An immigrant from Jamaica, West Indies, Dr. Olieth Lightbourne has spent 41 years building a legacy as a compassionate leader in the healthcare field. Her journey is a testament to resilience, purpose, and the power of giving back—both in her local community and around the world.
In September 2024, she proudly graduated with high honors from Aspen University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. She credits the program with sharpening her leadership skills and enhancing her ability to lead high-performing teams. She shares that Aspen University equipped her with a global perspective; “Many of the courses focused on social determinants and healthcare equity, which propelled me to make a difference as a nurse leader.”
| Currently serving as the Chief Nurse Executive of a hospital in Illinois, Dr. Lightbourne oversees more than 200 employees and leads strategic planning, growth initiatives, digital transformation, and project development. She also oversees Lab and Imaging Services, the Infection Control Department, Staff Education, and serves on both the hospital’s executive leadership team and the organization’s governing board. At the corporate level, she is a valued member of the Nurse Council, where she mentors newer Chief Nurse Executives and helps shape policies that support clinical excellence across the healthcare system. |
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Dr. Lightbourne is not only a healthcare executive—she’s also an author, public speaker, business owner, and transformational leader. She is a strong advocate of mental health issues. One of the highlights of her career was her testimony to Congress in 2017 about mental health issues related to equity and parity in the care of adolescents in behavioral health hospitals. She further emphasizes that, “During the Health Policy and Advocacy course at Aspen University, I was able to see the influence that nurses have in the political arena and realized the impact that my advocacy made for this vulnerable population.” In 2021, she was the keynote speaker at Indiana University presenting on Suicide Prevention. Her article, The Impact of Immediate Staff Debriefing on Restraint Reduction, was recently published in the Aspen University Journal of Scholarly Works, and she continues to inspire others through her mentorship of up-and-coming nurse leaders. Many of her mentees have gone on to earn advanced degrees and move into leadership roles of their own.
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In 2017, her global impact was recognized when she received an international award honoring Women Who Make a Difference from A Caring Hand Foundation for Pregnant Teens. In 2021, she was appointed a Global Ambassador by Operation Smile to advocate for the organization’s mission and support its efforts to provide free, comprehensive cleft palate surgeries for children in need. Another of her favorite organizations is Feed the Children, through which Olieth has sponsored several children and continues to give monthly support. She has also sponsored children through Compassion International in past. |
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Dr. Lightbourne has been married for forty-five years and has five adult children and three grandchildren. She lives a life of service outside of healthcare as well. She and her husband, Pastor Auldon Lightbourne, are deeply involved in Mercy Community Church, where she serves on the Board of Directors and leads the Women’s Ministry, Children’s Ministries, and the Praise and Worship Team. As an ordained minister, she finds purpose in supporting the poor and marginalized in the United States, Pakistan, Haiti, Africa, and in her home country of Jamaica. The ministries for Pakistan, Haiti, and Africa are supported by the SAKAL Global Nation and the PSALM 41 Project.
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Her heart for service is evident in everything she does. In Jamaica, she continues to support educational initiatives for children in need. In Illinois, she continues to teach weekly Bible Studies for the elderly at Lexington Nursing Home. She recently led a successful coat drive to support the homeless, distributing warm items such as blankets, coats, socks, and winter gear to those in need. When she heard about a family in Jamaica who had lost their home, she organized a GoFundMe campaign to help rebuild it. That project is now nearly complete—another example of her hands-on approach to community care.
