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Care Leader Enjoys a Healthy Lifestyle
When Denise George began working as operations manager for the Hudson Valley region at Kaiser Permanente, she commuted from her house in Olive, Ulster County, to Poughkeepsie. That commute continued in 1999 when George began working at Northern Dutchess Hospital.
In 2007, so she could be closer to work, George says she “saw the light” and moved to Red Hook.
“I grew to love Dutchess County,” says George. “Red Hook was quaint and intimate, but it had a rural feel to it. Within three minutes I could be in town.”
George is president of Northern Dutchess Hospital, which in 2016 opened the $47 million Martin and Toni Sosno Pavilion—an expansive new wing that includes 40 private patient rooms and a new surgery department with a surgical robot. The hospital also expanded its emergency department to 16 patient care areas, and recently nished a capital campaign in which community members donated $10 million.
The improvements will help Northern Dutchess physicians and sta members give patients a more comfortable experience, with the highest-quality equipment, says George. But for her, the experience itself matters most.
“The new facility is great, but what really de nes us and what makes us valuable to our patients is our sta and physicians,” says George. “We have excellent sta . It really makes a di erence.”
George says hospital employees are not only essential at work but they are also embedded in the community, from school boards to charitable ventures. Many live close by in Dutchess County.
“Once physicians are here, they love it,”saysGeorge.“It’sagreatplaceto care for patients, a great place to raise a family. And it’s beautiful.”
George serves on the Hudson Valley Mental Health Board and previously served for eight years on the Hospice Board. Her youngest child graduated from Red Hook High School. On the weekends, George enjoys gardening, bicycling around Red Hook, and using the Dutchess Rail Trail and Walkway Over the Hudson. She also visits the weekly farmers’ market at Greig Farm in Red Hook, where she regularly purchases cheese, sh, and bread.
Many people George sees in Red Hook both live and work in the community. Having gotten to know
“It’s a great place to care for patients, a great place to raise a family. And it’s beautiful.”
her neighbors, she says people in her community are proud of their work, and conscious about improving their surroundings and lifestyles.
Though she previously lived in other parts of the world, and nearly her entire family lives in Atlanta, George says she chooses to live in Dutchess County because of overwhelming community support for Northern Dutchess Hospital, and the county’s mix of beauty, serenity, and culture.
“For me it’s very calming. It’s very peaceful,” says George. “I love the mountains, I love the river, I love the variety, I love the food and restaurants. It’s home.”
Pro le
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