MARILOU JIMENEZ DANGALAN , RN, BSN Nursing Leadership

Being the first born among five siblings, Marilou’s parents, Onofre and Ceferina Jimenez, both deceased, always taught her to be a self-starter, organizer, and a leader in the daily activities of her family household. They molded her personality to be an independent young woman, with big dreams in mind. Throughout her life, she welcomed challenges, because she believed that such roles keep her learning and that knowledge is power. She was born in Floridablanca, Pampanga, Philippines. Her father was a soldier in the military and her family migrated to different towns. As a result, she learned to speak different native languages as Capampangan, Ilocano, Pangasinan, and Tagalog. After she graduated nursing in Central Doctors Hospital College in Tarlac, she moved out to Manila to find jobs in the city, she became a medical representative in a pharmaceutical company to survive in the marketing world. She eventually got hired as a staff nurse in St Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City. She has also worked as a clinical instructor at the Trinity College of Nursing. She realized there was an opportunity to travel abroad, and fate has led her to Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where she held the position of assistant nurse manager in Geriatric unit in a hospital. It’s in Saudi Arabia where she eventually met and married her husband, Rick Dangalan. Her son, Ian Paulo, was born amidst her nursing career. The Gulf War in 1991 led her to decide to leave Middle East for America and settled in Chicago, IL. She first started work in Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chicago, then to Cook County Hospital, West Suburban Hospital. She has worked at Loyola Medical center as a Neuro/ICU nurse, at McNeal Hospital as an Oncology/MS nurse, and Provena St Joseph Medical Center as an oncology nurse.
     
In 1994, her daughter, Marie Grace, the second child in the family came into her family’s world. As a nurse, she is equipped with knowledge and experience. She loves patient/family interactions, which is why she prefers home health nursing at the back of her nursing career. It takes a unique, strong, personality to be a home health nurse. As a leader, she is proud to have held challenging positions. She considers it time well spent and great that she met different personalities. She gains more enthusiasm, found friendships, overcomes failures, and thanks God for all her success. Recognitions and Awards…… Nurse Enterpreneur Excellence Awardee 2009 PNAInc. Most Oustanding Couple of the Year PACF 2010 Board of Director PNAInc. 2010,2011,2012 Board of Director Circulo Capampangan 2011,2012 President/Administrator –DMJ Home Health Services Inc. 2006- 2012 VP/Board of director -Materelli HHS Inc., OK, OKC 2011,2012 Recipient/Certified Administrator Course, OK, OKC 2011 Adviser/Consultant, Home Health- Pure Hearts HHS Inc. ,Chicago,Il., 2009-2012 Adviser/Consultant Home life HHS Inc. Oak Brook, Il. 2010-2012 Secretary/Treasurer- Manpower Futures and Health Resources 2004-2012 Board of Director- Living in the Word, Bolingbrook, Il. 2011-2012 Licensed, Life and Health Insurance Professional 2000-2012 Licensed, Series 6/63 Insurance Professional Illinois 2000-2006.