INF 40 Under 40 Awardee: Courtney Kiolbassa
Courtney Kiolbassa’s passion for nursing was born from two life-altering moments in her youth: a severe car accident in 7th grade that left her mother hospitalized for months, and witnessing her grandfather become one of the first patients to receive a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) at Christ Hospital. These formative experiences planted the seed for what would become a devoted career in cardiac nursing and ultimately inspired Courtney’s path into healthcare leadership.
Education and Early Career Steps
A proud graduate of Crystal Lake Central High School, Courtney earned her CNA in 2013 before pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Missouri’s Sinclair School of Nursing, graduating in 2015. She launched her career at Boone Hospital, working on a combined cardiology and cardiovascular/thoracic surgery floor, where she joined her first Unit-Based Council and began exploring the power of shared governance and team collaboration.
Rising Through the Ranks in Cardiac Care
In 2017, Courtney returned home to Illinois and joined Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital’s cardiac unit. What began as being “voluntold” to serve on committees quickly became a passion for leadership and quality improvement. She stepped into charge nurse and house supervisor roles, and her commitment to excellence was recognized when she was named Good Shepherd’s Nurse of the Year during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, she further cemented her expertise by earning her board certification as a Cardiovascular Nursing Professional.
Leadership at the Heart of Healthcare
Courtney currently serves as the Cardiac Unit Manager at Advocate Sherman Hospital, where she leads with compassion, strategy, and heart. She also continues to work occasionally in home health, maintaining her connection to direct patient care. Her journey has shifted from a focus on advanced clinical practice to leadership development, and she is now planning to pursue a master’s in nursing administration with the possibility of a dual MBA. Throughout her career, she has learned to lean into opportunity when “her shoulder gets tapped,” trusting in the value of mentorship and her own growing leadership capacity.
A Future Fueled by Passion and Purpose
From committee involvement to unit leadership, Courtney has built a career rooted in resilience, service, and the drive to always do better for her patients, her team, and her profession. Her story is a testament to the unexpected ways nursing can shape a life and the power of saying yes when opportunity knocks.
The Illinois Nurses Foundation proudly celebrates Courtney Kiolbassa as a 2025 40 Under 40 Emerging Nurse Leader for her dedication to empowering the next generation, innovative healing research, nursing education, and leadership.
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