Mary Rita Hurley is recognized nationally as a speaker, consultant, & advocate in the long term care industry due to her continued successes in her 30 plus year career. Recent appointments include the Governor’s Commission for Senior Services, the Medicare/Medicaid Integration of Services Work Group For Health Care Reform in Oregon, and the Medicaid Long Term Care Quality & Reimbursement Advisory Council. She is the immediate Past President of the National Gerontological Nurses Association and was the Vice President of Government Affairs for a national nursing organization, as well as the Executive Director of the Oregon Center for Nursing. Mary Rita’s career has been dedicated to improving the health and health care of older adults. She has extensive experience in gerontology and managing the oversight of long term care and senior housing facilities in both urban and rural settings throughout the United States. Her successful experience has been in many avenues and has included as a Clinical Nurse; Regional VP & VP Field Operations; Consultant to Profit and Non Profits on regulatory compliance and policy and procedure development; Consultant on nursing operations and leadership/mentoring strategies; University Faculty; Author; Ageing Initiatives Director; Director Business Development; President National Gerontological Association; and Director of the International Leadership Institute. Mary Rita brings much passion and intense drive to her assignments and challenges and has a reputation to get results, but has a talent for building positive relationship and making many friends along the way.