![\"Stacey](\"https:\/\/webapp.sunypoly.edu\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/stacey-1-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen Stacey Flenory first stepped onto SUNY Poly\u2019s 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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, she continued pursuing her lifelong calling\u2014healthcare.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019d always been fascinated by medicine,\u201d she recalls. \u201cAs a kid, I was the one watching The Learning Channel instead of cartoons.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
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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\u2014enrolling 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cIt\u2019s about improving quality of life,\u201d she explains. \u201cResearch shows that people recover better at home, surrounded by familiarity and support.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Her doctoral studies complement this leadership work, giving her tools to think critically about complex health systems and strengthen care delivery. \u201cI wanted to use my experience not only to treat but to lead,\u201d she says.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Stacey\u2019s academic and professional achievements were shaped by moments of deep personal challenge. While completing her master\u2019s degree, she gave birth to her daughter at just 25 weeks\u2014a moment that forever changed how she connects with patients and families.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cShe spent four months in the NICU. That experience taught me empathy in a way no classroom could,\u201d Stacey reflects.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cThose experiences shaped how I communicate with patients. Not everyone has a healthcare provider in their family to help them advocate for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Stacey](\"https:\/\/webapp.sunypoly.edu\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20160407_130424-768x1024.jpg\")
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![\"Flenory](\"https:\/\/webapp.sunypoly.edu\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/flenory-2.jpg\")
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