It is with great pleasure that Supportive Care of the Dying: A Coalition for Compassionate Care announces that Sister Karin Dufault, SP, RN, PhD has agreed to serve as the new executive director of the Coalition. Sister Karin will assume this important ministry role in October 2005.

Sister Karin has enjoyed a distinguished career in healthcare, with clinical specialties in oncology and gerontology and a doctorate in nursing. Her special concern for people with life-threatening illness is long standing. Sister Karin’s doctoral dissertation focused on hope in elderly patients living and dying with cancer. She has presented lectures and workshops nationally on such topics as compassionate care for the dying and bereaved, care of elders, pain management, cancer care, nursing and healthcare ethics, healthcare access and reform, healthcare governance, nursing research, mission and values in healthcare, and transformational leadership.

Sister Karin brings extensive leadership experience to her new role, serving most recently as vice president of mission leadership for Providence Health System (Seattle). She is the current chairperson-elect for the board of trustees of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (St. Louis).

Previously, Sr. Karin served as chairperson of the board of directors for Providence Health System (1991-2002), and also as that system’s president and CEO (1996-1997). She has held numerous administrative, executive, and clinical nursing roles in hospital and health system settings throughout her career. She has served on numerous boards, including the Patient Safety Institute, the Washington Health Foundation (Seattle), Providence Services (Spokane), Catholic Health Initiatives (Denver), and the U.S. Catholic China Bureau. She is a member of the Seattle University School of Nursing Advisory Board, the University of Washington Master of Health Administration Advisory Committee, the Health Status and Health Systems Project Advisory Panel of King County, WA, and the Advisory Board of GOVERNANCE 100.

Sr. Karin was awarded a honorary doctorate of public service from the University of Portland (2005), the Case Western Reserve University Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing Professional Achievement Award (1995), the Yakima Valley Community College Distinguished Service Award (1991), the Seattle University School of Nursing Outstanding Alumni Award (1991), and the Yakima YWCA Woman of Achievement in Business Award (1989).