Kay Black grew up in a household where healthcare was a respected profession. She was born in Jamaica but moved to New York at the age of two and grew up there until middle school, when her family moved to Connecticut.
“My mother is a Certified Nurse Aide in a hospital and always encouraged me to go into healthcare because I share her passion for helping people,” says Kay. She did not take her mom’s advice right away, however. Instead, Kay started college at Manchester Community College, then transferred to Western Connecticut State University.
A Start in Respiratory Care
One day, when getting the mail, Kay saw a mailer for a college offering career-focused educational programs. “I decided to meet with an admissions person, and they told me about the respiratory care program, which I was familiar with through my mom,” she says. Kay liked what she learned and enrolled. She graduated with an associate degree in 2008 and began her career as a hospital respiratory therapist.
From Respiratory Therapy to Nursing
During her seven years in respiratory care, Kay worked in nearly every area of the hospital—from the neonatal intensive care unit to the cancer unit to the outpatient clinics. “I developed my interest in treating the whole person, not just the lungs and heart, so I started looking at nursing programs,” she says. Kay enrolled in the Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing, and earned a nursing diploma in 2014.
Kay started her nursing career in the emergency department and intensive care unit. She moved into nursing homes, gaining experience as an infection control nurse and director of staff development before becoming a director of nursing. She held director of nursing roles at various assisted living and rehabilitation facilities for the next several years.
Kidesha (Kay) Black, MSN/MBA, was recently honored at the Hartford Business Journal’s Healthcare Heroes Awards. She is with Kim Nerud, Dean of the Nursing School at Post University.
A Big Goal: To Move to the C Suite
In 2020, Kay felt the time was right to advance her education. “My thought process was that I’d like to make it to the role of the chief nursing officer one day, and I won’t be able to do that with an associate degree,” she says. Kay began researching nursing bachelor’s degree programs that would fit her schedule.
“I found American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Post University and felt the BSN program really matched my life,” Kay says. “As a single mom of two kids, I have a lot going on. The program was a great fit, and the university gave me all the resources to be successful. Everyone at American Sentinel made things easier.” Kay finished her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree using the SIMPath® modality in September 2021.
A New Job and Another Educational Pursuit
After a three-month break, Kay continued her education and started the Master of Science in Nursing/Master of Business Administration – Healthcare. “The BSN was a stepping stone that helped me land a job at a hospital as manager of behavioral health in the adult and geriatric psychiatric units,” she says. “I knew I wanted an MSN degree, but when I saw Post’s dual MSN/MBA in Healthcare, it seemed like the perfect combination to give me the leverage to apply for roles where I would oversee an entire clinical organization.”
Achieving Her Career Objectives
Through her graduate education, Kay gained skills and knowledge that enabled her to move into other leadership roles. She spent a year as an area administrator/executive director position for a national provider of in-home healthcare services. After finishing the MSN and MBA – Healthcare programs in August 2024, Kay applied to a chief nursing officer position at Oak Hill, a provider of services to people with disabilities. She was hired in November 2024 and oversees the clinical division.
Nursing Degrees That Are Working for Her
In May 2025, Kay traveled to Post University to participate in the nursing pinning ceremony and master’s degree hooding ceremony— a worthy celebration of her hard work over the past five years.
“My Post University degrees definitely helped me,” Kay says. “Everything I learned was so applicable to what I needed for the role I have today. I’m so grateful to my student success advisor and everyone at Post who helped me along the way. The student support, program flexibility, and cost make Post an excellent choice.”
Once she takes a short break, Kay plans to pursue the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership at Post University. “I love to learn, and I feel that would set me apart and show that I have obtained the highest possible education. I’m excited to strive for that personal goal, and I look forward to going back to Post.”