When Stacey Flenory first stepped onto SUNY Poly’s campus in 2013, she was already an accomplished nurse with a growing passion for patient care. Today, she stands as both an alumna and a current doctoral student, an inspiring example of lifelong learning and leadership in the nursing profession.
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Stacey earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Business Management from Case Western Reserve University in 2006. After relocating to New York in 2008, he continued pursuing her lifelong calling—healthcare.
“I’d always been fascinated by medicine,” she recalls. “As a kid, I was the one watching The Learning Channel instead of cartoons.”
She attended Albany Memorial School of Nursing, becoming a registered nurse, working in critical care and the emergency room. By 2013, she was ready to advance further—enrolling at SUNY Poly in the accelerated BS/MS Family Nurse Practitioner program, which she completed in 2016. In 2021, she returned once again to SUNY Poly, joining the inaugural cohort of the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Psychiatric Mental Health program, earning her certificate of advanced study, and is currently working towards her doctorate.
Today, Stacey serves as a Clinical Operations Manager and Nurse Practitioner with Maximus, a global company that partners with government and healthcare agencies to provide in-home assessments for patients across New York State. She leads a team of nurse practitioners and physician assistants dedicated to helping patients remain safely and comfortably in their homes.
“It’s about improving quality of life,” she explains. “Research shows that people recover better at home, surrounded by familiarity and support.”
Her doctoral studies complement this leadership work, giving her tools to think critically about complex health systems and strengthen care delivery. “I wanted to use my experience not only to treat but to lead,” she says.
Stacey’s academic and professional achievements were shaped by moments of deep personal challenge. While completing her master’s degree, she gave birth to her daughter at just 25 weeks—a moment that forever changed how she connects with patients and families.
“She spent four months in the NICU. That experience taught me empathy in a way no classroom could,” Stacey reflects.
Later, while pursuing her doctorate, she endured the devastating losses of both her parents within two years. Yet through each hardship, she remained steadfast in her studies and her mission to serve others.
“Those experiences shaped how I communicate with patients. Not everyone has a healthcare provider in their family to help them advocate for themselves.”
Advancing Health Equity and Communication
As part of her doctoral work, Stacey is researching how healthcare communication and health literacy influence patient outcomes and health equity. “Understanding how we communicate is central to improving care,” she says. “Health disparities often begin with miscommunication or lack of understanding. We can change that.”
She also mentors nursing students and serves as an adjunct professor, guiding the next generation of nurses with honesty and encouragement. Her advice to them, and to her younger self, is simple but profound: “Give yourself grace. Nurses tend to chase perfection, but progress and compassion matter most. Keep going.”
Reflecting on her time at SUNY Poly, Stacey praises the faculty who shaped her career and the flexibility that allowed her to balance full-time study with family life.
“The professors cared deeply,” she says. “They knew your name, your story, your goals. SUNY Poly supported me through some of the most challenging times in my life, and helped me reach the next level.”
For Stacey, nursing is more than a career, it’s a calling grounded in service, empathy, and lifelong growth. Her story exemplifies the very best of SUNY Poly’s spirit: resilience, compassion, and the drive to make a difference.
