Rhona Free

Rhona Free serves as President of the University of Saint Joseph, where she actively leads initiatives addressing Connecticut's healthcare workforce needs through the $35 million CT Health Horizons program funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. This multi-institutional effort partners USJ with over 30 Connecticut universities, the CT Office of Workforce Strategy, and the Connecticut Hospital Association to develop nursing and social work professionals.

President Free has spearheaded innovative approaches including launching MSW programs in Eastern Connecticut (New London and Mansfield), creating pathways for LPN-to-BSN transitions with free prerequisite courses, and recruiting out-of-state faculty to alleviate local competition. Her strategic vision targets both immediate workforce needs—projecting 80+ nursing and 50+ MSW graduates by January 2025—and sustainable long-term solutions through expanded educational infrastructure across the state.

Her leadership in healthcare education has garnered recognition from state officials including Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, who described CT Health Horizons as 'a true success story' and 'game changer for the state' requiring continued funding beyond its initial three-year term. The initiative exemplifies how higher education institutions can directly address critical public health workforce shortages through collaborative, innovative programming.