GREENVILLE – State of the Heart Care announced the appointment of its new executive director, Kristi Strawser.
Strawser has worked for State of the Heart Care for eight years, serving in many roles, most recently as the director of clinical services and care center manager.
If you take the time to sit with Strawser, it won’t be long before you see her passion and heart for hospice shine in her smile. And if you review her resume, you would know she is definitely up for the task.
Strawser has a long history of working in health care starting as an aid at the Brethren Retirement Community and while working there earned her LPN license. During her time at BRC she worked alongside State of the Heart caring for a hospice patient and soon found herself at the other end of the spectrum, as her grandfather became a patient at State of the Heart. She then knew that hospice was the place for her.
Strawser served as an LPN and earned her RN license during her first five-and-a-half-year tenure with State of the Heart. She once again was a recipient of the agency’s care when she and her husband, Sean, entrusted State of the Heart to care for their daughter, Corynna.
Corynna Strawser was an inspiration to thousands of people who followed her journey on Facebook as she brought attention to the fatal disease which took her life – Mitochondrial Disease. Her strength in facing death and determination to educate the public about her disease was inspiring. After a courageous battle with the disease, Corynna passed away in 2013.
After some time away, Strawser felt a calling to return to the agency. She was welcomed back with open arms as State of the Heart’s care center manager, where she served in that role from 2015-18. She was most recently appointed as the director of clinical services for State of the Heart before accepting her newest role as executive director.
In addition to working, Strawser has made furthering her education a priority; she is a certified hospice and palliative care nurse, received her nursing executive certification and soon will receive her MBA and MSN. Strawser said she “loves watching people grow under good leadership and wants to take the agency to the next level.”
Strawser has made it clear to the staff that serving State of the Heart’s patients and families is her No. 1 priority.
“We are our community’s hospice, and we are going to continue to focus on what we do well, and that is hospice care,” Strawser said about her vision for State of the Heart. “I’ve worked in the community for years, and I’m excited about all of the connections and partnerships we have.”
Community relationships are very important to Strawser, and she is always ready to listen. She can be reached by calling State of the Heart’s Darke County office at 800-417-7535 or 937-548-2999.
The board, staff and volunteers are excited for this transition and for Strawser; “this isn’t just a job, my heart beats for this agency.”
