Ms. Stanlee Richards has worked in health care for more than 40 years. Her dream of becoming a nurse began in 1975. She is the director of nursing at Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility.
After completing her Bachelor of Science from York College, she joined the U. S. Army Reserve in 1983, serving the country for 23-and-a-half years and retiring as a major. During her career she was a critical care nurse, family care plan officer, movement office and trauma training program coordinator.
In her 11 months on active duty at the 8th Medical Brigade she worked as the assistant chief nurse.
In a volunteer capacity, she has helped support deployed soldiers and their families by phone through a support group that meets monthly at Fort Hamilton Army Base.
This retired major is also vice president of the National Association for Black Military Women, New York Chapter, an organization that keeps alive the history of Black women who serve our nation. “One of our goals is to motivate Black female youth toward academic excellence,” Ms. Richards says. “We’re issuing our first scholarship this year!”
Ms. Richards takes great pride having participated in 2013 with a team that successfully relocated 100 patients on ventilators from a facility on Roosevelt Island in Manhattan.
That same year, she received the Sloan Public Service Award for her dedication, advocating, and caring for physically fragile and vulnerable patients.
Ms. Richards is of Puerto Rican heritage.
“My former director of nursing, Ms. Margaret Weeks had the greatest influence on my career,” she credits. “What a role model! By her mentorship, I progressed so much.”
