Valuing the Village In Black Nursing Leadership

Cheniqua Morales is a perinatal patient safety nurse at New York Presbyterian’s Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. For more than a decade, she’s served as an obstetrical nurse in quality and safety, direct clinical care, and as a community outreach leader in New York City.

She holds multiple certifications with the National Certification Corporation including Obstetrical & Newborn Quality and Safety, Maternal Newborn Nursing, and Electronic Fetal Monitoring. Cheniqua’s passion for empowering nurses and love of teaching has led her to enroll with SUNY Empire State College where she is currently earning her master’s degree in nursing education. She’s an active AWHONN member and a 2022-2023 graduate of the Emerging Leaders Program. Her leadership roles include AWHONN Section Advisory Member, New York City Chapter Leader, Emerging Leader Mentor, OPS Instructor, and EFM Instructor.

Cheniqua’s passion for nursing and equitable outcomes drive her career path, however, work-life balance is an essential core value. She protects her time to create beautiful memories with her daughter, friends, and family. She receives inspiration from spending quality time traveling the world, exploring the beauty of New York City, or planning family game nights because she’s intentional about making space for those people most important in her life.

Tenesia Richards transitioned from clinical nursing to community outreach at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, driven by a desire to address health disparities. With a background in Labor & Delivery nursing and a master’s in public administration, she founded initiatives like Health Equity Alliance 4 Life (HEAL) to tackle maternal health inequities.

As a Clinical Community Outreach Coordinator, Tenesia orchestrates outreach programs to enhance healthcare quality and diminish disparities in underserved communities. Her journey from volunteer nurse to community leader embodies her commitment to bridging the gap between hospitals and communities, emphasizing the importance of addressing social determinants of health and racial disparities in maternal health care.

Tenesia is a 2022-2023 graduate of AWHONN’s Emerging Leader Program and currently serves on the national AWHONN Membership Committee. Together with her colleague Cheniqua Morales, she has launched the AWHONN NYC Chapter, aiming to further the mission of combating the maternal health crisis in NYC by fostering collaboration and connection among nurses.