In elections held this summer in Swaziland, Africa Dr. Marian Nowak, parish nurse in Atco, was elected to serve as the Pan American President for CICIAMS (The International Catholic Committee of Nurses and Medico-Social Assistants Comité International Catholique des Infirmières et Assistantes Médico-Sociales). CICIAMS is an international Catholic nursing organization which has members from six continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, North America, and Oceania.
Dr. Nowak has been a nurse for over 40 years; and has been a parish nurse for 14 years. She has also been an active member of The National Association of Catholic Nurses.
As president she will oversee and advise the presidents from member organizations in the Pan American Region of The World Health Organization and is a member of the Executive Board. The offices for CICIAMS are housed in the Vatican City, Rome.
Dr. Nowak is an assistant professor at Rowan University and is internationally known for her expertise in nursing disaster response and public health programs. She has presented her doctorate research in 10 countries, with the goal of linking nursing research into practice. In addition to serving a four year term as Pan American President for CICIAMS, she is one of six nursing delegates to the United Nations who have consulting status. In her UN role she represents 45 member countries of Catholic nurses bringing a nursing voice and advocacy for bioethics to a global platform.