Nurse practitioner celebrating 30 years of service

Celebrating 30 years with IU Health, Jenny Gojmerac-Owens, NP, has helped shape the growth of advanced practice providers through her commitment to teamwork, mentorship, leadership and a culture of support that continues to benefit colleagues and patients across the organization.

This year, Jenny Gojmerac-Owens, NP, celebrates an extraordinary milestone: 30 years of service with IU Health. From her beginnings as a newly graduated registered nurse working in critical care to her current role as an APP Director and practicing emergency department clinician, Gojmerac-Owens has helped shape the growth of advanced practice providers across the organization.

She began her nursing career as an RN in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at University Hospital, a role she remembers fondly. “I loved every minute of it. It was one of the best experiences. I enjoyed caring for surgery patients and built trust working with the surgeons.” After returning to school to become an Adult Nurse Practitioner, Gojmerac-Owens joined the lung transplant team and relocated to Methodist Hospital before eventually transitioning to emergency medicine. Along the way, she witnessed firsthand the evolution of the APP profession and the expanding opportunities for nurse practitioners in acute and emergency care settings.

One of the accomplishments she is most proud of is building a culture where APPs support one another and feel valued. Inspired by the teamwork she experienced early in nursing career, Gojmerac-Owens has spent years fostering a similar culture within emergency medicine. “My goal has always been to create an environment where we have that same type of teamwork. It doesn't matter how hard the day is, there's always going to be somebody you can laugh with or lean on.” Her commitment to supporting colleagues extends beyond the workplace. As both a leader and a working parent, she has championed flexibility for APPs, advocating for schedules that allow team members to balance demanding careers with family responsibilities. “I don't want people to miss anything they want to do. We're very flexible and we cover for each other. I feel passionate about that flexibility.” She is equally proud of the evolution of APP leadership at IU Health. Having played a role in its development, she has seen the organization grow from a time when APP leadership structures were rare to one where APPs are represented at every level. “The fact that we have the leadership structure that we have today is incredibly exciting to me and I’m proud that I've been part of that journey.”

When reflecting on three decades at IU Health, Gojmerac-Owens is quick to recognize the people who helped shape her career, including mentors, colleagues, and physician leaders who treated her as a true partner. “ Dr. Charles Shufflebarger and Dr. Christian Strachan were instrumental in shaping my leadership style. I always felt supported and heard, and the ‘we agree to disagree’ mindset created an environment where it was safe to express differing opinions.”

Today, she continues to split her time between leadership and clinical practice, maintaining the same schedule and responsibilities as the clinicians she supports. It is a leadership style rooted in authenticity, teamwork, and advocacy, qualities that have left a lasting impact on countless colleagues over the years. As she celebrates 30 years with IU Health, her legacy is reflected not only in her own accomplishments but also in the strong, supportive culture she has helped create for APPs across Indianapolis area emergency departments.