It is my honor to nominate Marilyn Lakdawala, Director of Surgical Services, for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. Marilyn began her career in 1975 as a pediatric registered nurse. Her compassion and drive for excellence in patient care quickly propelled her into various progressive leadership roles. As the director of surgical services, Marilyn has always balanced the needs of both patients and her staff. When the pandemic hit, Marilyn and the team quickly worked to ensure that staff could continue to operate safely. Under her leadership, Mercy was among the first operating rooms in the UPMC system to bring back full elective surgery schedules. Marilyn knew that patients were waiting for these surgeries, and even though many were not lifesaving, she knew that for many patients, these surgeries could be life-changing.

During the last five years, she has led her teams through a major transformation in the form of 16 new general operating rooms and eight new operating rooms, pre/post suites, and outpatient testing areas in the Vision Institute. Working through temporary moves and tight deadlines, Marilyn ensured that the surgical teams had input on the renovations and that the designs were truly patient-centric. This allowed these new spaces to provide the best possible experience for both patients and staff.

For almost 50 years Marilyn has been a dedicated nurse and leader who embodies compassion and empathy. She is a team player and a true DAISY Nurse Leader.