Editor’s Note: The McKnight’s Senior Living Daily Briefing and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Daily Update e-newsletters are profiling each of the McKnight’s 2019 Women of Distinction in July and the first couple of days of August. For more coverage, visit the McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News websites and read the August print edition of McKnight’s Senior Living and July print edition of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.

Crystal Bowens
Crystal Bowens

Crystal Bowens, Ph.D., has spent more than 15 years caring for patients or residents, first as a nurse and now in a management position.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Piedmont College, two master’s degrees (in health administration and in nursing), from the University of Phoenix and her doctorate in health administration from Walden University. 

She began her career working as a nurse at Bayhealth in Dover, DE, and eventually worked her way into a leadership role as director of nursing at Friendship Health and Rehab in Pewee Valley, KY. From there, she spent almost eight years with PruittHealth in Georgia, starting as director of health services and ending as senior vice president of professional services. While there, she was instrumental in reducing rehospitalization rates, spearheading the implementation of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ new requirements of participation, driving outcomes for dementia care, writing and developing policies and procedures, and leading clinical education. She is now the president at CB Strategies & Solutions.

Crystal Bowens receiving Hall of Honor award
Crystal Bowens, left, receives her award from Elizabeth Newman
of McKnights Long-Term Care News at a May 16 ceremony.
Photo: Social Snacks.

Bowens is licensed as a registered nurse in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. She also is board-certified in gerontological nursing, has a certificate as a dementia practitioner and is a licensed nursing home administrator. 

She is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, the Honor Society of Nursing and the American Nurses Association. She also is co-chair of the Georgia Health Care Association’s clinical practice council.

An active member of her church, she regularly volunteers at a thrift shop with her children to help individuals in the community who need clothing and household items.

McKnight’s Women of Distinction is a joint program of McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.

The McKnight’s Women of Distinction program’s exclusive Platinum sponsor is PointClickCare.