Celina Cunanan, MSN, APRN-CNM

Bio

Celina Cunanan, MSN, APRN-CNM, is Chief Health Impact Officer of University Hospitals (UH), a comprehensive health system with annual revenues of $6.4 billion, 21 hospitals (including 5 joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices located throughout 16 counties.

As Chief Health Impact Officer, Ms. Cunanan champions strategies that build a healthcare environment where everyone feels supported and valued – whether a patient, caregiver or community member. Ms. Cunanan is leading UH to develop and grow thoughtful, innovative signature programs such as the UH Health Scholars youth pipeline program, the UH Second Look and Satcher Acting Internship programs for graduate medical education recruitment, the UH Food for Life Markets^® to address food insecurity and UH LGBQT/Gender Services to provide supportive and affirming care for patients.

In her current role, Ms. Cunanan has made a tremendous impact by leading change within the UH system, as well as improving the health of Greater Cleveland. Under her leadership, UH’s Food for Life Markets^® have expanded to five UH locations and were recognized in 2024 with the American Hospital Association’s Dick Davidson NOVA Award for collaborative efforts toward improving community health. Additionally, she initiated a program to provide department-level support for caregiver engagement by embedding Health Impact liaisons within clinical departments and launched employee resource groups as spaces for dialogue and pathways to contribute to a strong, respectful workplace culture. Ms. Cunanan also expanded and advanced the UH Health Scholars program, which provides health career internship experiences for high school students and created UH’s Future Shades in Medicine Youth Summit to allow health career exploration for children starting in elementary school. And through UH’s Second Look program, she has increased UH’s visibility with medical students to encourage them to apply to UH for residency.

An experienced clinician leader, Ms. Cunanan was UH’s inaugural Division Director for Nurse-Midwifery in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology from 2007 through June 2022, and System Chief for Nurse-Midwifery from 2017-2022. Under her leadership, UH Midwifery grew to be the largest network of midwives in Ohio.

Ms. Cunanan has a demonstrated commitment to addressing the inequalities impacting maternity care for Black women and babies. In 2010 and in response to Cleveland’s high preterm birth and infant mortality rates, she helped initiate the Centering Pregnancy model of care and served as Medical Director. The UH Centering program is recognized as one of the largest and most innovative programs nationwide and has been designated as Centering Healthcare Institute’s Midwest Regional Leadership Partner. She addressed the issue of sleep-related infant deaths by co-founding the non-profit Babies Need Boxes Ohio, which provided baby boxes, safe sleep education and supplies to expectant families.

She serves on the executive board for First Year Cleveland, our region’s civic and community collaborative to address infant mortality, where she has co-chaired both the Centering Pregnancy Coalition and Community Action Council. She has presented locally and all over the country regarding the importance of health care systems understanding the roles of racism and bias in maternal and child outcomes.

Ms. Cunanan previously served as president of the Northeast Ohio chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and as an elected member of the ACNM Nominating Committee. For her leadership and expertise in the field of midwifery, Ms. Cunanan was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Nurse-Midwives in 2019. Ms. Cunanan previously served on the Ohio Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Committee. She currently serves as Chair for the Ohio Commission on Minority Health after being re-appointed to her third term by Governor Mike DeWine in 2024.

In 2024, Ms. Cunanan was recognized by Modern Healthcare as a Top Diversity Leader and by Crain’s Cleveland Business as a Women of Note. She routinely appeared on Becker’s Healthcare “Hospital and Health System Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officers to Know” list. Ms. Cunanan has also been recognized by the Cleveland Business Journal as a 2022 Woman of Influence and by Crain’s Cleveland Business as a 2022 Notable Executive in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Ms. Cunanan earned her BA degree as a dual major in Health & Society and Psychology from the University of Rochester in 1994, her BSN from St. Louis University in 1998, and her MSN in Nurse-Midwifery from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in 2000. She earned her Women’s Leadership Certificate (2018) and Coaching Certificate (2021) from CWRU Weatherhead School of Management, and her Diversity Equity & Inclusion Certificate from Northwestern University in 2022.