Charlene Ossler - 2011
MHS 1966 Graduate
Charlene C. Ossler, Class of 1966, was nominated by Penny Marriner Frederick. She attended Robertsville Grade School and belonged to 4H. During her four years at Minerva High School, she was active in French Club, Debate, Y Teens, Yearbook Staff and National Honor Society. She was salutatorian of her graduating class. She received scholarships to enter St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing. It was there where she was named Miss Student Nurse in 1968. After receiving her certificate of nursing, she studied nursing at the University of Maryland and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1972. During the next few years, she attended Howard University and Catholic University of America and became a nurse practitioner. In 1986 Ossler earned her Ph.D. in Occupational Health and Safety with Health Administration.
While living in the East and Midwest, she served as an assistant professor at the Catholic University of America, taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was a visiting associate professor at the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin.
Since 1996 she has served as Medical Consulting Director for Industrial Indemnity in San Francisco, Director of Health Care and Risk Management in Concord, California, and was Vice President of Clinical Services of Total Health Advocacy Partners in Emeryville, California.
At present Ossler serves as vice president of the Zenith Insurance Co. in Woodland Hills, California. She is a corporate, senior executive and manages a national team of nurses and supervisors. She has presented many professional papers covering occupational health concerns. Publications that she has either authored or co-authored include such titles as Quality Assurance in Occupational Health, Nursing Clinics of North America, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Essentials for Clinical Practice.
Ossler's research and funded projects include Compliance with OSHA, Standard for Cadmium Exposure for Masterlock, Inc., and an occupational health program evaluation for Pitney Bowes in Danbury, Connecticut.
She has had numerous publications and professional presentations on a wide variety of topics nationwide and internationally. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau and Delta Omega and the recipient of awards and honors in nursing, public health and community service.
She currently volunteers at a martial arts studio which offers a clinic for traditional Chinese medicine, martial arts, and teaching Taoism. She has mentored both men and women in the health care professions.
She is the daughter of the late Charles and Dorothy Sommer Ossler. She and her husband, Dr. Alex Feng live in San Leandro, California.