Orlando Health Makes $500K Donation To PHSC’s Nursing Program

New Hospital In Wiregrass Ranch Also Names Its Top Management In Advance Of Early 2026 Opening! 

Congratulations go out to Pasco Hernando State College’s Institute for Nursing and Allied Health Advancement, a college initiative housed at PHSC’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, which received a $500,000 gift from Orlando Health, Inc., on Aug. 28 (photo). 

PHSC’s Nursing Institute focuses on addressing critical workforce shortages in nursing and allied health fields within the region. This collaborative effort between the school and Orlando Health — which is getting ready to open (in the spring of 2026) the Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital just across S.R. 56 from PHSC’s Porter Campus — brings together PHSC and Orlando Health in a collaborative partnership certain to benefit both entities. 

“At a time when our communities face urgent health care staffing shortages, PHSC is proud to lead the way in developing collaborations that will work to increase the pipeline for both highly qualified faculty and expertly trained employees in the nursing and allied health care fields,” said PHSC president Eric Hall, Ed.D. 

Orlando Health’s $500,000 gift to the PHSC Foundation establishes a fund to support nursing and health care services. 

“We’re excited about this new alliance with Pasco-Hernando State College,” said Andy Gardiner, senior vice president of external affairs and community relations at Orlando Health. “Our contribution is not only an investment into the future of nursing, but also an investment into health care throughout the region.” 

The check presentation, held at the PHSC Porter Campus, featured a number of guest speakers, including District 54 State Representative Randy Maggard, Dist. 23 State Senator Danny Burgess, Dr. Hall, Lisa Richardson, Ed.D. (the vice president of advancement innovation and strategic partnerships at PHSC), and Gardiner. 

Last year, PHSC received $1.5 million in state appropriations to establish The Institute for Nursing and Allied Health Advancement. The mission of the institute is to cultivate a thriving heath care workforce in the region by fostering innovative partnerships, conducting impactful research and providing exceptional education and training in nursing and allied health fields. 

Meanwhile, Orlando Health is a not-for-profit healthcare organization with $9.6 billion of assets under management that serves the southeastern U.S. and Puerto Rico. 

Founded more than 100 years ago, the 3,487-bed system includes 33 hospitals and emergency departments – 26 of which are currently operational, with seven coming soon. 

More than 4,950 physicians, representing more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties, have privileges across the Orlando Health system, which employs more than 29,000 team members and more than 1,400 physicians. 

We were unable to attend this event, so we do not have any additional information about it. 

Management Team Named 

The management team at Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital, which will open next spring as a 102-bed hospital with the capacity to expand to 300 beds, has been named by the new hospital’s president Joe Delatorre. 

Courtney Adams, MSN, BSN, RN was named the chief operating officer, Tanya Knepp, MHA will serve as chief financial officer, Suzan Dolezal, MBA-HCM, BSN, CENP, RN, has been named chief nursing officer, and Richard Matte, MBA CST, will serve as assistant vice president, business development at the hospital. 

We look forward to meeting all of you soon. 

PHSC Porter’s Campus Adds Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute 

The ribbon at the new Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute was cut by (l.-r., all holding scissors) PHSC Trustee & BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel president Becky Schulkowski, State Rep. Randy Maggard & Dr. Jesse Pisors. 

I was proud to attend the Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute’s Grand Opening and ribbon cutting on July 17 at Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC)’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch (where the Institute will be housed), where the room selected was so crowded (with probably in excess of 100 people in attendance) that I couldn’t get close enough to sit down and take notes (or record the proceedings). My story in the August 6 Wesley Chapel issue is therefore drastically different from what you’re reading, as I didn’t receive the video of the actual proceedings until after that Wesley Chapel issue went to press. 

At any rate, PHSC received $1.5 million in state appropriations in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ most recent state budget to fund the establishment of the new Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute and the event on July 17 brought together local healthcare leaders, community stakeholders and PHSC staff and faculty to celebrate the establishment of the Institute. 

Among those who spoke at the Grand Opening of the Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute at Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch on July 17 were (below right) PHSC President Dr. Jesse Pisors, (below left) State Senator Danny Burgess (who appeared via Zoom) and (above) Dr. Lisa Richardson, PHSC’s VP of Advancement, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships. 

According to Lisa Richardson, Ed.D., PHSC’s VP of Advancement, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, this innovative and collaborative institute will address the well-documented allied healthcare and nursing shortage in the state of Florida and can be used as a model nationwide. 

“We are committed to building strong relationships, driving innovation and making a positive impact on the lives of those we serve,” Richardson said. 

Through a multi-pronged, comprehensive and collaborative approach, the institute will increase nursing and allied health pipelines on both sides of the equation — increasing the talent pipeline for faculty as well as for future nursing and allied health employees. 

Andrea Brvenik, PHSC’s General Counsel and VP of Government Relations, said that, “There really was a lack of harmony in trying to address our workforce issues. Synergy is what we hope to achieve with this Institute, with the idea of bringing funding to a problem that is needed. We do get state funding to buy equipment, but we don’t get state funding to truly address the workforce issues. But, this whole thing started to come together when (District 54) State Representative Randy Maggard called to ask me, ‘What are the things we can do here?’ And then, this whole thing started to come together.” 

Rep. Maggard said he was proud to get the ball rolling for the state appropriation for the new Nursing Institute at PHSC. 

“Well-trained nurses and medical staff are needed over the next several decades not only for our community, but for our entire state,” said Rep. Maggard. “I was honored to sponsor this funding request for my Alma Mater, so that we can ensure our best and brightest have the opportunity to study nursing right here in our community. Through this program, these future nurses and medical professionals will have the tools they need to prevent a crisis level nursing shortage in the future.” 

Rep. Maggard also noted that, “It’s no secret that this area is becoming the medical hub of the state. We have doctors calling us from Europe and Asia wanting to come here.” He added that he and District 20 State Senator Danny Burgess, who appeared at the meeting via Zoom, are committed to trying to get additional funding for the new Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute in next year’s budget, too. 

“We both asked, ‘What’s our next step to keep this growing and growing?,’” Maggard said. 

The Institute will be housed at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel. The first step in establishing the new institute will be to develop a strategic plan. 

“This isn’t going to be a new building,” PHSC President Jesse Pisors, Ed.D., said. “This is an effort to solve a problem. [This nursing shortage] is one of the major workforce problems our entire nation is facing and in the Tampa Bay area, with our growing and aging population, it is particularly acute.” 

Pisors pointed to PHSC’s 47-year history of adding nurses to the workforce — including more than 160 last year alone — “In fact,” he said, “NursingProgress.org listed PHSC as the best on-line and in-person LPN (Licensed Practical Nursing) program in the state of Florida, but the shortage has still grown, so we still need to do more.” 

He added, “Higher education institutions, including PHSC, desperately seek highly qualified faculty, and institutions of health services struggle with significant gaps in nursing and allied health employees. The circumstance is amplified because improved retention and development strategies are critically needed, and without a plan in place, a real threat exists in the health care system. The Nursing and Allied Health Advancement Institute will provide these plans and focus on solutions in collaboration with significant stakeholders.” 

Pisors also noted that the state budget was tight at the State level his year, “So I am grateful to Governor DeSantis for preserving this particular initiative. This wasn’t an easy year for him to do that, but I think this [allocation] is indicative of his commitment to workforce in the health care industry.” 

In addition to Dr. Pisors, Rep. Maggard, Dr. Richardson and Brvenik, other speakers at the event included PHSC Trustee Becky Schulkowski and Billie Gabbard, Ed.D., the Dean of Nursing & Allied Health Programs at PHSC. 

“I am here wearing two hats today,” Schulkowski said. “As a Trustee for the Board of PHSC and as a member of the health care community. As the president of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, I can tell you that this institute is greatly needed by our community and our entire state. Hiring and retaining qualified nurses and allied health care professionals is a top priority for not only our hospital but for hospitals across our entire state. We simply can not provide the quality of care that our patients deserve without a qualified pool of candidates from which to hire.” 

Schulkowski also noted that since so many nurses and allied health care workers left the workforce during the Covid-19 pandemic, “the industry has been slow to recover. But, through this new institute, we hope to find solutions to facilitate greater engagement among those who may be interested in pursuing a medical career and provide a clear pipeline from education to employment.” 

She added that it is estimated that Florida will need “an additional 59,000 nurses over the next ten years to meet [the state’s] demand. That is why this Institute is such an important need in this community and our state.” 

Meanwhile, Gabbard hailed the establishment of the new Institute as a “major accomplishment. This Institute will further strengthen the symbiotic relationships that already exists between PHSC and our community health care partners. Together, we can move forward and ensure that the health care needs of Pasco and Hernando counties are met. It is an honor to be part of such an innovative endeavor.” 

Among the many dignitaries who attended the Grand Opening event in person was County Commissioner Seth Weightman, whose District 2 includes the Porter Campus. 

The ribbon at the Grand Opening was cut by Schulkowski, Dr. Pisors and Rep. Maggard. 

For more information about the Pasco Hernando State College Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute, contact Lisa Richardson, Ed.D., VP of Advancement, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, at (727) 816-3404. 

The room for the Grand Opening event was packed to standing room only. 

Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus Turns 10! 

 The Porter Family’s Land Donation Celebrates A Decade Of Adding Skilled Workers To The Local Economy! 

Many of the people in this picture have been with the Porter Campus of Pasco Hernando State College since PHSC first opened back in January of 2014. Current Provost Dr. Davina Jones (second from left) hosted an outstanding 10th Anniversary Celebration for the Porter Campus on April 6. Holding the sign, front and center in this picture, is Sonia Rodriguez Thorn, who was the first Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Porter Campus under the campus’ first Provost Dr. Stanley Giannet. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

When Sonia Rodriguez Thorn first arrived in 2013 at the not-yet-open Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch of what was then called Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC), her name was only Sonia Rodriguez, as she was not yet married. 

Sonia’s last name was still Rodriguez when the school’s Porter Campus opened in January 2014 as the fifth campus of the freshly renamed Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) and she served as the first Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Porter Campus, and the right hand to the Porter Campus’ first Provost, Dr. Stanley Giannet. Sonia did get married in December of that year, so both she and the school had new names to start the Porter Campus’ second year. 

“It’s an honor to come back here, after 30 years of service and especially, opening this campus,” Sonia said when she was introduced by the current Provost of the Porter Campus Dr. Davina Jones, “when my first hire Mildred (Santiago Diaz) and I couldn’t even get into the building yet. Mildred (who is one of several employees introduced by Dr. Jones as having been at the Porter Campus for all ten years of its existence) and I and all of our new hires were housed in one room, with six tables and chairs, at the West Campus in New Port Richey until this building (at seven total stories, the tallest in Pasco County) opened.” 

She added, “I’ve been involved with this institution in one form or another since 1991 and it’s been a blessing and a privilege for me to serve not only the community and our stakeholders but also the institution that helped develop me both personally and professionally and I’m very honored by that. So, to come here today is really special for me, to see all that the Porter Campus has done for the Wesley Chapel community and Pasco County. Thank you so much!” 

“Sonia gave us her best,” said Dr. Jones, who introduced her to those in attendance on Apr. 6, prior to the festivities celebrating the Porter Campus’ tenth anniversary as a PHSC campus. 

“So, of course, we invited her back to be here for this event today.” 

Next, Dr. Jones mentioned that the three previous Porter Campus Provosts — Dr. Stanley Giannet, Dr. Bonnie Clark and Dr. Kevin O’Farrell — also were immortalized in the new PHSC “Hall of Fame” with a commemorative photo framed and displayed in the Provost’s conference room. 

“We are also going to send each of them a photo of this tribute,” Dr. Jones said. ‘We just think it’s important that the Porter Campus never forget the excellence and the greatness that led this place.” 

She also related a story she had heard about Dr. Giannet: “I heard that when he pulled up to this campus, he had a car full of beautiful art he brought with him and placed it all around the “A” Building and donated it. That is the mark of excellence that he brought to this campus…So, we want to continue to celebrate and honor all of our Provosts.” 

She also gave gifts to each member of the campus’ inaugural staff and, before concluding the introduction to the day, Dr. Jones received a surprise herself. She handed off the microphone to Ann Coppola, the associate director of the library at the Porter Campus, who mentioned that Dr. Jones also was an original member of the campus’ faculty, as a public speech communication professor. 

Current PHSC Porter Campus Provost Dr. Davina Jones (left) and Somia Rodriguez Thorn pose with the special shadow box presented to Dr. Jones by her staff. Dr. Jones was named by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in 2022 as someone who inspired the replacement of a statue of a Confederate general in the U.S. Capitol statuary hall with one of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. 

“Since then, your talent for diplomacy, your love of education and students and your strong work ethic has placed you as our campus leader and we could not be more fortunate to have you as Provost. You strive for excellence unapologetically, you advise personal accountability, you advocate for staff, faculty and students with pure intentions and most importantly, you do all of this with civility and kindness…Your core team has learned so much from you… and your leadership sets the tone for this campus.” 

To that end, Ann mentioned that, at the dedication ceremony of the statue honoring Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune at the U.S. Capitol in July 2022, a statue that replaced one of a Confederate general that stood at the Capitol since the Jim Crowe era, Dr. Jones’ contribution to making that statue a reality was mentioned by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor. 

“Dr. Jones served as a front-line partner, as Florida and our nation prepared to receive and embrace this historic statue in the Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Dr. Jones advocated for the statue of Dr. Bethune as a far superior representative of the values and diversity of the Sunshine State.” 

Ann added, “We curated this shadow box (photos above and right) to honor the work you did and still do for education. Thank you.” Dr. Jones was clearly moved by the impressive gift. 

After that, she posed for a group photo with all of the original, former and current faculty members on hand and told everyone in attendance about the Business Expo and free food out on the school’s promenade, the tours (including virtual simulations) of the campus’ renowned nursing department and “Bomba” Afro- Latin dance lesson (see photos on next page). 

Meanwhile, Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter, whose family trust donated the 65 acres upon which the Porter Campus sits, said that he was sad he wasn’t able to attend the festivities. 

“My family couldn’t be more proud of the Porter Campus and its students, faculty and staff,” Porter said afterwards. “I believe it is the most successful of the five PHSC campuses — and for good reason. It’s a great resource, and not just for the hospitals and medical offices throughout Wiregrass Ranch, but also the local business community. If you need to update your technical training for pretty much any type of business, we have this amazing local resource right here. PHSC has room to expand the Porter Campus and I am confident that will happen sooner than later.” 

If you attended the 10th Anniversary Celebration of PHSC’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch on Apr. 6, you got to check out (left) a “Bomba” Afro-Latin Dance Lesson, (middle left) tours of the PHSC Nursing Department and virtual simulation and a free business expo with a number of community-oriented businesses meeting with attendees.

Orlando Health Meets The Local Community At Chamber Event At PHSC 

(Above, l.-r.) NTBC President Hope Kennedy, PHSC Porter Campus Provost Dr. Davina Jones, Pasco EDC VP Mike Bishop, Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter, Orlando Health VP John Walsh & Turner Construction VP Kim Neuscheler provided more than 150 attendees (photo below) with information about Wesley Chapel’s newest hospital at an NTBC-sponsored panel discussion on Feb. 21. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Although Wesley Chapel already has two full-size, full-service hospitals located within a couple of miles of each other, the area’s largest hospital is now being built less than a mile from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, the first hospital to open (more than a decade ago) in any of Wesley Chapel’s three zip codes (33543, 33544 and 33545). 

And, although Orlando Health Wesley Chapel has not yet begun going vertical, when the nonprofit hospital operator asked North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) president & CEO Hope Kennedy if she would be interested in hosting a community meeting to introduce Orlando Health to the local community, Kennedy says she jumped at the opportunity. 

“It was a no-brainer for us,” Kennedy said after the meeting was held on Feb. 21 at Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC)’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, which is located within a few hundred feet of the new hospital site now under development at the corner of S.R. 56 and Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. 

Kennedy asked Porter Campus Provost Dr. Davina Jones if she would be interested in having the meeting at PHSC, where the Chamber hosts its monthly Business Breakfasts, and the event was quickly put together. 

More than 150 NTBC members and a number of local contractors interested in working with Orlando Health on the project came to the meeting, which featured Kennedy, Dr. Jones, Pasco Economic Development Council VP Mike Bishop, Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter, Orlando Health VP of Facility Development & Asset Strategy John Walsh and Kim Neuscheler, the VP & general manager of Turner Construction Tampa, which is building the new hospital. 

Walsh said the 103-year-old Orlando Health decided to make its first foray into Pasco County and Wesley Chapel because of the area’s “amazing growth and opportunity,” especially after recently acquiring Florida Medical Clinic, the 52-office physician group that will allow Orlando Health to not only staff the new hospital, but create new partnerships in the area. 

When it is completed, Orlando Health’s will be the largest of the three hospitals in Wesley Chapel, at 395,000 sq. ft. and 300 total beds (although the $300-million first phase will include about 102 beds — 90 medical/surgical and 12 ICU and six operating rooms, with room for 78 additional beds in the building’s shell). It also will include two large (one 60,000 and the other 80,000 sq. ft.) medical office buildings on the same 35-acre site. 

Walsh also said that in addition to the Tampa office of Turner Construction, all of the subcontractors also will come from the local area, which explains in no small part why so many of those providers attended this community event. 

“This is such an exciting opportunity for Pasco County and the Wesley Chapel area,” Kennedy said. 

Walsh also stressed that although Orlando Health is building a hospital, “this is not a one-and-done kind of project…we’re also already working in Lutz to put in a free-standing ED (emergency department); we’re also building the two medical office buildings, which will have an ambulatory surgical center, imaging center and an array of acute care facilities and physician specialists to keep us all healthy, so maybe we won’t have to go through the doors of the hospital (which will need about 400 employees when it opens). It’s important to have that whole array of services. This is not ‘sick care,’ it’s health care.” 

Walsh also mentioned the possibility of adding 10-bed “micro-hospitals,” as needed to serve communities located further from the hospital that couldn’t necessarily support a full-size hospital of their own. 

“The most important things we build in a community is not the buildings,” Walsh added. “It’s the relationships.” 

Porter, who admitted that, “Our biggest fear was that this could turn out to be an albatross if we built too many hospitals,” also said that he knew Orlando Health was a great partner to work with and that, despite the presence of what will be three hospitals by sometime in 2026, “With all the growth out here, this area is actually still underserved. We’ve got a long, long way to go.” 

And, when Kennedy asked about what PHSC could do to help ensure that there is a useful workforce for the new hospital, Dr. Jones responded that, “As a State College, with a history as a Community College, we have a responsibility to know what the needs are in the communities that we serve. So, we’re asking ourselves now, ‘Do we have…are we offering… the right programs…to serve the business community that’s here?’ Our goal is to never get too comfortable and to always be willing to change with the community’s needs.” 

Meanwhile, Bishop agreed with Dr. Jones and talked about the growing life sciences in Pasco and the need for more partnerships. 

“Our challenge is to bring business to this county,” he said. “But, if we all work together, we can address the challenges we all face.” 

And, speaking of those partnerships, Neuscheler said that Turner, as one of the leading health care builders in the U.S., always strives to be a good community partner, giving “opportunities to smaller, local companies to do business with us, with our Turner Construction School, which many of you already have gone through, and is something we’ve done since 1969. We will be holding another one of those in October.” She added that veteran- and minority-owned companies will definitely be offered the opportunity to participate in this process. 

Neuscheler also noted that the hospital’s foundation should begin being built sometime in April or May, with vertical construction taking about six months once the foundation is laid. 

The panelists all also talked about innovation as an important part of the new hospital, which includes in construction, doctors, nurses and other hospital personnel and the equipment that they will be using — from robotic surgery to 3D printing, artificial intelligence and more. 

Walsh said that the merger with a respected partner like Florida Medical Clinic will help ensure that the right doctors will staff the hospital. 

“One of our mottos,” Walsh said, “is that we don’t just care for you, we care about you.”