Over the years, Lori has been a constant source of support and guidance for us, even as the management team around her has changed. Her leadership was particularly crucial during the past two years of the pandemic when we faced unprecedented challenges and staffing shortages in our pediatric unit. Lori demonstrated remarkable grace, ingenuity, and resilience, and showed us all what it means to be a truly transformational leader.

Lori embodies many of the qualities we associate with great leaders: she inspires trust, exudes compassion, shows mutual respect, and motivates her team to pursue professional development while maintaining the highest ethical standards. She has been a source of motivation for all of us, including herself: despite the demands of her job, Lori pursued and obtained her doctorate, and has encouraged and empowered us to pursue further education by granting us Ben Hudnall days.

One of Lori's greatest strengths is her ability to listen to our needs and give us a voice. She remains calm and solution-focused even in chaotic and stressful environments, and she has been proactive in addressing many of the staffing and resource challenges that we faced during the pandemic. Her transparency and honesty about staffing and budget issues have enabled us all to understand the behind-the-scenes work that goes into keeping our unit running smoothly.

During the pediatric surge, Lori created a business plan that helped to secure more than 30 new job positions across several departments, including day and night shifts in pediatrics, PICU, and the Pediatrics Holding Department. She has been a tireless advocate for her nurses, working closely with charge nurses and providing the support and guidance we need to ensure that we are able to provide safe and effective patient care.

Despite the many demands of her job, Lori remains committed to her family and to her team. She often puts her own family second to support her nurses and patients, but she still finds a way to attend her son's baseball games and take her daughter to gymnastics. She is a wonderful example of balancing personal and professional responsibilities.

Lori has also invested in our professional growth in many other ways. When we expressed concerns about safely delivering chemotherapy to our Oncology patients, Lori listened and worked with the Hematology and Oncology Committee to develop a comprehensive training program. This program consists of a 4-hour didactic course followed by 3-5 12-hour shifts of hands-on training with qualified preceptors, and it has helped us all to feel more confident, competent, and prepared to provide safe and effective care to this vulnerable patient population.

Throughout it all, Lori has been available and accessible to her team, responding to our calls, emails, and texts 24/7. She is a visible and supportive presence on all shifts, and her compassion and concern for her staff are evident to everyone. She inspires us all to show the same level of care and compassion to our peers and patients alike.

Lori's dedication to her job and her team is truly remarkable. She has taken on many roles, from Director and Manager to CSS, Payroll, Secretary, and transport director, and has done so with grace and dedication. She has even stepped in to cover for the staffing office when they were out sick, working late at night to solve a flood and keep the unit running smoothly.

Lori embodies the qualities of an exceptional nurse leader and advocate for her team. She deserves to be recognized for her hard work and sacrifice, which has positively impacted the lives of both the nurses and patients on our unit. Thank you, Lori, for all that you do!