Karen Cruz
Rubric Chair and Author
Health and Medicine
Karen Cruz is a registered nurse and received a diploma of nursing from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Rochester, Minnesota and a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Minnesota. Subsequently, she received a master’s degree in public health from California State University at Northridge.
Cruz came to Guam in 1967 as a VISTA volunteer. She worked for twenty-six years in public health in Guam as a nurse, health educator, and administrator, eight of which she served as the chief public health officer.
Cruz is currently teaching in the nursing program at the University of Guam School of Nursing and Health Sciences. She is chair of the Commission on Nursing Leadership and is a volunteer with Red Cross, Victim Advocates Reaching Out (VARO) – a crisis intervention service, and KPRG.
She authored Pattera of Guam: Their Story and Legacy published in 1997 and produced a film of the same name in 2001. She is also author of Hinanao: Travelers and Descendants of Travelers published in 2005.
Guampedia entries by Karen Cruz
- American Pacific Nursing Leaders Council
- Guam Nurses Association
- Guam Pattera Interviews
- Guam Pattera (Nurse Midwives)
- Guam Pattera: Changing Birth Practices (1950-1960)
- VISTA Program on Guam