Shari Kretzschmer has been promoted to surgical unit director at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, responsible for managing the 28-bed surgical unit, leading the department’s 57 employees and assuring the delivery of quality nursing care and service to surgical patients.

Kretzschmer had been assistant director of the surgical unit since May 2005. She came to LMH in 2000 and served as clinical coordinator for the LMH Oncology Center, after working at the Kansas University Medical Center Breast Cancer Unit.

She received her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1997 and has nearly 10 years of nursing management experience.

Kretzschmer has served as the LMH team captain for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life for five years and on the Hospice Care in Douglas County Advisory Board. In 2003 she was honored with the Wellspring Professional Award, presented by Breast Cancer Awareness Inc. each year to an outstanding female volunteer and an outstanding female health professional.