Mia Bianchi, MSN, RN, CMSRN
For Mia Bianchi, nursing is about recognizing potential both in the patients she serves and the nurses she leads. Throughout her career, she has embraced opportunities to learn, grow, and inspire others while leading meaningful improvements in patient care. As a 2026 Illinois Nurses Foundation 40 Under 40 Awardee, Mia continues to build stronger teams, advance innovative care, and empower nurses to become confident leaders.
A Journey Inspired by Family
Nursing was not Mia’s original plan. After earning her first bachelor’s degree while balancing life as a collegiate softball player, she envisioned a career in healthcare but initially believed it would take a different path. Everything changed after a meaningful experience with her grandmother in the emergency department, where she witnessed the profound impact nurses have on patients and families.
That experience inspired her to pursue nursing as a second bachelor’s degree. After graduation, she joined Northwestern Memorial Hospital on the Solid Organ Transplant Unit, where caring for transplant patients became especially meaningful because of her father’s own successful liver transplant more than 20 years earlier. Those personal connections reinforced her passion for compassionate, patient-centered care.
Empowering Nurses to Grow
From the beginning of her career, Mia sought opportunities to learn beyond the bedside by serving as a preceptor, charge nurse, committee member, and Clinical Coordinator. Encouraged by her leaders to expand her influence, she became actively involved in Shared Leadership, collaborating with nurses across the organization to strengthen professional practice.
Four years ago, Mia stepped into a management role in Stem Cell Transplant, a specialty that was new to her but quickly became one of the most rewarding chapters of her career. Today, she finds the greatest fulfillment in helping nurses recognize their own potential, mentoring new graduates as they develop into confident clinicians capable of caring for patients with highly complex medical needs.
Leading Change That Improves Lives
Mia believes strong leadership is measured by the positive impact it creates for both patients and healthcare teams. Working alongside an exceptional interdisciplinary team, she has helped achieve significant improvements in patient safety and quality outcomes, including a dramatic reduction in patient falls and central line-associated bloodstream infections.
She also played a key role in developing an Outpatient Cell Therapy Clinic that expanded access to CAR-T and BiTE therapies while reducing the need for inpatient admissions. These innovations reflect her commitment to delivering safer, more efficient, and patient-centered care while embracing new ideas that improve healthcare delivery.
As she prepares to complete her Master of Science in Nursing in Executive Leadership, Mia is proud of balancing graduate school, leadership responsibilities, and raising two young children alongside her husband. Surrounded by family, friends, and two miniature schnauzers, she remains grounded by the people who support and inspire her every day. Looking ahead, she is excited to continue growing as a nurse leader while helping patients, colleagues, and healthcare organizations reach their fullest potential.
The Illinois Nurses Foundation proudly recognizes Mia Bianchi as a 2026 40 Under 40 Awardee for her dedication to nursing leadership, patient safety, innovation, and mentoring future nurse leaders. Through her commitment to empowering others and advancing high-quality care, she continues to make a lasting impact on patients, healthcare teams, and the nursing profession throughout Illinois.
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