Julie A. Lopez, DNP, RN, NE-BC, FACHE

Julie Lopez, DNP, has 34 years of nursing experience, 20 of them in progressive leadership. Her most recent position was as CNO for Franciscan Alliance South Suburb Chicago Region.  Prior to that, Lopez served as the associate vice president of medical oncology and cardiology nursing at Rush University Medical Center, or RUMC, where her accountabilities included establishing and maintaining excellence in nursing practice and effectiveness and efficiency of nursing operations for eight nursing units. She successfully led the opening and expansion of several medical units and the relocation of populated inpatient care units. Lopez had the honor to be a key contributor to the development of the RUMC biohazard containment unit with the Chicago Department of Public Health Ebola Network Response. She has a strong background in clinical operations, service line management and quality initiatives. Her passion is mentoring nurses in leadership and system’s management.

Prior to joining Rush, Lopez served as a director of patient care and cardiac services at the former St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island, IL and had progressively responsible nursing staff and manager roles at Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago. Her clinical background is in adult critical care. She earned a doctor of nursing practice at Rush University Medical Center College of Nursing in 2008. She holds a master of science in health service administration from the  University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL and holds two leadership national certifications as a nurse executive and a fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives.