Kathleen A. Corbet Honored as 2026 Trustee of the Year by LeadingAge Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Kathleen A. Corbet’s recognition highlights her accomplishments establishing the tuition-free, Kathleen M. Fruin, RN, Nursing School, leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, and committee chair of the $15 million Future of Care campaign.
NEW CANAAN, Conn., September 17, 2026 — LeadingAge Connecticut & Rhode Island has named Kathleen A. Corbet its 2026 Annual Trustee of the Year. A former chair of the Waveny LifeCare Network Board of Directors, Corbet is recognized for steadfast leadership during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and for philanthropic support that helped establish Waveny’s tuition-free nursing school for certified nursing assistants.
The Annual Trustee of the Year distinction honors current or former trustees and board members who demonstrate exceptional governance leadership and a deep commitment to the regional healthcare community. LeadingAge Connecticut & Rhode Island represents more than 178 healthcare organizations that advance quality, compassionate, innovative, and dignified care.
Corbet led Waveny’s board through one of healthcare’s most challenging periods. In close partnership with management, she helped guide the policies and protocols that supported the organization throughout the pandemic—strengthening protections, expanding access to timely COVID-19 testing, and helping secure essential personal protective equipment. Her background in capital markets and financial systems also strengthened the board’s approach to strategy and governance and led to the combination of Waveny with Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County in 2021.
Corbet’s commitment to Waveny’s mission extends well beyond board service. In 2022, her generous gift helped establish the Kathleen M. Fruin, RN, Nursing School. Its distinctive tuition-free, earn-as-you-learn model hires students as Waveny employees from their first day while providing education, mentorship, and clinical training at no cost to the student.
“Kathleen never treated board service as ceremonial,” said Russ Barksdale, President and CEO of Waveny LifeCare Network. “She was present for the hardest decisions in our organization’s 50-year history. When the pandemic intensified the national nursing shortage, Kathleen helped Waveny find a meaningful answer. More than 250 graduates later, many of the professionals caring for our patients received education and training made possible through her generosity.”
Corbet now serves as Campaign Committee Chair for The Future of Care campaign, Waveny’s $15 million-plus fundraising campaign. The campaign will add 30 private inpatient short-term rehabilitation rooms, nearly doubling annual capacity; expand the Nursing School; and support Charity Care for patients who have exhausted their financial resources.
“I am truly grateful to be recognized by LeadingAge of Connecticut and Rhode Island, and I share this honor with my fellow board colleagues and the Waveny management team. The combination of business strategy and mission-driven compassionate care has been personally rewarding and ensures sustainable and high-quality outcomes for all those we serve.” said Kathleen Corbet.
About Waveny LifeCare Network
Waveny LifeCare Network is a nonprofit healthcare organization based in New Canaan, Connecticut. Waveny serves older adults and their families through a continuum of care that includes inpatient short-term rehabilitation, enriched senior living, skilled nursing, home care, memory care, and hospice. For media related inquiries, please contact media@waveny.org.