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WCFR, Inc. will present six scholarship awards in 2024, four of which will be presented at its “Great Gatsby” themed 10+3 Anniversary & Fundraising Gala. This year’s achievement marks a substantial increase from the years before where three or four Marguerite Thony Scholarship Awards were presented per year. WCFR is introducing three new Sabrina HoSang Jordan Scholarship Awards, expanding its reach and impact within the community.

An accomplished nursing administrator, educator and professor, Jacqueline Cassagnol received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, Master of Science Degree in Nursing Administration.

Jacqueline Cassagnol ’09, M.S. ’10, P.M.C. ’11 Saves the World and Inspires Others

An accomplished nursing administrator, educator and professor, Jacqueline Cassagnol received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, Master of Science Degree in Nursing Administration, and a Post-Master’s Degree Certificate in Nursing Education from Mercy College. She is currently a PhD in Nursing Candidate at Pace University. She is the founder and president of Worldwide Community First Responder (WCFR), Inc. She is also a founding member and past vice-president of the Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce, a Rockland Community Emergency Responsive Team (CERT) member, a Leadership Rockland (LR) member, a Haitian American Nurses Association (HANA) member, a Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing member, and Chi Eta Phi Sorority member. She was elected Nanuet Patch Mayor in August 2018.
As a result of Cassagnol’s experience in preparing for and assisting with victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, she founded WCFR, a non-profit organization, to provide health education, first aid, and disaster-preparedness training. She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally at nursing conferences about WCFR and its collaboration with other non-profit organizations to improve global health outcomes. In addition, she has presented at International Research Congress Conferences in China, South Africa, and Ireland regarding health education and disaster preparedness projects that she initiated through WCFR in the United States and Haiti.

Cassagnol has been recognized with numerous distinguished awards for her community services. She was honored as a “rising star” by the Rockland Economic Development Corporation at the organization’s 13th Annual Forty Under 40 Reception. She was also honored as the “safe community” award winner by Volunteer New York at the organization’s 35th Annual Volunteer Spirit Awards Breakfast Benefit; as “nurse of the year” by March of Dimes at the organization’s Fifth Annual Nurse of the Year Gala in New York; and as the “nurse of the year and president’s choice” award winner by HANA of Rockland County, Inc. at the organization’s Seventh Annual Scholarships & Fundraising Awards Gala in New York; and as “founding member” by the Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce in New York. She was highlighted in the Spirits of Nurses’ Week by Rockland County Times in May 2017, named Hudson Valley Hero in June 2017, and featured Making an Impact in Rockland by the Journal News in November 2017. Recently, she was inducted in the New York Academy of Medicine in November 2018, won the Haitian American Young Citizen of the Year Award from the US Haitian Chamber of Commerce, Inc in March 2019, named New York Yankees Hero and honored as 2019 Caribbean American Healthcare Award recipient in June 2019, featured in the November 2019 issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine as a Hometown Hero, and won the Jefferson Award Bronze Medal of Honor from Pace University in November 2019. Most recently, she won the Jefferson National Award known as ‘Nobel Prize for Public Service’ from Multiplying Good in September 2020, named a Healthcare Hero by Schneps Media in October 2020, and won a research grant for her PhD research study “Haitian Nurses’ Perceptions about Disaster Preparedness and Disaster Nursing’ from STTI NYU Upsilon Chapter in May 2021.

An award winning nurse scientist, accomplished nursing administrator, and professor, Dr. Jacqueline Cassagnol earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing at Pace University, received a Master of Science Degree in Nursing Administration, and a Post Master Degree Certificate in Nursing Education from Mercy College.

Dr. Jacqueline Cassagnol, PhD, MSN, RN, PMC

An award winning nurse scientist, accomplished nursing administrator, and professor, Dr. Jacqueline Cassagnol earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing at Pace University, received a Master of Science Degree in Nursing Administration, and a Post Master Degree Certificate in Nursing Education from Mercy College. She is the founder and president of Worldwide Community First Responder (WCFR), Inc. She is also a founding member and past vice-president of the Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce, a board member of People to People, a Rockland Community Emergency Responsive Team (CERT) member, a Leadership Rockland (LR) member, a Haitian American Nurses Association (HANA) member, a Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. member, an Alpha Eta National Honor Society member, and a Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing member. She was elected Nanuet Patch Mayor in August 2018.  She is currently a clinical associate professor at Pace University, and the STTI Upsilon Chapter mentorship program chair at New York University.

As a result of Dr. Cassagnol’s experience in preparing for and assisting with victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, she founded WCFR, a non-profit organization, to provide health education, first aid, and disaster-preparedness training. She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally at nursing conferences about WCFR and its collaboration with other non-profit organizations to improve global health outcomes. In addition, she has presented at International Research Congress Conferences in China, South Africa, and Ireland regarding health education and disaster preparedness projects that she initiated through WCFR in the United States and Haiti.

Dr. Cassagnol has been recognized with numerous distinguished awards for her community services. She was honored as a “Rising Star” by the Rockland Economic Development Corporation at the organization’s 13th Annual Forty Under 40 Reception. She was also honored as the first “Safe Community Award” winner by Volunteer New York at the organization’s 35th Annual Volunteer Spirit Awards Breakfast Benefit; as “Nurse of the Year” by March of Dimes at the organization’s Fifth Annual Nurse of the Year Gala in New York; and as the “Nurse of the Year and President’s Choice Award” winner by HANA of Rockland County, Inc. at the organization’s Seventh Annual Scholarships & Fundraising Awards Gala in New York; and as “Founding Member” by the Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce in New York.

Additionally, Dr. Cassagnol was highlighted in the “Spirits of Nurses’ Week” by Rockland County Times in May 2017, named “Hudson Valley Hero” in June 2017, and featured “Making an Impact in Rockland” by the Journal News in November 2017. She was inducted in the “New York Academy of Medicine” in November 2018, won the first “Haitian American Young Citizen of the Year” award from the US Haitian Chamber of Commerce, Inc in March 2019, named ”New York Yankees Hero” and honored as ”2019 Caribbean American Healthcare Award” recipient in June 2019, featured in the November 2019 issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine as a ”Hometown Hero”, and won the ”Jefferson Award Bronze Medal of Honor” from Pace University in November 2019. Dr. Cassagnol went on to win the ”Jefferson National Award” known as the ‘Nobel Prize for Public Service’ from Multiplying Good in September 2020, was named a ”Healthcare Hero” by Schneps Media in October 2020, won a ”Research Grant” for her PhD research study “Haitian Nurses’ Perceptions about Disaster Preparedness and Disaster Nursing” from STTI NYU Upsilon Chapter in May 2021, and named a finalist for “Nurse Leader of the Year” in the 2021 Nurse.org ICON Awards in December 2021. Recently, she was inducted into the ”Mercy College Alumni Hall of Fame” and received Mercy College’s ”Alumni of Distinction Award” in February 2022, honored by Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick for Black History Month with the “Black Excellence and Leadership Award” and honored by Assemblyman Mike Lawler for Black History Month with a citation in February 2022. Most recently, she was awarded the Amelia A. Gould Fellowship Grant for PhD in Nursing Students at Pace University in January 2023.

Mercy College honored five alumni for their accomplishments at a virtual 2022 Alumni of Distinction Awards Event on Friday, including Spring Valley resident Jackie Cassagnol.

Mercy College honored five alumni for their accomplishments at a virtual 2022 Alumni of Distinction Awards Event on Friday, including Spring Valley resident Jackie Cassagnol.

The annual event celebrates Mercy alumni for their contributions to the community and their dedication to strengthening the College’s programs. The event also raises support for the Alumni Legacy Scholarship Fund, established by the Mercy College Alumni Advisory Council to support the children, grandchildren and/or legal dependents of Mercy College alumni. The Scholarship Fund is the only fund designed specifically to provide educational support to second-generation Mercy students.

Mercy College’s 2022 Alumni of Distinction Awards honorees and Class of 2022 inductees into the Mercy College Alumni Hall of Fame are Curtis L. Archer ’79, President, Harlem Community Development Corporation; Nneka Bell ’17, M.B.A. ’19, Small Business Owner, Celebrities Fashion Group, Inc. and Celebrities Quality Painting, Inc.; Jacqueline Cassagnol ’09, M.S. ’10, P.M.C ’11, Founder and President, Worldwide Community First Responder; Justin Gerrish ’06, Audio Lead, Equinox Media; and Melissa Meza Melkonian, M.S. ’05, Founder and Head of School, American Dream Charter School.

Cassagnol was honored by the Rockland Economic Development Corporation in 2014 as a “rising star.”

As the college said in its news release about the hall of fame, Cassagnol is the founder and president of Worldwide Community First Responder (WCFR), Inc., a non-profit organization that has trained more than 400,000 community members to provide health education, first aid and disaster-preparedness training. She has presented locally, nationally and internationally at nursing conferences about WCFR’s collaborative efforts to improve global health outcomes. In addition, she has presented at International Research Congress Conferences in China, South Africa, and Ireland regarding health education and disaster preparedness projects that she initiated through WCFR in the United States and Haiti. Cassagnol is a founding member and past vice-president of the Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of the Rockland Community Emergency Responsive Team, Leadership Rockland, the Haitian American Nurses Association, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She was named a “rising star” by the Rockland Economic Development Corporation; a “safe community” award winner by Volunteer New York; Nurse of the Year by the March of Dimes, and Nurse of the Year and President’s Choice award winner by HANA of Rockland County, Inc. In 2018 she was inducted into the New York Academy of Medicine, and in 2020 she received a National Jefferson Award, known as the “Nobel Prize for Public Service.” Cassagnol earned a B.S. in Nursing, an M.S. in Nursing Administration, and a Post-Master’s Degree Certificate in Nursing Education, all from Mercy College. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Nursing at Pace University.

Jackie Cassagnol, MSN, RN, PMC, a member of Sigma’s Upsilon Chapter, is a recent recipient of the Jefferson Award for her work in Haiti and founding her organization, Worldwide Community First Responder.

Jackie Cassagnol, MSN, RN, PMC, a member of Sigma’s Upsilon Chapter, is a recent recipient of the Jefferson Award for her work in Haiti and founding her organization, Worldwide Community First Responder. Jackie has great memories of spending time in Haiti with her family when she was younger. She is very passionate about giving back to the country because of those fond childhood memories. Her cultural background forged the person that she is today because education is paramount for Haitians.

What is Worldwide Community First Responder and how did it come to life?
Worldwide Community First Responder (WCFR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit/charitable organization that I founded in 2011 with a mission “to prevent deaths worldwide through education and training.” WCFR came to life when I was doing a session about first aid and first response in Grand-Goâve, Haiti, after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. A student said, “If only we knew what you are teaching us now, fewer people would have died during the earthquake.” That statement brought me to where I am today. I knew then that I had to continue doing this type of lifesaving work and founded WCFR.

We are a diverse group of volunteers who put others first every day by providing health education, first aid, and disaster preparedness training free of charge. We believe that everyone should know what to do in case of an emergency and that nobody should die because they needed first aid they couldn’t get. Over the past nine years, WCFR has trained over 350,000 community members in critical lifesaving skills. Although WCFR continues to offer its services mainly in the US and Haiti, we have also provided our services in China, South Africa, and Ireland.

What’s been your favorite moment working with Worldwide Community First Responder?
My favorite moment has been when community members reported that they utilized the skills that they have learned from us to save lives. There are so many wonderful stories of people putting into action the training they receive.

What does the Jefferson Award mean to you? What does volunteering mean to you?
It was a great honor for me to represent Pace University as a recipient of the prestigious Jefferson Award. I am so grateful to Pace University and Multiplying Good for recognizing extraordinary public service. For nearly half a century, the Jefferson Awards have been honoring those who put others first. This perfectly aligns with the purpose of WCFR. Volunteering at WCFR provides me with the opportunity to educate others and aide in saving lives. Our motto at WCFR says just that, “Teaching people, saving lives”. We have so many heroes out there empowered with lifesaving skills. This Jefferson Award helps us to acknowledge them all, and I was excited to receive this award on their behalf.

What’s next for you?
I am currently a PhD Candidate at Pace University. The title of my dissertation is Haitian Nurses’ Perceptions About Disaster Preparedness and Disaster Nursing. The purpose of my qualitative descriptive study is to explore Haitian nurses’ perceptions about disaster preparedness and disaster nursing. The goal is to provide insight into training programs tailored to assist those within vulnerable populations. The study aims to gain an understanding of Haitian nurses’ perceptions of their knowledge, roles, and skills about disaster preparedness and disaster nursing.

What advice would you give to nurses who find themselves in the middle of a disaster?
As a result of the increased frequency of global disasters, disaster preparedness training has become essential. Since nurses form the largest group of the healthcare workforce, they often find themselves on the frontline. While teaching disaster preparedness, the first thing I address with nurses is that safety is the number one priority. Assessing when to shelter in place or evacuate is important. Naturally, they should be adequately equipped with the knowledge and skills to respond to disasters. Nurses can find continuing education and competency development for disaster preparedness offered by several nursing and non-nursing organizations. When we as nurses are prepared, we can cope and help our communities recover from disasters better, faster, and stronger.

Jackie Cassagnol, MSN, RN, PMC, is the founder and president of Worldwide Community First Responder, Inc. in Nanuet, New York, USA. She was a recipient of the Jefferson Award last year. She is a member of Sigma’s Upsilon Chapter.

A Spring Valley nurse and Pace University doctoral candidate has won a 2020 Jefferson Award, which honors “top change makers and ordinary citizens” for acts of public service.
A Spring Valley nurse and Pace University doctoral candidate has won a 2020 Jefferson Award, which honors “top change makers and ordinary citizens” for acts of public service.

Jacqueline Cassagnol was given the honor by the nonprofit Multiplying Good for her volunteer work in Haiti and her subsequent creation of Worldwide Community First Responder, Inc. Cassagnol’s nonprofit has provided more than 350,000 people with health education, first-aid and disaster preparedness training in the United States and Haiti.

Cassagnol, representing Pace University, and Anne Corelli of Coca Cola were honored for outstanding public service.

This year’s other recipients of the award, known as the “Nobel Prize for Public Service,” include actress and activist Kristen Bell, Youth Villages CEO Patrick Lawler, and TOMS clothing brand.

Cassagnol, a doctoral candidate in nursing at Pace’s College of Health Professions, is the first student from Pace to earn the national honor.

The Brooklyn-born Cassagnol has spent many childhood school breaks in Haiti with her grandparents. After the devastating 2010 earthquake, she joined Rockland relief teams.

Cassagnol said that during a first-aid training in Haiti someone stood up and said, “If only we knew what you are saying right now fewer people would have died in the earthquake.”

After hearing that, Cassagnol said, “I broke down. That’s what made me want to do this work.”

So she founded WCFR.

A member of the Haitian American Nurses Association, Cassagnol has also been named a “safe community” award winner by Volunteer New York and a “nurse of the year” by March of Dimes New York. The U.S. Haitian Chamber of Commerce named her a Haitian American Young Citizen of the Year in March. In June 2019, she was a finalist for the Yankees’ Nurse Hero award.

Her PhD dissertation focuses on disaster preparedness.