Her father initially opposed her dream of becoming a nurse, believing it was merely a means to seek opportunities abroad. However, Dr. Dely Po Go—known to many as “Doc Deli”—proved him wrong, emerging as an accomplished nurse entrepreneur, educator, philanthropist, and community leader. Over 25 years as the Founder and Owner of Nursing Network, LLC, she has led a team of more than 500 nurses, setting exceptional standards in patient care and professional development. Her diverse ventures, including healthcare services, real estate, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) school, and a daycare center, reflect her unwavering commitment to giving back, preserving Filipino values, and empowering future generations.
Yet the foundation of Dr. Go’s approach to business and community service can be traced back to the formative lessons she learned in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, where she grew up. “He took me to conferences and meetings with public officials, which helped me learn a lot about business and public service,” Dr. Go recalls of her father’s influence during her upbringing. According to her, this early exposure to leadership and entrepreneurship planted the seeds of her future endeavors, teaching her to engage meaningfully with private enterprise and broader community needs.
As a child of entrepreneurial parents, Dr. Go enjoyed a comfortable life, but her father was determined that she would not take this privilege for granted. He encouraged kindness, generosity, and hands-on learning. He also had a specific opinion regarding her career path. “My father did not want me to become a nurse because he assumed I was only interested in nursing for opportunities abroad,” Dr. Go shares. Despite his initial opposition, she ultimately chose the nursing profession for practical and deeply personal reasons. “I wanted to learn how to be an effective mother and raise my children well. I saw the value of nursing knowledge for family care and professional success,” she explains.
This dual motivation propelled Dr. Go to study at Silliman University, known for its rigorous curriculum and commitment to producing competent, service-oriented graduates. She later continued her training in Cebu as a nursing supervisor at Chong Hua Medical Center. However, her life took a tragic turn when her in-laws and other family members were murdered in Cebu—a devastating event that prompted her family to flee to the United States, leaving behind businesses and a home.
For Dr. Go, arriving in America meant starting over: a new country, challenges, and beginnings. Yet, it was also an opportunity to fulfill her promise to herself—to build a life rooted in nursing, caring for others, and giving back. She quickly passed the CGFNS and board exams, enabling her to work as a nurse. Her leadership potential became evident early on as she rose through the ranks in healthcare organizations, combining a practical approach to resource management with genuine empathy for patients and staff.
Over time, Dr. Go harnessed her entrepreneurial background, founding Nursing Network, LLC in New Jersey. The organization addressed glaring issues she had witnessed in the nursing industry, particularly the exploitation of foreign-trained nurses. “I saw nurses from the Philippines getting misled by agencies, signing contracts with promises of high wages, only to arrive and find much lower pay,” she recalls. In one instance, a group of nurses was living in overcrowded, unsafe conditions. Dr. Go stepped in, used her resources to connect them with legal support, and helped them secure fair-paying jobs. Through Nursing Network, LLC, she provided stable healthcare staffing services. She cultivated a supportive community for incoming nurses—ensuring they had legal protection, transparent work arrangements, and a place to start their American journey without fear.
Alongside the Nursing Network, Dr. Go launched a Licensed Practical Nurse school to address another gap she observed: many spouses of Filipino nurses, especially men, struggled with unemployment or lacked professional direction. This program offered them a pathway into nursing, fostering financial independence and strengthening families. Recognizing that work-life balance can be particularly challenging for immigrant families, she also set up a daycare center emphasizing Filipino values. Here, children could learn cultural traditions while receiving high-quality care—another example of how Dr. Go weaves her heritage into her professional ventures.
In addition to running successful businesses, Dr. Go is a tireless community advocate and philanthropist. Her philanthropic efforts were recognized early on when, in 1999, she received the Woman of Peace Award from the Women’s Federation for World Peace for her work with poor children worldwide. Over the years, her accolades multiplied: The New Jersey State Nurses Association/Institute for Nursing named her a New Jersey Nurse Diva for Advancing Healthcare, citing her leadership and high standards of excellence. She became an Institute for Nursing Board of Trustee Emeritus after many years of service to the New Jersey State Nurses Association Foundation. In 2010, she received the NJ Best 50 Women in Business Award from NJBIZ, celebrating her economic contributions and service to the New Jersey community. The Garden State Filipino American Association, Inc., meanwhile, recognized her with a Lifetime Achievement Award “in recognition of her proven commitment and resolve to support worthy causes that make an impact in the lives of others… prolific, inspirational and first-rate Philanthropist, Healthcare Professional, Professor of Nursing, Businesswoman, Community Leader and true and genuine Friend.” Notably, she earned the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, announced in The Wall Street Journal, marking her as one of nine top most distinguished professionals in the world selected from over 1.5 million outstanding professional biographies by Marquis Who’s Who International.
As an educator, Dr. Go has enriched countless lives. While teaching at William Paterson University, she was twice voted for the Daisy Award for Outstanding Professor. This honor resonates deeply with her mission to empower nurses academically, ethically, and personally. Reflecting on her teaching philosophy, she emphasizes the importance of rigorous, evidence-based nursing education that integrates Filipino cultural values of empathy and compassion.
Dr. Go is open about the spiritual dimension of her life, attributing her resilience to her father’s teachings and her Christian faith. “My father’s advice: ‘Do whatever you can with what you have,’” she notes, summing up her approach to obstacles and uncertainties. Whether dealing with personal tragedy, navigating the complexities of immigration, or assisting a nurse facing exploitation, Dr. Go’s mindset is to seize whatever resources and opportunities are available, channel them for good, and trust that perseverance will lead to better outcomes.
Her daily sense of fulfillment often comes from the people who return to thank her—Filipino nurses who once needed support or families whose children thrived under her daycare’s guidance. “I felt blessed by the opportunities I received, so I wanted to give back to my community,” she explains. She has given back on multiple fronts, from healthcare to education to housing. She is a shining example of how philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and community service can intertwine, fueling the other in a virtuous cycle of growth and compassion.
Despite her many roles and accolades—Nurse Diva, Woman of Peace, grand marshal of the Philippine Independence Day celebration in New York—Dr. Go remains grounded. She is a “regular mother,” deeply devoted to her family. Her success is built upon unwavering faith, a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances, and a refusal to lose sight of her core values. Reflecting on her journey, she says, “I continue to be guided by the belief that nothing is impossible if you work hard and help others along the way.”
