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Higher Education.
For Adults with Higher Expectations.

Meet Our Spirit of Edison Impact Award Honorees

The TESU Foundation is honored to present the 2026 Spirit of Edison Impact Award Honorees:

Community Leader Award

Mark and Ann Baiada

Ann Claffey Baiada

Ann Claffey Baiada, RN, CRRN-Retired

Former Director of BAYADA Home Health Care

Ann Claffey Baiada, RN, CRRN-Retired, is a champion of the nursing profession. Her unwavering commitment to clinical excellence motivated her to create two training and mentoring programs at BAYADA: Project White Cap, a training program for new nurses, and Project White Shoes, an annual training for clinical leaders.

As a certified rehabilitation registered nurse (CRRN), Baiada founded BAYADAbility Rehab Solutions, the first and only home health care rehabilitation nursing program, in 1998. Her passion for nursing and her ability to empower and inspire led BAYADA to establish an award in her honor, the Ann Baiada Award for Excellence in Nursing Leadership in 2006, and to develop the Ann Baiada Center for Clinical Excellence in 2010.

In 2010, Baiada’s image was used in the iconic mural "The Evolving Face of Nursing," a groundbreaking masterpiece that incorporates LED lights. The piece was created by nationally renowned muralist Meg Saligman and is displayed at the intersection of Broad and Vine Streets in Philadelphia, Pa.

Baiada is actively involved in the BAYADA Regatta, an adaptive rowing event in Philadelphia. In addition, she supports many local organizations, including:

  • Mercy Career and Technical High School in Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Sacred Heart School in Camden, N.J.
  • Providence House in Burlington and Ocean counties in N.J.
  • Heart of Camden in Camden, N.J.

She has served as:

  • A member of the Board of Trustees of Neumann University in Aston, Pa. for 13 years, the last two years as chair
  • A co-chair of the University of the Arts Parents Council in Philadelphia, Pa.
  • President of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses in Greater Philadelphia, Pa.
  • A member and board member of the Moorestown Rotary Club and the Moorestown Community House in Moorestown, N.J.
  • A development committee member for the Immaculate Conception Church in Philadelphia, Pa.
  • A member of the New Jersey State Nurses Association

Her compassion, generosity, and personal sense of responsibility have been recognized through various honors, including:

  • The Legacy Award from the Legacy Foundation in 2021
  • The 2019 President’s Award from the Nursing Foundation of Pennsylvania
  • The 2018 Judge Lois G. Forer Child Advocacy Award
  • The Distinguished Graduate Award from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office of Catholic Education, Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools, Faith in the Future, and Independence Mission Schools
  • The Vocational Service Award from Rotary District 7500 in 2017
  • The Legacy of Giving Award from the Community Foundation of South Jersey in 2016
  • The Hall of Fame Award from Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing in 2014
  • The VNA Caring Award from the Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia in 2014
  • The Irish Education 100 award from the Irish Voice in 2014
  • The Uachtarán Award from the Irish American Business Chamber & Network in 2014
  • The Richard J. Hughes Humanitarian Award from Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton in 2013
  • Inclusion in the Best 50 Women in Business by NJBiz in 2010
  • The Citizen of the Year Award from the Moorestown Service Council in 2009
  • Induction into the Cardinal Dougherty High School Hall of Fame in 2007
  • The Diva in Nursing Award from the Institute for Nursing in New Jersey in 2007
  • The Work of Mercy Award from Mercy Career and Technical High School in 2006
  • The Howard Fiala Service Above Self Award from Moorestown Rotary Club in 2006
  • The Light of Hope Award from Catholic Charities in 2005
  • A Papal Blessing from Pope John Paul II in 1996

Baiada and her husband, BAYADA Founder and Chaiman Mark Baiada, are recipients of the following honors:

  • The Lillian D. Ward Award from the VNS of New York City in 2024
  • The Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Award in County Donegal, Ireland in 2022
  • The Lawrence S. Smith Distinguished Service Award from the YMCA of Greater Philadelphia in 2022
  • The Lifetime of Service and Achievement Award from Chestnut Hill College in 2021

Baiada received the degree of doctor of humane letters, honoris causa from Drexel University, a doctor of laws, honoris causa from Neumann University, a certificate in rehabilitation nursing from the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, and a registered nurse degree from Abington Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.

Of all her achievements, Baiada considers her five children and 11 grandchildren to be her most rewarding success. She and Mark reside in Moorestown, N.J.

Mark Baiada

Mark Baiada

Founder and Chairman
BAYADA Home Health Care

J. Mark Baiada founded BAYADA Home Health Care in 1975 with the mission to help people have a safe home life with comfort, independence and dignity. Fifty years later, BAYADA has grown from its humble beginnings to become a global leader in home health care serving 40,000 clients a week from more than 380 offices in 20 states and from locations in India, Ireland, New Zealand and South Korea.

BAYADA is a value-based company with compassion, excellence and reliability as its three timeless tenets.

In early 2019, Baiada, converted BAYADA into a not-for-profit organization and now serves as the chairman. Unprecedented in the industry, the transition was made to help ensure BAYADA’s mission, purpose and services would last through the generations, and to help BAYADA realize its vision of helping millions of people worldwide experience a better quality of life at home.

Prior to the company’s nonprofit transition, in November 2018, Bauada divided $20 million of his personal funds among current and long-time former employees as a Gift of Gratitude for the work, they’ve done over the years to make BAYADA what it is today. This unexpected gesture was a token of his appreciation and a reflection of just how much he values the commitment each and every employee has made to upholding BAYADA’s mission.

The values Baiada learned from studying such role models as Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Carnegie and St. Francis of Assisi guided him to success as a family man, businessman and philanthropist. Baiada credits much of his success to his belief: “Think big. Work hard. Show love.” He also credits his company’s consistent growth to his people-first focus, hiring like-minded and like-hearted people who share in his values and vision and providing them with the support to achieve great things.

Baiada is also a published author, having written a chapter entitled “Beyond Medicare-Certified Home Health Services: An Overview of Other Types of Home Care Services” for the “Handbook of Home Health Care Administration Sixth Edition”, 2017. He also authored a 2025 book called “Think Big. Work Hard. Show Love. Advice for Love and Work from Mark Baiada”.

Baiada’s work as a humanitarian and his contributions to the advancement of health care and nursing have been recognized with various honors, including:

  • The 2024 McKnight’s Pinnacle Award
  • The 2019 President’s Award from the Nursing Foundation of Pennsylvania
  • The 2018 Judge Lois G. Forer Child Advocacy Award
  • The 2017 Martha Esposito Award from the NJ Home Care & Hospice Association
  • The 2017 Distinguished Graduate Award from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office of Catholic Education (OCE), Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools (BLOCS), Faith in the Future (FIF), and Independence Mission Schools (IMS).
  • The Legacy of Giving Award from the Community Foundation of South Jersey in 2016
  • The 2016 Private Sector South Jerseyan of the Year award from the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs
  • Induction into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni by the Rutgers University Alumni Association in 2015
  • The Heroes of Hope award from the Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of The ALS Association
  • The VNA Caring Award from the Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia in 2014
  • The Richard J. Hughes Humanitarian Award from Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton
  • The Kaleidoscope Award for Community Service from the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter in 2013
  • The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) School of Nursing Visionary Leader Award in 2012.
  • The Ernst & Young the 2012 “Entrepreneur of the Year” for the Philadelphia region.
  • Induction into the Hall of Fame from the National Association for Home Care and Hospice in 2012
  • The Golden Lion Award from the Sons of Italy Foundation in 2008
  • The 75 Greatest Living Philadelphians award from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2007
  • The Work of Mercy Award from Mercy Career and Technical High School in 2006
  • The Cradle of Liberty Award from Boy Scouts of America in 2006
  • The Light of Hope Award from Catholic Charities in 2005
  • The Helms Award from Goodwill Industries in 2005.

Baiada and his wife, Ann Claffey Baiada, RN, CRRN were recipients of the following honors:

  • The 2021 Lifetime of Service and Achievement Award from Chestnut Hill College
  • The 2022 Lawrence S. Smith Distinguished Service Award from the YMCA of Greater Philadelphia
  • The 2024 Lillian D. Ward award from VNS Health of New York City.

For over 40 years, Baiada and BAYADA Home Health Care have been the sponsors of the BAYADA Regatta — the world’s oldest and largest all-adaptive rowing event that annually attracts athletes from around the globe to the Philadelphia area. In addition, Mr. Baiada sponsored various relief efforts that helped people injured in the Kosovo War, Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami disaster of 2004, and the earthquake in Haiti.

In 2023 Mr. Baiada formed the nonprofit BAYADA Education Inc. to educate “More Great Nurses” worldwide. Additional organizations in which Mr. Baiada has been actively involved include:

  • Gladstone Physicians, founder and board member, 2024 to present
  • Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing Professional Advisory Board, 2024 to present
  • eLumen, board member, 2024 to present
  • Rutgers Camden School of Nursing Professional Advisory Board, 2023 to present.
  • Neumann University, President’s Advisor Council, 2021 to present
  • Loyola University, Baltimore, MD, Board member, 2000 to 2008
  • University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing’s Board of Overseers, Philadelphia, Pa., 2000 to 2013
  • The School of Business, Rutgers University’s Executive Advisory Council, Camden, N.J., 2001 to present
  • Drexel University College of Medicine, board member, 2002 to 2006
  • The University of the Arts Parents Council (co-chairperson), Philadelphia, Pa., 2006
  • Cornerstone Bank, cofounder and board member, 2000 to 2024
  • Gatti-Morrison Construction Services, cofounder and board member, 1991 to 2024

Baiada received the degree of doctor of humane letters, honoris causa from Drexel University, a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa from Neumann University, an MBA from Rutgers Graduate School of Business, and a BA from Rutgers College. Prior to founding BAYADA, Mr. Baiada was a market researcher for Avon Products, New York, N.Y. and the American Thread Company, Stamford, CT.

Of all his successes, Baiada considers his family to be his greatest achievement. He and Ann have five children and 11 grandchildren.

Baiada and his wife are residents of Moorestown, N.J.