Joyce Kennedy
Leeza Care Advocate

The Health First Leeza’s Place of Melbourne, FL

jkennedy@leezasplace.org

Joyce Kennedy is the Leeza Care Advocate for the Memory Foundation's second Leeza's Place in Melbourne, Florida. An advocate for individuals suffering from the challenges of Alzheimer's disease and other debilitating illnesses, she is a true agent for change who combines healthcare and hospital experience with a passion for helping others.

Prior to joining the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation, she held the role of Manager Volunteer Services and Patient Care Volunteer Coordinator with Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. More recently, she was granted the opportunity to act as Quality of Life Patient Advocate and Primary Caregiver for an elderly adult who suffered from serious illness and health complications.

In her former positions with Children's National Medical Center, she oversaw day-to-day operations of volunteer services with emphasis on volunteer programming, recruitment, development, public relations/community awareness, supervision and hospital support. During her 5-year tenure with Children's National Medical Center she was responsible for public relations efforts and onsite functions with numerous political figures, foreign and local dignitaries, celebrities and performing artists. During this time, she received the unique honor of being selected to provide a complete hospital public relations tour to Mohammad Ali.

Joyce was pivotal in expanding the hospital's summer college internship program to include year-round admissions, which resulted in volunteer enrollment growth that filled over 100 daytime positions. She marketed the program to colleges and universities to gain approval for academic credit and significantly expanded training programs for volunteers to improve accessibility to the program.

Prior to her career in the healthcare field, Joyce held other notable roles with the Washington Business School in Vienna, Virginia, and as an Elementary Teacher of grades first through third with Montgomery County Public Schools. With the Washington Business School she held several positions which led to her title of Director of Admissions.

A consistent theme that runs throughout Joyce's career is commitment to the community. For the past year she has been Chairwoman, and past two years an active member, of the Health First Women's Healthcare Advisory Council for Holmes Regional Medical Center/Palm Bay Community Hospital. In her roles on the Council, she serves as an ambassador for the women's health services and programs of both hospitals.

She has completed graduated studies toward an MS in Education and holds a BS in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland. Her formal education is complemented by Home Health Update and Nursing Assistant training with the American Red Cross.