance & Operations, Strategic Planning and Quality Committees.
Dr. Reinhard has extensive experience conducting, directing, and translating research into action, which has resulted in critical policy changes that directly impact patients and their care teams. She has had an immeasurable impact on long-term care and family caregiving at the federal, state, and international levels, demonstrating the value and positive impact of nurses.
Along with her role as the Chair of the RWJBarnabas Health Board of Trustees, Dr. Reinhard also serves as a Visiting Professor of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators at UC Davis. She is the former Senior Vice President of AARP’s Public Policy Institute, Chief Strategist of the Center to Champion Nursing in America, and Founder of the Nurses on Boards Coalition.
Previously, Dr. Reinhard was Professor and Co-Director of the Rutgers University Center for State Health Policy, where she advanced the formulation of sound and creative state health and long-term policy across the nation. She also served as Deputy Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Health from 1996-1999 and again from 2002-2005. In that role, Dr. Reinhard served three governors from both political parties and was responsible for hospital, nursing home and community-based care licensing, regulation, financing and quality oversight. She earned a PhD from Rutgers University and an MSN from University of Cincinnati.
Each year the American Academy of Nursing recognizes a small group of its fellows as Living Legends in honor of their extraordinary contributions to the nursing profession, sustained over the course of their careers. This year’s Living Legends Ceremony will be held during the organization’s Health Policy Conference on the evening of October 9, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, DC.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 45,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org
Contact: Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org