The Passaic County Board of County Commissioners has recognized PCTVS school nurse Mary Ann De Stefano as part of this year’s Women’s History Month themed “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” She will receive a County Proclamation on Tuesday, March 22nd.

Mary Ann has been a registered nurse for over 20 years. She didn’t know she wanted to be a nurse until shortly after high school when her mother suggested that she “volunteer to help people.” Mary Ann agreed, and shortly after walking into Preakness Medical Center she fell in love with the nursing profession. “I absolutely loved the immediate challenges that I saw and how patients responded to the nurses and doctors that were there to help them. I was energized and invigorated. I knew right then and there I wanted to be a registered nurse.”

Mary Ann holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Felician College and is also a certified school nurse and health educator. She has been at Passaic County Technical/Vocational Schools for the last thirteen years and has enjoyed every minute of it, “My experience here at PCTVS feels like home. From my colleagues to the administration to the students, every part of this school inspires me to come to work every day with a smile on my face.”

Before coming to Tech, Mary Ann worked as a school nurse in the Paterson school district for five years and has also been a staff nurse at Chilton Hospital in the Pediatrics wing.

Mary Ann has volunteered for the Medical Reserve Corps of Passaic county, and during the Coronavirus pandemic volunteered a lot of her time at William Paterson University Covid-19 Testing Site. She was asked to help oversee and manage other volunteers at the main testing tent with the staff of Passaic County Health Department – she never missed a day. She also lent her time to the Passaic County Mega Vaccine Site helping people register and get vaccinated. “It was such an honor to participate in the county Coronavirus initiative. I met and helped many wonderful and thankful people and made a lot of new friends. This was such an amazing and rewarding experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Mary Ann is currently engaged to her fiancée Rob and has four incredibly loving children: Chloe, Haley, Gia, Rocco and one stepdaughter, Brooke.