Manager of Clinical Operating Room and Anesthesia
Advocate Christ Medical Center
Maricela Valencia, RN-BSN, currently serves as a Nurse Manager in the operating room at Advocate Christ Medical Center, a Level 1 Trauma Center. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Chamberlain University and has been in the healthcare industry for nine years. In 2021, she became certified as a Robotic Coordinator and earned a Yellow Belt Certification with Intuitive, supporting innovation and efficiency in the surgical department. In 2024, she was honored with the Nursing Excellence Award for Clinical Lead Nurse of the Year, recognizing her embodiment of the nursing professional practice model essentials. In 2024, she co-lead a poster presentation at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Surgical Expo and Conference. In 2025, she participated in Advocate Aurora Health's Touchstone Award Posters and co-lead three submissions, earning one Gold award and two Bronze awards.
Maricela leads a multidisciplinary team to ensure optimal patient outcomes through evidence-based practice, strategic staffing, and continuous quality improvement. Her leadership fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, supports staff development, and ensures compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
She actively promotes a culture of safety and excellence, contributing to improved patient outcomes and enhanced staff engagement. Committed to lifelong learning, she regularly participates in professional development opportunities to stay current with clinical and managerial best practices.