MARIA THERESA 'TESS' PANIZALES, DNP, Dr. (h.c.), MSN, RN
NIGH BOARD of DIRECTORS
NGO-United Nations Representative in New York City
NIGH BOARD of DIRECTORS
NGO-United Nations Representative in New York City
Dr. Maria Theresa ‘Tess’ Panizales is serving NIGH's Board of Directors in awesome ways! She is our official NGO-United Nations Representative in New York City and is taking the lead as Co-Chair of our current ’Student Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series’ after Co-Chairing our recent 'Nurses' Voices from the Western Pacific' — Session Four of our 'Nurses' Voices Speaker Series' — Co-Hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR) and UNITAR's CIFAL York Centre at York University in Toronto.
In July of 2023, she proactively participated in the launch of NIGH's 'Nurses' Voices' campaign shared virtually and onsite from Switzerland at the 2023 Caux Forum 'Healing the Wounds of the Past.' She has also shared her original language and culture by serving as our Language Advisor to establish the Tagalog / Filipino language version of the Nightingale Declaration. |
Tess has more than 40 years of professional nursing experience across the spectrum of healthcare both local and international — also including volunteer service. She is currently working at the Veterans HealthCare Administration refugee population’s health and their physiologic and psychosocial needs after resettlement program support ends. Her first nursing professional work was with the Red Cross. Hence, working with refugees in a public health context is her important connection.
Tess completed her Baccalaureate in Nursing from West Visayas State University in the Philippines. Her Master’s in Nursing was completed with a dual specialization from Hunter College City University of New York.
Her sustaining work in Mongolia awarded her an Honorary Doctorate Degree—Honoris Causa from Etugen University, June 2017. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and shared oral and poster presentation in various international and national conferences. She has published two books as a co-author, include one about Filipino Nurses in “Living the Journey Across the Globe in Love, Courage, and Honor"— available at Barnes & Noble and from Amazon online.
Tess completed her Baccalaureate in Nursing from West Visayas State University in the Philippines. Her Master’s in Nursing was completed with a dual specialization from Hunter College City University of New York.
Her sustaining work in Mongolia awarded her an Honorary Doctorate Degree—Honoris Causa from Etugen University, June 2017. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and shared oral and poster presentation in various international and national conferences. She has published two books as a co-author, include one about Filipino Nurses in “Living the Journey Across the Globe in Love, Courage, and Honor"— available at Barnes & Noble and from Amazon online.