RADM Romano received a diploma in nursing in 1971 from the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville Pa ; and a baccalaureate degree in nursing in 1977, a master of science degree in 1985, and a PhD degree in 1993 from the University of Maryland .  She completed the Senior Managers in Government Training Program at Harvard University School of Government (1997) and the Interagency Federal Health Care Executive training program at George Washington University (1993). She is board certified by the American Nurse’s Credentialing Center in nursing informatics and advance nursing administration.

RADM Romano began her civil service career as a clinical research nurse at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in 1971.  She was appointed to the Commissioned Corps in 1986 and assimilated as a Regular Corps Officer in 1993. RADM Romano has worked at NIH for 34 years in a variety of positions including associate investigator, clinical research nurse, nurse educator, nursing information systems specialist, Director of Marketing & Recruitment and Director of Clinical Informatics & Quality Assessment. Her research includes completed and published studies in the area of informatics education, confidentiality of clinical records, and the adoption of innovations.

RADM Romano is a recognized pioneer in the field of nursing informatics. She was involved in designing and implementing one of the first computerized medical information systems in 1976, which provided electronic medical orders and clinical documentation for patients in ambulatory and hospital environments. She was a co-architect of the world’s first graduate curriculum in nursing informatics at the University of Maryland and she has mentored numerous students in this field. She has authored over 50 published papers, edited 2 books, served on 3 editorial boards, given numerous presentations at national and international conferences, and has held several adjunct faculty appointments. She served as chair of the Commission on Certification (1997-1998) for the American Nurses Credentialing Center , a member of the Advisory Board on Therapeutic Information Management (1995-2000) for the US Pharmacopeia’s Drug Index  and co-chair of the Maryland State Board of Nursing Task Force on Standards of Practice in 2001.

RADM Romano has been an advisor to the World Health Organization on management of manpower and health information across developing countries. In addition, she provided consultation to the DHHS Commission on Nursing and the NINR panel on research priorities in informatics. She was appointed as Executive Secretary to the Surgeon General’s Workgroup on Physical Activity and Health, Chair of the NIH Advisory Committee for Women, and member of the NIH Diversity Congress. RADM Romano also co-developed the National Institutes of Health Nurse Scientist Training Program. She has played a leadership role in emergency response and was instrumental in creating the Federal Volunteer Line within the first couple of days after Hurricane Katrina landed.

She is currently the senior advisor for Clinical Research Informatics, NIH Clinical Center, where she provides expertise for the clinical information processes that affect clinical research care, including the analysis and evaluation of information requirements, development of design options, and implementation of technology solutions for a clinical research information system model.

RADM Romano has received numerous awards including the PHS Meritorious Service Medal, three PHS Outstanding Serve Medals, a Commendation Medal, two PHS Achievement Medals, two PHS Citations, three PHS Unit Commendations, the PHS Crisis Response Medal, the NIH Director’s award, the Clinical Center Director’s Award, and two DHHS Quality of Life Awards. She has been named to the World’s Who’s Who of Women and Who’s Who in American Nursing.

RADM Romano’s memberships in professional organizations include the American Nurses Association, the American Academy of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society, the America Medical Informatics Association, the Commissioned Officers Association, the Reserve Officer Association, and Association of Military Surgeons of the United States.

She is married to Anthony Romano and has two children, Maria (28) and Michael (23) and two grandchildren, Claudia (4) and Erica (2).

Contact Information:

Office of the Chief Nurse, USPHS
NIH Clinical Center
10 Center Drive
Bldg. 10, Room 1C290
Bethesda, MD  20892
301-435-6003
fax: 301-496-3009