Marlys Neis
Marlys Neis has spent more than five decades working at the intersection of healthcare leadership, education, caregiving, and writing. She began her career as a bedside nurse before moving into hospital administration at the University of Michigan Hospitals in Ann Arbor and later serving as Vice President of Nursing at community hospitals in both Madison, Wisconsin, and suburban Chicago. In these leadership roles, she worked closely with physicians, educators, and clinical teams to strengthen patient-care systems and support the development of healthcare professionals during a period of significant change in American medicine.
Her commitment to preparing the next generation of caregivers later drew her into the classroom, where she taught biology, medical terminology, and health-science pathway courses for more than twelve years. Teaching allowed her to combine practical knowledge with mentorship and compassion—qualities that have shaped her work throughout her career.
Later in life, Marlys faced a series of personal challenges that reshaped her perspective, including years as a caregiver for her husband during his Parkinson’s disease and recovery from a serious automobile accident. These experiences deepened her understanding of resilience—not as a theory, but as a lived practice.
At age seventy-six, she published her memoir Sing, Even If You Can’t, followed by Keep Singing: A Guided Journal for Finding Resilience. She is currently writing a new book focused on navigating the healthcare system from the patient and caregiver perspective. Today, she shares insight drawn from both professional leadership and personal experience to encourage others facing illness, loss, transition, or reinvention. Her message is simple but powerful: It is always possible to begin again.
• University of Colorado Denver
Master of Science (M.S.), Nursing Administration
• University of Iowa
BSN, Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
• Nurse of the Year Award, Universtiy of Wisconsin - recognized for research on staff nurse job satisfaction and the impact of participation in clinical decision-making
• Research ontributor to national nursing workforce study supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation examining the effectiveness of professional nursing staff in long-term care settings.
• Multiple Peak Performance Awards for Teaching Excellence, Arizona College - recognized for outstanding instruction in health sciences education.
What do you attribute your success to?
I grew up on a farm in Iowa, where I learned early that work has meaning when you do it well and take responsibility for the outcome. That experience shaped my expectations of myself throughout my career. Later, strong mentors helped me recognize my leadership abilities and encouraged me to continue my education and take on larger responsibilities in healthcare administration.
Over time, I learned that success is rarely about one opportunity - it is about persistence, preparation, and a willingness to keep growing through both professional and personal challenges. Those lessons have continued to guide me in my work as a teacher and now as a writer focusing on resilience and caregiving.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of the most important influences in my career was a mentor who encouraged me to pursue graduate study in nursing administration and to recognize that thoughtful leadership can shape healthcare systems as well as individual patient experiences. She helped me understand that good leadership requires both clarity and compassion - seeing the practical realities of healthcare while also recognizing the human impact of decisions. That perspective influenced my work throughout my administrative career and continues to shape the way I write and speak about resilience and caregiving today.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Healthcare is ultimately about caring for patients, families, and the professionals who provide that care. My advice to young women entering the field is to stay curious, continue learning, and recognize that leadership opportunities often appear earlier than you expect them.
It is also important to take care of yourself. Healthcare is demanding work, and sustaining a long and meaningful career requires both commitment and balance. The profession needs thoughtful leaders as much as it needs skilled clinicians.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Healthcare has always been both rewarding and demanding work, but today, one of the greatest challenges is supporting and retaining skilled professionals at the bedside while managing the increasing complexity and cost of care. These pressures create important opportunities for stronger leadership at every level of healthcare organizations. When nurses and other professionals are involved in decision-making and supported in their work environments, both patient care and staff satisfaction improve. I believe the future of healthcare depends on strengthening those partnerships between clinical staff and leadership.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Curiosity and lifelong learning have shaped nearly every stage of my career. Healthcare is always changing, and remaining open to new knowledge has been essential both professionally and personally. At the same time, family has always been central to my decision-making. My experiences as a caregiver later in life deepened my understanding of resilience and strengthened my commitment to helping others navigate illness, change, and loss with clarity and hope.
Locations
Marlys Neis - Author, Educator, Speaker
Surprise, AZ 85379