Deborah Millar, RN
Deborah Millar, RN, director of community wellness and engagement at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, will be honored this month in the Women of Achievement Awards, which are presented annually by the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber will celebrate Millar and three other outstanding female leaders on Wednesday, June 21 during an awards breakfast at Jasna Polana in Princeton, N.J.
A nomination letter submitted by Community Wellness staff member Maria Benerofe noted that Millar began her career with Princeton Health 31 years ago as a Labor & Delivery nurse and now manages a department that provides 1,700 health education programs each year serving more than 45,000 community members.
“Debbie is a thoughtful, approachable leader who has created a culture of openness and comradery for her team,” the nomination letter reads. “She leads by example and empowers her staff to be autonomous and have confidence that they can handle the task at hand.”
Community Wellness provides comprehensive education and outreach, including programs and support groups for new or expecting parents as well as individuals who are managing chronic conditions. In recent years, the department added new classes designed to teach people to effectively intervene in medical or mental health crises until professional help arrives.
Millar introduced RAD – Rape Aggression Defense – self-defense courses to the community several years ago. She earned certification as an instructor/trainer and encouraged staff members to become instructors as well. Today, Community Wellness offers RAD courses that teach women, men, seniors, and children to recognize, avoid, and escape unsafe situations.
Community Wellness also provides annual training in CPR and basic lifesaving (BLS) skills to staff members and providers at Princeton Health and other healthcare organizations, in addition to Friends & Family CPR classes for non-professionals.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Millar and her staff were instrumental in setting up and carrying out screening protocols at Princeton Medical Center, Princeton House Behavioral Health, other Princeton Health locations, and community-based sites such as schools, churches, businesses, and recreation centers.
Beyond her work at Princeton Health, Millar is active in the community, serving on various boards and committees dedicated to fostering public education, business, and fitness and wellness. She is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and works extensively with organizations that advocate for underserved groups such as low-income individuals and members of the LGBTQ+ community.