Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care are profiling the McKnight’s 2024 Women of Distinction honorees daily from July 1 to Aug. 13. For additional McKnight’s Women of Distinction content, visit this page.

Annie Pineda-Eiland graduated from nursing school in The Philippines, but after having issues transferring her licensure over to the United States, she started in long-term care as a certified nursing assistant in 1995.

After working hard as a CNA and a nursing student, she became a registered nurse in 1996 and continued to climb the corporate ladder to her current position as a regional director of clinical service at Legacy Healthcare. No matter what obstacles are thrown in her way, you can bet that PinedaEiland always is one step ahead of them. 

“Annie is the whole package — a true expert clinician, a gifted leader and someone who is involved with their community and family to keep them grounded,” her nominators said. “Being an immigrant nurse, she extends kindness to new immigrant nurses by inviting them to her home and arranging housing. She is always strategic, rational and considerate when handling any issue, exercising professionalism in a way that is truly uniquely her.” 

More about Pineda-Eiland: 

  • Pineda-Eiland implemented new technology through the use of WoundRounds, a documentation program used to photograph and measure wounds. The protocols she created were adopted by the wound care specialists and still are used as the gold standard in the company. 
  • As a director of nursing, she did not have a single complaint visit from the state or federal agency for a year.
  • She joined the Legacy Healthcare team in 2015 after connecting with a former administrator from her time as a CNA. 

The McKnight’s Women of Distinction program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care. Healthcare Services Group was the Platinum sponsor of this year’s McKnight’s Women of Distinction Awards and Forum. PointClickCare was the Gold sponsor, and PharMerica was the Silver sponsor. Other sponsors included Curana Health, DirecTV for Business, Easyshifts, Hireology, Reliant Rehabilitation, ShiftKey and Sentrics.

Visit this web page to see lists of honorees from 2024 and previous years.