Karen Valaitis

Dr. Valaitis gained healthcare management and practice experience at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio, where she worked for 20 years. At the Cleveland Clinic, she worked as the administrator for cardiovascular research, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and neurology. Later, she became the commercialization officer for neurosurgery and neurology, overseeing the department’s intellectual property portfolio. Before coming to UWF, she also worked in healthcare administration at the Ohio State University Medical Center and in executive search for health care programs in higher education. She is certified as a Quality Matters online Instructor and is a Master Reviewer with the Quality Matters Program. She earned a bachelor’s degree in science from The Ohio State University, a MBA from Cleveland State University, and a Ed.D. from the University of West Florida.