Renu Singh Named a 'Woman of Excellence'

Rochester Business Journal has named Renu Singh, MS , senior associate dean of operations at the School of Nursing and CEO of UR Medicine’s Center for Employee Wellness, to its inaugural class of Women of Excellence Award recipients.

Established this year, the Women of Excellence Award recognizes high-achieving women for their career accomplishments, community involvement, leadership, and sustained commitment to mentoring. This year’s class features 34 women from a variety of industries who have achieved professional excellence, a commitment to community service, and embrace the positive impact they have on others by serving as a mentor.

“This year's Women of Excellence honorees inspire those around them through their actions, words and deeds. They have achieved personal success, but they also contribute to bettering the communities in which they work and live,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, publisher of the Rochester Business Journal. “Their commitment to mentoring the next generation while also balancing the many facets of their busy lives makes them role models for all.”

Singh has exemplified excellence throughout a nearly 30-year career of leadership in health care program design and implementation, as well as finance and operations within the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), the last 18 years with the UR School of Nursing.

Her most significant professional achievement has been spearheading the development and implementation of the Center for Employee Wellness (CEW). In 2013, the School of Nursing took on the challenge of creating an evidence-based, outcome-driven wellness program for University employees. Similar to a start-up, the program was built from the ground up. Singh and her “wellness dream team” ultimately achieved the highest engagement rates for program participation in the University’s history, and the program’s wellness coaching resulted in significant reductions in health risk and sustained improvement in outcomes.

Recognizing the value of the burgeoning UR program to other of small- and mid-size employers in the community, Singh developed a scalable and customizable program to meet their needs. Just a few short years later, the CEW now partners with 32 organizations in the region, reaching an impressive 37,000 employees.

“I’m absolutely blown away to be included in this class of amazing women,” said Singh, who leads a team of more than 50 CEW employees. “I feel blessed to have been mentored and inspired by so many people in my life, and I’m especially grateful for the amazing team that I work with and their commitment to excellence. I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by colleagues who care so deeply about their work and are always striving for the best.”

As senior associate dean of operations at the UR School of Nursing, Singh oversees the school’s support systems, including technology, personnel, and facilities management, and advises Dean Kathy Rideout, EdD, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, on operational concerns, such as strategic planning, program development, and mission-based performance metrics. As associate dean for finance and administration (2000-2015), she helped bolster the financial health of the school, creating and implementing strategies that have led to consistent positive operational surpluses and reserves.

Prior to joining the School of Nursing, Singh worked as associate director of contract management, managed care organization at URMC, operations administrator and interim administrative director in ambulatory care for Strong Memorial Hospital. She started her career at URMC in 1991 as an administrator for ambulatory surgery, ophthalmology, ENT, and urology at Strong.

Singh’s community activities have been largely about children and empowering young girls through education. Singh serves on the board for Mary Cariola Children’s Center as well as the Jangi Singh School for Girls, founded by her parents and the Singh Family Foundation. She is a member of the United Way Women’s Association and past president of the Monroe Golf Club Women’s Association.

Singh will be presented with the Women of Excellence Award at a celebration honoring the winners on Wednesday, April 11, at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center.