Senator Joseph Vitale presents a joint resolution from the New Jersey legislature to Professor Edna Cadmus at a reception celebrating her forthcoming retirement.

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If one word could define Edna Cadmus (PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN), it’s “yes.”

Over nearly 50 years as a nurse, Cadmus has become a highly lauded and influential leader—known for saying “yes” and stepping up when others might step back.

She’ll retire on July 1 as a clinical professor at Rutgers School of Nursing and the executive director of the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN). But she’s not walking away from her beloved profession. “I’m not going to be just fading into the sunset,” she says.

“Dr. Cadmus has been a valued member of our faculty and a powerful champion of the nursing workforce,” says Angela Starkweather (PhD, ACNP-BC, CNRN, FAANP, FAAN), dean and professor at Rutgers School of Nursing. “She’s made a lasting impact through her leadership, the collaborations she’s built, and the relationships she’s nurtured across academia, health systems, nursing professional associations, and public policy.”

Cadmus began her career in 1976 as a staff nurse and rose to a 16-year tenure as senior vice president for patient care services at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.

She didn’t initially set out to be a leader. “People tapped me on the shoulder and shared opportunities,” she recalls. “And one of the things I did was say ‘yes.’ Over time, I recognized that leadership was my path and became passionate about changing things in health care.”

“Even when I felt I didn’t have all the skills I needed,” she says, “I knew I could obtain them through education and great mentors.” In fact, Cadmus earned a PhD in nursing to build her skills in data analysis to address critical workforce challenges like nurse retention.

When she joined the Rutgers faculty in 2010, Cadmus was asked to create a graduate program in nursing leadership. She said “yes” again, serving more than a decade as the founding specialty director, inspiring, educating, and mentoring developing nurse leaders.

In 2014, she said “yes” to taking the helm at the NJCCN. The state-established center, housed at the nursing school, serves as a voice for nursing workforce solutions grounded in evidence-based data.

“Edna’s contributions to nursing are unmatched,” says Sen. Joseph Vitale, chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “When I needed reliable workforce information, I turned to Edna and NJCCN—and they always delivered.”

Among her signature achievements: launching a 12-month residency program for new nurses, now active at 22 New Jersey hospitals, as well as residency programs in school nursing, long-term care, and advanced practice nursing. Under her leadership, NJCCN earned the 2025 Excellence in Innovation Award from the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers.

Linda Flynn (PhD, RN, FAAN), immediate past dean of Rutgers School of Nursing, says Cadmus’ importance to NJCCN can’t be overstated. “As a member of the original team that founded the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing,” she says, “I am thrilled with the leadership and innovation that Dr. Cadmus has provided the center over the last decade. She’s had a profound impact on standards of nursing practice and competency building at all levels of nursing practice.” 

Cadmus’ career spans years of active leadership with nursing professional associations and accrediting bodies at state and national levels. For example, she’s served as president and held other board positions with the Organization of Nurse Leaders- New Jersey. Since 2010, she has co-led the New Jersey Action Campaign advancing the nationwide Future of Nursing initiative. Nationally, she co-chaired revisions to Nursing Leadership: Scope and Standards of Practice and served as a Pathway to Excellence commissioner.

She’s secured more than $13 million in funding, authored over 60 publications, testified before state and national lawmakers, and organized and presented at conferences across the U.S.

A fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a member of Sigma, the international honor society for nurses, Cadmus has received numerous awards —most recently, the 2025 Exemplary Leadership Award from the 12,000-member American Organization for Nursing Leadership. The AONL award recognizes a nurse leader who has significantly influenced professional nursing practice and the professional development of others.

In May, colleagues gathered at the Rutgers Club in New Brunswick to celebrate her legacy. Speakers included Vitale, who presented her with a joint resolution from the New Jersey legislature.

Cadmus plans to stay active through consulting, mentoring, and continued advocacy—and, true to form, she plans to keep saying “yes.”

View Photos from the May 8, Retirement Reception Honoring Dr. Edna Cadmus

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