Our Nursing Leaders

RWJ University Hospital Rahway

Ann Marie Shears, MA, RN, NE-BC

Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services

Ann Marie Shears, MA, RN, NE-BC, is Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services overseeing all aspects of the Nursing Division with attention to clinical quality, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. Ann Marie joined Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in 2013 as the Director of Nursing Operations, where she helped shepherd the hospital’s Operation Excellence, a huge project that focused on strategic planning and developing meaningful metrics for hospital in the areas of growth and quality. In 2014 she was promoted to Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services. She holds a strong background in nursing executive leadership roles and focuses on providing the highest quality care, improving the patient experience and process, and fostering nurses of all levels for succession and transition. She has instituted and fostered a number of initiatives to promote nursing leadership and education at the hospital. Ann Marie has a Master’s in Nursing Administration from New York University, holds a national board Nurse Executive Certification, and is a member of the Organization of Nurse Executives and the American Association of Critical Care Nursing.

Eric Kleinert, MSN, BSN, RN

Senior Director of Nursing Operations

Eric has been in healthcare for 25 years, with the past ten years at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway. Prior to becoming Director of Nursing Operations at RWJUH Rahway, Eric was Nurse Manager of the hospital’s Emergency Department. As Director of Nursing Operations, Eric oversees the daily operations of all inpatient nursing units and the Emergency Department.

His accomplishments as Director of Nursing include the opening of the hospital’s new Observation Unit and the renovation of medical surgical unit 2E. That renovation transformed one of the hospital’s older units to a state of the art, patient-friendly space featuring more private rooms, and amenities such as a kitchen for family members to get a snack or a hot drink. Eric has played an instrumental role in the renovation of 3E, one of the largest units, which cares for joint replacement, bariatric and medical and surgical patients. It will be opened by year end 2020.

Eric received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kean University and is currently working toward his Master’s in Nursing Leadership.

Caroline Kornutik, RN, MSN, CNOR, NE-BC

Senior Director of Perioperative Services and Outpatient Cardiac Services

In this new title, her responsibilities include the OR, Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), Same Day Surgery, Endoscopy, Sterile Processing, Pre-admission testing, Bariatrics, Cardiac Cath Lab, Cardiac Stress Testing, Cardiac Rehab and Radiological Nursing.

Prior to joining RWJ Rahway, held the position of Director of Perioperative Services at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center for 12 years, starting as an OR staff nurse. Most recently, she ran the COVID vaccine clinic at CBMC and also worked as a nursing supervisor.

She is a graduate of Saint Peter’s University, where she earned her BSN, and the University of Phoenix, where she earned her MSN. Caroline grew up in Ireland and completed her initial nurse training in Dublin, then went on to do operating room training in London. She is passionate about staff engagement and process improvement.

Sheri Cleaves, RN, MSN, CCRN, CRNI

Magnet Program Director

Sheri, who has more than 39 years’ experience in nursing leadership and education, comes to us from St. Mary's hospital in Lewiston, Maine, where she was an interim nursing director. Prior to that, she worked at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus as Administrative Director for Nursing, including Magnet and Nursing Education. She’s also worked at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center as Administrative Director of Professional Development. For more than 25 years, she worked at Muhlenberg Hospital and JFK Medical Center in Critical Care and Infusion Therapy. A graduate of Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing, Sheri received her BSN at Jersey City State College and completed her Masters of Science in Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, with the specialty of Critical Care, Trauma and Emergency. She is currently licensed as an APN. Sheri is especially proud of her recent certification as a Nurse Coach and is a proud founding member of the Nightingale Nurses Honor Guard of New Jersey, which recognizes deceased women and men who have dedicated their lives to the nursing profession.

Kathleen Borenstein, DNP, RN, CCRN-K

Director of Education and Research

Dr. Borenstein graduated from Muhlenberg Hospital SON and Union College with an AAS/Diploma in 1979 and completed BSN from Kean University in 1986. She completed her MSN in Nursing Education in 2005 and her DNP from UMDNJ in 2010.

Dr. Borenstein began her nursing career in the ICU at Muhlenberg, where she worked until 2007, first as a staff nurse, Assistant Nurse Manager and then Manager over the ICU and Progressive Care in 1996. In 2007 Dr. Borenstein moved to Morristown Medical Center where she held various positions including Clinical Specialist, Manager of medical telemetry and post open heart telemetry units, Cardiac Education, Administrative Manager of the Advanced Practice Providers for Cardiac Surgery, and Administrative Manager for the LVAD (left ventricular assist devise) Program. Her final position was as Manager for the Cardiovascular Quality for the Atlantic Health System.

Dr. Borenstein has presented at multiple local, regional, and national conferences including the National Magnet Conference on various topics and has authored and co-authored articles related to staffing models, bedside report, and healthy work environments.

Dr. Borenstein is an active member in the Organization of Nurse Leaders of NJ (ONLNJ) having served on the Board of Directors and is currently the Chair of the Advocacy Committee, Co-Chair of ONLNJ PAC, and a founding member of the NWESC (Nurse Work Environment and Staffing Councils) Commission. Based on the AACN (American Association of Critical Care Nurses), Healthy Work Environment model, NWESC focuses on giving staff nurses’ tools and a voice in decision making to promote a healthy work environment.

Helen Peare, BSN, RN

Director of Ambulatory Cardiac Services

Helen oversees the Cardiac Service Line at RWJUH in Rahway. In 2010 she was promoted as Director of Ambulatory Cardiac Services which encompasses Cardiac Cath Lab, Cardiac Rehab Center, Interventional Radiology Nurses, and Stress Testing. She is a key member in renovation of the Cardiac Rehab Department and currently involved in expanding Rahway’s Cardiac Cath Lab. Helen Peare has worked in healthcare for 45 years. Throughout her career she has held various roles including: Ambulatory Cardiac Services Manager at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Rahway since September of 1980. She was the Assistant Head Nurse of Medical Intensive Care services, Staff and Nursing Supervisor at Bellevue Hospital Center, New York City.

She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing form Hunter College, New York. She is a member of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.