The Johnson Creek Education Foundation has chosen Stefanie Schmitt Spicer, a 1986 Graduate of Johnson Creek High School, as the 2024 Alumnus of the Year. Stefanie lives in Northeast Ohio and is licensed in Ohio as an Adult Nurse Practitioner who is certified in Hospice and Palliative Care.
Her post high school education began at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she earned a BS is Nursing, with an additional major of Psychology, and a minor in Sociology. After graduating from UWEC, she moved to Milwaukee where she worked at Columbia Hospital. In 1994, she accepted a cardiac nursing position at Timken Mercy Hospital in Canton, Ohio. While there, she obtained a master's degree in nursing at Kent State University and became certified as an Adult Nurse Practitioner in 1998.
Through the years, she has worked as a staff educator, and sexual assault nurse examiner, as well as working in women's health, thoracic surgery, and geriatric health. Many years, she was working in multiple positions at the same time. In 2006, she began her journey in geriatric health, where she found her calling in hospice and palliative nursing. In 2010, she began working solely in Hospice & Palliative nursing, first at a hospice in Akron Ohio until 2012. In 2012 she returned to Timken Mercy, which was now known as Mercy Medical Center, as their Hospice & Palliative Nurse Practitioner. She worked there until 2023, after it became part of the famed Cleveland Clinic. In August of 2023, she left Cleveland Clinic Mercy to work for WellBe Senior Medical, where she currently cares for patients who have significant chronic illnesses, in their homes.
Stefanie has served in multiple volunteer and fundraising activities. She has volunteered with Big Brothers/ Big Sisters. She has volunteered at her church as a Sunday school teacher and with several committees. She currently serves as Vice President of the Board of Trustees of Camp Koinonia, a summer camp associated with her church. She volunteers at Camp often in many capacities, including serving as camp nurse for several camps over the years. Working with Peter Berres of Berres Coffee, she set up a fundraising program that benefits the camp. She is a runner, and for 10 years participated in a half marathon fundraiser for New Hope Academy, a school in Franklin, TN. For the past 12 years she has also participated in a community theater called the North Canton Playhouse and helped with their fundraising and shows.
One of the most positive memories of Johnson Creek HS for Stefanie is that she was able to participate in so many activities while she was here. Stand out memories include going to state in basketball and track. She was selected for a Joe Davies Scholarship, which helped pay for her education at UW-Eau Claire and realize her dream of having a successful career.
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