Meet Dawn White – Leadership Coshocton County Class of 2021
Dawn White grew up nearby in Newcomerstown. A 1989 graduate of Newcomerstown High School, White ran track and hurdles, going to state for hurdles. She moved to Coshocton after graduation, where her grandmother lived. White initially majored in accounting, attending Muskingum University, until driving home one weekend, she came upon a single-car accident. This, as she stated, became her “a-ha moment,” as she assisted with the injured driver and realized she was suited for a career in the healthcare field. She transferred to Kent State University, earning an associate degree in nursing in 1993 and passed the board exam in 1994 to become a registered nurse. White went to work as a nurse and wanted to continue her education, but, as she put it, “life got in the way.” In 2015 she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Malone University and continued her education to earn a Master’s in Advance Practical Nursing and her nurse practitioner certification (CNP) in 2017.
Prior to earning her CNP, White worked at Union Hospital in Dover, in the emergency room. Her primary job is with Genesis Health System in Zanesville, in the gastroenterology office. White sees patients, providing consults and follow-ups for the doctors. Patients have a variety of medical conditions including Crohn’s Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and cirrhosis of the liver, among others. White takes patient care very seriously, and “prides herself on meeting people on their level,” ensuring the patient has a full understanding of their condition and care. She has also worked for three years at Coshocton Regional Medical Center in the emergency room after earning her Nurse Practitioner, and currently works on a contractual basis there. She has also recently begun working at Union Hospital again part-time in the emergency department.
With three jobs, White doesn’t have “much time” and COVID has limited her ability to volunteer as a nurse practitioner at Hope Clinic. When her boys were in school, she was involved with the booster club for soccer and swimming, but now her involvement is limited to professional organizations. White is a member of the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses and the Ohio Nurses Association.
When asked about her interest in Leadership Coshocton County, White stated, “It’s been around longer than I knew about it and has lots of history.” She wants to gain more insight on the needs and availability of healthcare in Coshocton County. White also appreciates being exposed to a lot of different aspects of the community, stating, “there is a variety of people in the program. It’s interesting to meet people from different walks of life and have better exposure to the reality of the world.”
White views the community as having “a lot of diversity.” “There are people and families that have been there forever and there are new people to the community; people from all walks of life.” She describes it as “a little bit of everything” and appreciates the intimacy with more people willing to help each other than in a large metropolitan area. People are connected by family, jobs, etc., and she is “blessed to be a part of that.”
To make the county stronger, White stresses the need to “get industry in here.” She recognizes small businesses are booming but COVID is making it difficult for them with the mandates. She would like to see stability in the workforce brought back to Coshocton. White points out “regardless of what has happened, Coshocton has maintained its population density. We are survivors.”
White would recommend Leadership Coshocton to others as each group brings something different to the program. She stated of her group, “We’re all ‘workers’ – that’s what’s interesting – it brings different people from the community together to work together.”
She closes by stating, “I’m really thankful to be part of it (Leadership Coshocton). I’ve met people who were strangers, but we’ll all become friends when we’re done. People from all different occupations – agriculture; the military; developmental disabilities; counselor… What a group!”
Category: Clubs & Organizations
