NADONA finds new CEO after long-time leader’s unexpected death

The hole left by the death of NADONA Chief Executive Sherrie Dornberger may never be fully filled, aides say, but at least the recovery effort will be led by an experienced, familiar team member.

Cindy Fronning, the group’s education director, has taken the top job at the National Association of Directors of Nursing in Long-Term Care. She is shedding the title of “acting executive director,” which she received after Dornberger died of organ failure in May, and will retain her education role.

“After losing Sherrie, we naturally turned to Cindy to support our members, partners and staff,” NADONA CEO Robin Arnicar said in announcing the hire July 26. “Cindy’s knowledge and relationships within the organization made her the obvious choice to succeed Sherrie. We look forward to working with Cindy in her new role and are confident she will continue to lead NADONA toward a successful future.”

Founded 35 years ago, NADONA is the oldest organization dedicated to educating, advocating and training nurse directors, registered nurses and other nursing leaders in long-term and post-acute care. It has members in all 50 states and chapters in 27.

Clinical expert takes over NADON

Fronning has over 40 years of experience in long-term care as a consultant to DON/multi-site organizations and a national clinical consultant specializing in clinical reimbursement.

She served as NADONA’s Education Director for six years, overseeing the introduction of several new educational product lines. She will continue to oversee their development, as well as the group’s certification processes.

Fronning said McKnight that she started in long-term care as a nurse’s assistant for teenagers, at a time when only on-the-job training was offered. She continued working in a nursing home while attending nursing school.

After graduating, she worked in a hospital for seven years but then “found her way back to a nursing home.” She’s never left since, sometimes working in non-delivery roles. She’s now a master trainer with at least 10 acronyms after her name, signifying special certifications or training she’s completed.

“Whether I was a DON, a corporate consultant or a national consultant, my goal was to improve care in every way I could,” she said. “Here at NADONA, I don’t have the same access to work that I used to, but I am honored to help prepare and educate DONs and future DONs on how to achieve our goal of providing the best quality care possible. I am excited to lead NADONA into the future and the ongoing changes that are happening in the postoperative world.”

Arnicar believes Fronning’s appointment is exactly what Dornberger would have wanted.

“Cindy’s appointment as executive director is bittersweet. It’s not easy to move on,” Arnicar said McKnight“Sherrie wasn’t just a leader at NADONA, she was my friend and mentor. Sherrie and I talked endlessly about the goals of NADONA and the long-term care nursing profession. Our greatest shared goal was succession and the critical role of the nurse leader in preparing the team to continue in her absence. I think Sherrie would be proud if Cindy were named executive director.”

Dornberger was the executive director of NADONA for 13 years, its president for seven years, and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Ask Resident Care Expert columnist about 18. Her passing was widely mourned, and NADONA honored her at its annual meeting in June in several ways, including permanently naming the event’s exhibit hall after her.