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Ann and Mark Baiada to Speak at Commencement

Neumann to honor healthcare leaders

	Ann & Mark Baiada

Neumann College will present honorary degrees to Ann and Mark Baiada at May 19 commencement ceremonies. The wife and husband team, respectively the director and founder of Bayada Nurses, a national leader in the home care industry, will co-deliver the 2007 commencement address to more than 550 graduates.

According to Dr. Rosalie M. Mirenda, president of Neumann College, the Baiadas are being honored for “leadership in health care, a relentless quest for mission-driven service, and steadfast dedication to building a better community.”

Prior to joining Bayada Nurses, Ann Baiada, R.N., C.R.R.N., practiced her profession in various health care settings. Her commitment to clinical excellence motivated her to create Project White Cap, a training program for new nurses, and Project White Shoes, annual training for clinical leaders. She also founded BayadAbility, the company's rehabilitation program and established the Ann Baiada Award for Excellence in Nursing Leadership.  

Mrs. Baiada gives her time and support to many organizations, including the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Mercy Vocational High School, Cardinal Dougherty High School, Providence House in New Jersey and Catholic Charities. She is co-chair of the University of the Arts Parents Council, current member and past president of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses in Greater Philadelphia, and member and past board member of the Moorestown Rotary Club and the Moorestown Community House, and a member of the New Jersey State Nurses Association. She is also actively involved in the Bayada Regatta, an annual competitive rowing event for disabled athletes.

She has received the Burlington County Light of Hope Award from Catholic Charities, the Work of Mercy Award from the Sisters of Mercy at Mercy Vocational High School, and the Service Above Self award from the Moorestown Rotary Club.  Baiada earned her certification in rehabilitation nursing from the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses and her R.N. degree from Abington Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.

Mark Baiada founded Bayada Nurses in 1975 with the mission of helping people have a safe home life with comfort, independence and dignity. His commitment to recognize and reward those who set and maintain the highest levels of excellence led him to establish the Bayada Award for Technological Innovation in Nursing Education and Practice, implemented by the Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions.

In addition to sponsoring the Bayada Regatta for the past 25 years, Baiada has supported various relief efforts to assist people injured in the Kosovo War, Hurricane Katrina, and the tsunami disaster of 2004. In recognition, he was awarded the Cradle of Liberty Award from the Boy Scouts of America; the Helms Award from Goodwill Industries, and the Work of Mercy Award from Mercy Vocational High School.

Baiada, who earned both his B.A. and his M.B.A. from Rutgers University, serves on the Home Care Advisory Board for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; is co-chair of the University of Arts Parents Council; serves on the Board of Overseers for the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing; and is a member of the Executive Advisory Council for Rutgers University School of Business. Ernst & Young named him the Entrepreneur of the Year for the Philadelphia region in 1999.

5/8/07