Reagan Alonso, RN

2026 Dorion-Burt Heart of Gold Honoree

Reagan Alonso, RN

Head Volunteer Nurse

Reagan Alonso is currently the Head Volunteer Nurse at Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, Jacksonville. She started her VIM affiliation in April 2004, marking 21 years of dedicated and ongoing service. To date, she has contributed over 15,700 hours of volunteer nursing care to patients at VIM-JAX.

Reagan is a natural humanitarian and has said that the more she worked at the Clinic, the more she realized it was a perfect fit. She leads by example and gently reminds other staff members that it is essential to consider how their actions affect others, and that their small daily interactions, professionalism, and kindness will have an impact beyond the Clinic’s walls. She always treats people with dignity and humility.

Reagan is highly sought after for her exceptional organizational skills, which she has refined through extensive travel to areas with limited resources. She is fluent in both English and Spanish, enabling seamless communication. She can see the big picture and explain how teams can collaborate effectively to set up clinics, surgical sites, and hospitals. Her goal is always to assist those in need and meet them on their terms. 

In 1981, Reagan volunteered with the Peace Corps in Honduras. There, she met another volunteer, Leo Alonso, who would later become her husband. Reagan and Dr. Leo Alonso married in 1985 and have celebrated 40 years of service helping others. Reagan has been involved for over 25 years with a medical and surgical brigade that travels annually to Honduras to provide life-changing care to grateful patients. She recruited Leo, and in 2004, Leo successfully brought Reagan into service at the “new” VIM Clinic, where he was serving, and that was all it took!

Over the years, Reagan has worked in educating patients about nutrition, providing physical therapy, and working in the Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Balancing her time between work and raising their two children, Alejandro and Gwendolyn, she serves as a role model both at home and on the job. Alejandro is a physician, and Gwendolyn is an ARNP, reflecting their deep respect for their parents’ professions.