Foster Mom to 12 and Caretaker
of Burn Victims Wins Top Staff Award

By Paul K. Mueller I May 23, 2005

Cortimiglia spends much of her time tending to patients at the Regional Burn Center in Hillcrest , where she works "with the best people in the system."

If Leann Cortimiglia is afraid of anything, it's probably doing nothing. The UCSD Regional Burn Center nurse, who was recently named Principal Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year, wasn't busy enough working in her medical specialty, so she found time to foster-mother 12 high-risk kids - five of whom she met at the Burn Center - and to adopt an entire U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit serving in Iraq.

That's in addition to raising her daughter, Jessalyn, and her son, Samuel, and doting on her grandsons, Jordan and Easton, and granddaughter, Kaylee, all of them "the lights of my life," she says, while working full time as a Clinical Nurse III in a very challenging medical environment.

The 47-year-old native Iowan ("Go, Hawkeyes!") brings that same bright inspiration to her colleagues and patients at the Burn Center. Her friend and co-worker Janine Dubina, a Burn Center nurse manager who nominated Cortimiglia for the award, says that "we can make it happen" are words that initiate Cortimiglia's diverse activities.

"She is about patients, family, team and faith. She represents nursing's living tradition of humanitarian service. She defines how competence and compassion are not learned from a book, but are character elements earned by doing," Dubina says. "We, her colleagues in the Center, congratulate her on her award and take great pride in knowing she is very much a part of our team."

Cortimiglia, who has as much humility as Hawkeye black-and-gold in her blood, says the award is a blessing and is surprised "that I was even considered, let alone won." Those who nominated her aren't surprised at all.

"She's a clinical nurse whose passion makes the impossible possible," says Dubina. "Clinical expert, mentor, community volunteer, mother, woman of faith - these are some of the words that describe Leann. Her compelling passion for patients, families and community influences the lives of many."

The nomination notes that Cortimiglia has volunteered hundreds of hours of nursing expertise working as a medical-relief-team member for Mexican migrant camps, and has served as the medical-team coordinator for the Avon Breast Cancer Three-Day Walk nationwide since 2002. Cortimiglia also organized Operation Holiday for a Marine Expeditionary Unit she "adopted," - and under her leadership UCSD employees sent games, music, clothes, movies and other items to the troops in Iraq.

One of the Marines, Capt. Bruce Soltire, is Big Brother to Leann's son, Sam - now a 6'3", 350-pound football player at Helix School in San Diego. Sam, a junior, plans to become a social worker.

Cortimiglia's advocates also mention that she's a volunteer medical trainer for high school football teams, a parent representative for the San Diego City School District Advisory Council, and past vice president of Balboa Little League.

"Leann is also a foster mom," they note. "She successfully transitioned 12 high-risk children to become loving, productive young men and women. Five of those 12 children were patients from the Burn Center. And Leann's children have learned by her example: Jesse will be a sponsored walker for the Avon Breast Cancer Three-Day Walk, and Sam nominated Leann for Time Warner's Mom of the Year."

Cortimiglia says she wanted to be a nurse since she was 9. After attending nursing school in Iowa, she worked as a Registered Nurse in labor and delivery, the emergency room, burn and wound care, and worker's compensation case management. She has worked with burn patients since 1979, she says. A member of the Burn Center since 1994, she is board-certified in wound care, inpatient obstetrics - she helped deliver grandson Jordan - and case management.

Just to make sure no idleness creeps into her life, she also runs a legal consulting company out of her home part time, providing medical-chart review and legal expert witnessing.

Despite the presence of a multitude of monitors and other medical devices, Cortimiglia adds the reassuring touch of a nurse's hand to a Burn Center patient.

"I love working with kids," she says, "and I even went to clown college a few years ago - and graduated top of my class - so I could learn sleight-of-hand and ballooning for the entertainment of kids.

"If I didn't need to work to support my family, I would work full time in the field of medical missionary work. I'm a co-leader of Horizon International Medical Team, working with Dr. Fred Salley of Scripps Encinitas, to provide medical care at various sites, in conjunction with Festivals of Life - sponsored by the Horizon Christian Fellowship."

Cortimiglia insists that she does have free time. "I swim 12 hours a week at the Salvation Army," she says, "and the women I swim with are some of my dearest friends and confidants. I helped co-author a cookbook there, and it raised $6,000 for scholarships to teach kids to swim." A member of the Horizon Christian Church for nearly 15 years, involved in the women's ministry, she uses her "spare time" to "garden, cook, camp, swim, and be outdoors.I also do intricate beading and scrap-booking, and I love to go to movies."

She also has music in her bones. "I was raised in the home of a Big Band piano player who traveled with Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole," she says, "but I can barely sing, except in groups." She is an alto in the Rock Community Gospel Choir, and she's a member of the San Diego Parrotheads, which recently raised $28,000 for the children's play therapy room at the university.

"I write music and lyrics, though I haven't sold any yet," she says, "and I love the blues, Bonnie Raitt and the Grateful Dead."

With her miniature Schnauzer puppy, Casper, at her side - his other task is serving as a pet-therapy dog at the Center - she's currently writing a book.

"She is a woman of faith," say those who nominated her for the award, "and lives her faith through her acts of kindness. Leann ensures that everyone she encounters is fed, clothed, and free from pain. She respects the dignity of all persons and encourages personal responsibility for well being.She is admired and respected by her peers."

But she gives all the credit to them. "I work with the very best people in the entire system," she says.