Leah Rawdon
The Office of Advanced Practice is thrilled to welcome Leah Rawdon, DNP, APRN-CPNP, as she steps into a new leadership role focused on elevating educational initiatives and driving the growth, retention and clinical excellence of our Advanced Practice Providers (APPs).
According to Jen Michel, director of the Advanced Practice Center, Leah’s role will oversee APP professional growth, develop structured education programs – including APP fellowship programs – and enhance career advancement initiatives.
“This role will collaborate with key stakeholders to support APP retention and mentorship,” Jen said. “Leah will also be responsible for leading efforts in onboarding and continuing education, including planning annual APP conferences.
Helping APPs grow and thrive
“Over the last 10 years as a lead APP in Pediatric Hospital Medicine, I have truly enjoyed advocating for my team, helping them build new skills and providing education that enables them to work at the top of their scope,” said Leah. “I’m excited to continue doing that for the Pediatric Hospital Medicine team, but also for all APPs across the organization.
“I enjoy seeing a problem, figuring out solutions and making improvements that have a lasting impact,” she added. “This new role allows me to do that on a much larger scale, helping to strengthen professional growth and development across the board.”
Leah helped develop the Pediatric Hospital Medicine APP program and the Hospitalist Short Stay Unit at Akron Children’s. For the past 10 years, she has served as a lead APP in Pediatric Hospital Medicine.
Building on a decade of teamwork and innovation
Leah’s previous accomplishments include the development of the Pediatric Hospital Medicine APP program and the Hospitalist Short Stay Unit. She has been recognized nationally, most recently as the recipient of the Magnet Nurse of the Year award. Leah also created a sub-committee for APPs working in Pediatric Hospital Medicine through the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has obtained several grants to support development of a preconference for Pediatric Hospital Medicine APPs prior to annual PHM National Conferences.
“Many of the initiatives I’ve led have been successful because they were built on teamwork,” Leah said. “I believe a team is only as strong as the effort we put in together, and collaboration is key to creating both engagement and growth.”
In her new role, Leah plans to lean on the expertise and insight of the Education Committee, the Professional Advancement Committee and APPs across the organization to identify priorities and create solutions—both system-wide and within individual departments.
Creating opportunities at every stage of an APP’s career
“Leah has shown her passion for APP education and professional advancement in numerous ways including developing and implementing an organization-wide APP onboarding and orientation design program inclusive of medical staff orientation and a 3-day boot camp,” said Jen. “She has also developed a Pediatric Hospital Medicine APP clinical orientation pathway, giving several poster and podium presentations on local and national stages, and continues to be a dedicated mentor to new hire APPs.”
In 2024, Leah was honored with nursing’s prestigious Magnet Nurse of the Year award.
Leah said she has a plan for how she can continue to support APP retention and career growth.
“Onboarding and education are critical to making sure APPs feel confident, supported and prepared to take on their roles,” Leah said. “Without that, people may seek opportunities where they feel better equipped.
“Growth also means meeting APPs where they are, learning what they’re passionate about and finding ways to help them advance through mentorship,” she added.
She plans to do that by re-evaluating APP Boot Camp to make sure new hires are set up for success as well as meeting with them regularly to ensure their department-level orientation is strong.
“I also plan to look at APP education across the organization to develop opportunities for APPs at every stage of their careers,” she said.
Leah said her passion comes from a genuine desire to help people succeed and take joy in their work.
“I lead with transparency and believe we achieve the best outcomes when we work together,” she said. “Mentoring others and knowing I can help, even in small ways, to improve their work life motivates me to keep advocating, teaching and supporting the APP community.”
