Will County Health Center Appoints New CEO

The Will County Health Department issued this news release on the appointment of its new CEO:

Mary E. Maragos, MS, BSN, APN, FNP has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer at the Will County Community Health Center, 1106 Neal Avenue in Joliet.

Maragos, who lives with her husband of 32 years and three sons in Western Springs, received a BSN from Valparaiso University in 1979 and was awarded a Master of Science degree from Rush University in 1985, magna cum laude Community Health Nurse Practitioner Program. She completed an intensive UCLA/ Johnson and Johnson Healthcare Executive Program in June, 2009.

Maragos formerly served as director/ CEO of the University of St. Francis Health and Wellness Center in Joliet, the first nurse-managed health center in Will County. She most recently worked as a regional administrator at Aunt Martha's Youth Service and Health Center in Olympia Fields, with oversight of nine clinics including the development of two new sites in Joliet.

She has been the recipient of numerous nursing awards, including: the University of St. Francis MSN Outstanding Preceptor Award (2010), the Illinois Nurses' Association's Julia Cihak Award and the Illinois State Advanced Practice Nurses Marie Lindsey Spirit of Advanced Practice Nursing Award.

A family nurse practitioner for nearly three decades, Maragos specializes in chronic disease management, health promotion, and primary care delivery to underserved populations. She has a vision for the Community Health Center, the primary care component for the Will County Health Department.

"My vision is to make the Will County Community Health Center the community health center of choice in Will County by exceeding customer expectations and providing the highest quality care in a friendly, caring and respectful environment," she said. "Our mission is to improve the health of Will County residents by providing access to quality medical and dental care through community collaborations, service and education."

Maragos serves on the Nursing Advisory Boards of the Governor's State College of Nursing and the USF Leach College of Nursing. She works with a handful of other community organizations: serving on the Mission Advisory Board of Joliet's Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, the Community Advisory Board of Catholic Charities, and the Executive Committee of Will County's Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnership.

The Will County Community Health Center has been providing primary medical and dental services for uninsured and underserved area residents since 1995. Appointments are available six days weekly. To schedule an appointment, or for more information about programs and services, telephone 815-727-8670.