On March 5, the MIT community lost one of its shining stars when Chasity Nunez passed away. She was 27.
"Chas," as her friends and colleagues called her, served as the patient safety and clinical quality program coordinator at MIT Health. In her role, Nunez helped MIT Health maintain its high safety standards, working to train staff on reporting procedures and best practices for patient safety.
Director of Clinical Collaborations and Partnerships Elene Scheff was Nunez's hiring manager and remembers her as a "perpetual learner." Nunez put herself through both college and graduate school and was working on a graduate degree in informatics - her second master's degree. "She loved to be challenged … She also loved collaborating with everybody," Scheff remembers.
"Chas was passionate about the health and well-being of the MIT community," adds MIT Chief Health Officer Cecilia Stuopis. "She was beloved by the colleagues who worked closely with her, and her dedication to our patients was powerful and impactful."
Nunez's dedication to helping patients within the MIT community was only matched by her desire to give back and be of service to her country. She was an active member of the U.S. Army National Guard, where she was stationed in Connecticut and served as an IT support specialist.
"[Chas] was always looking to improve upon herself," says Janis Puibello, Nunez's manager and MIT Health's associate chief of nursing and clinical quality. "[She] was hungry for what we had to offer."
Michele David, chief of clinical quality and patient safety, agrees. David recalls Nunez's can-do spirit: "If she didn't know how to do something, she would tell you, 'I don't know how to do it, but I will find out!'"
"She brought a lot to MIT Health and will always be with us," says Puibello.
Nunez is survived by her mother and a daughter. To honor Nunez, MIT Health set up a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds for her surviving daughter. The $5,000 campaign exceeded its goal by more than $3,000. All proceeds collected were donated to Nunez's family to be used toward her daughter's future education.
