Upcoming events Page 3 Spirituality & healthcare Page 4 MH Residential picnic Page 5 Parish Nurse symposium Page 6 Reflection Page 7 PNC Park Day Page 8 #People Centered Care Page 9 T&D Page 9 15 Minutes with... Page 10 Bill Connolly Welcome Page 11 October 2015 continued on page 2 Congratulations to the winners in the PMHS Summer of 2015 Photo Contest By Zandy Dudiak S o many great choices, but so hard to choose. We had it all—cute babies and precious pets, scenic sunsets, and nature in its glory. About 60 employees entered the first-ever Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (PMHS) Summer of 2015 Photo Contest. After the Pittsburgh Mercy Pulse Committee narrowed the field to 10 contestants in each category, all employees had the opportunity to vote for their favorites via Survey Monkey. Drum roll, please! And the winners are: People and Pets • First place—Steve Wert, counselor 3, Glen Hazel Extended Acute Care (EAC): “Kids watching the sunset on Albemarle Sound, Outer Banks.” • Second place—Brian Milligan, Child and Adolescent Service Coordination manager, Reedsdale Center: “Logan and Max playing on the beach in Wildwood Crest, N.J.” • Honorable mention—Michelle Harper, program specialist, Ross Adult Training Facility (ATF): “Dog days of summer.” Places • First place—Jacqueline Reynolds, program assistant, Operation Safety Net, Trail Lane Apartments: “Jefferson Memorial, Cherry Blossom Festival.” • Second place—Michelle Wert, lead counselor, Hyland Hills Community Living Arrangement (CLA): “Kitty Hawk sunrise.” • Honorable mention—Benjamin Bishop, supervisor, Glen Hazel EAC: “Kabab Trail, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park.” First place winners will receive a $25 gift card and a framed print of their winning photo. Second place winners will receive a framed print of their photo. Honorable mentions will receive a certificate. Thanks to all who participated and voted.
Transcript
Upcoming events Page 3
Spirituality & healthcare Page 4
MH Residential picnic Page 5
Parish Nurse symposium Page 6
Reflection Page 7 PNC Park Day Page 8
#People Centered Care Page 9
T&D Page 9
15 Minutes with... Page 10Bill Connolly
Welcome Page 11
October 2015
V O L U M E X X | N O . X X | A P R I L 2 0 1 0
P U L S EP I T T S B U R G H M E R C Y
w w w. p m h s . o r gP A R T O F C A T H O L I C H E A L T H E A S T , S P O N S O R E D B Y T H E S I S T E R S O F M E R C Y
P I T T S B U R G H M E R C Y H E A L T H S Y S T E M
continued on page 2
Congratulations to the winners in the PMHS Summer of 2015 Photo Contest By Zandy Dudiak
So many great choices, but so hard to choose. We had it all—cute babies and precious pets, scenic sunsets, and nature in its glory. About 60 employees entered the first-ever Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (PMHS) Summer of 2015
Photo Contest.
After the Pittsburgh Mercy Pulse Committee narrowed the field to 10 contestants in each category, all employees had the opportunity to vote for their favorites via Survey Monkey.
Drum roll, please! And the winners are:
People and Pets• First place—Steve Wert, counselor 3, Glen Hazel Extended Acute Care (EAC):
“Kids watching the sunset on Albemarle Sound, Outer Banks.”• Second place—Brian Milligan, Child and Adolescent Service Coordination
manager, Reedsdale Center: “Logan and Max playing on the beach in Wildwood Crest, N.J.”
• Honorable mention—Michelle Harper, program specialist, Ross Adult Training Facility (ATF): “Dog days of summer.”
Places• First place—Jacqueline Reynolds, program assistant, Operation Safety Net,
Trail Lane Apartments: “Jefferson Memorial, Cherry Blossom Festival.”• Second place—Michelle Wert, lead counselor, Hyland Hills Community
First place winners will receive a $25 gift card and a framed print of their winning photo. Second place winners will receive a framed print of their photo.
“Logan and Max playing on the beach,” Brian Milligan “Kitty Hawk sunrise,” Michelle Wert
“Dog Days of Summer,” Michelle Harper “Kabab Trail, Grand Canyon National Park,” Benjamin Bishop
PAGE 3
PAGE 3 PULSE OCTOBER 2015
12th Annual Reindeer Ball benefits vital child & adolescent servicesBy Linda K. Ross
Ring in the season, create a new holiday memory, and benefit children in our community.
Join your friends at Pittsburgh Mercy’s 12th Annual Reindeer Ball, Sunday, December 6, 2015, from 4 to 7 p.m. at The Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh Hotel, 1000 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (Downtown). The spectacular holiday gala and evening of fun for young children and families benefits Pittsburgh Mercy child and adolescent services.
Dressed in their holiday finest, guests will mingle with some of their favorite holiday characters and storybook friends, including Bad Kitty, Curious George, Pokey Little Puppy, Rudolph, and Frosty, and be treated to a sensational musical produced by Emmy Award-winning, New York City-based entertainment company RWS & Associates. The evening culminates with the arrival of jolly old St. Nick himself – Santa Claus!
Guests will enjoy holiday craft making, balloon and caricature artists, and will savor dinner from delectable buffet stations that are suitable for the entire family.
Since its creation in 2003, the Reindeer Ball has generated nearly $900,000 for PMHS child and adolescent programs. Last year, nearly $80,000 was raised and nearly 500 guests attended.
Pittsburgh Mercy, a part of Trinity Health, serving in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, empowers children and families to overcome barriers and lead healthy, successful lives in the community. Pittsburgh Mercy offers an array of valuable,
community-based services for children and adolescents, including individual and family counseling; crisis diversion and acute stabilization; partial hospitalization, residential, and service coordination; behavioral health rehabilitation; and school-based prevention, assistance, and intervention. Pittsburgh Mercy’s experienced, integrated team of mental, intellectual, and behavioral health professionals serves more than 7,000 children and adolescents in Southwestern Pennsylvania each year. More than 3,500 children have benefited from Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh, a Pittsburgh Mercy program that builds confidence and promotes self-esteem in children in the fifth and eighth grades.
Tickets to Pittsburgh Mercy’s 12th Annual Reindeer Ball are $100 each per adult and $50 each per child. To purchase tickets online, visit www.pmhs.org/events. For more information or to inquire about Reindeer Ball sponsorship opportunities, contact Connie Murray, email [email protected], or call 724.934.3537.
To coincide with the 12th Annual Reindeer Ball, Pittsburgh Mercy is also hosting an online holiday auction, November 4-17, 2015. Watch for more information in the November Pittsburgh Mercy Pulse.
Every journey begins with that first step. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is proud to host the 9th annual NAMI Walk, the largest and most successful mental health awareness and fundraising event in the United States. Through the walk’s public, active display of support, we are changing how the community views mental illness.
The 5K (3.1-mile) walk along the beautiful Steel Valley Trail, which is part of the Greater Allegheny Passage takes place on Sunday, October 4, at the Waterfront of Homestead. Registration and check-in begin at 9 a.m. The walk gets under way at 10 a.m.
Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (PMHS) is proud to be a 9th annual NAMI Walk Start/Finish Line Sponsor. A morning of fun and festivities, including music, entertainment, children’s activities, and light refreshments – a true celebration of recovery – will greet participants at the race start/finish line at the Waterfront of Homestead.
If you enjoy the great outdoors and would like to help improve lives and our communities, one step at a time, we invite you to join Pittsburgh Mercy’s team. Last year, we successfully raised over $1,000. With your help, we can raise even more this year.
To register for Pittsburgh Mercy’s team, go to http://namiwalks.nami.org/pghmercy, click on “join team,” and follow the instructions to register.
Unable to participate? Please consider coming to the start/finish line to cheer on our team or support a walker.
9th Annual NAMI Walk hits the trail on Sunday, October 4By the Paths to Wellness Committee
Spirituality and Pittsburgh Mercy Health System By Peggy Kearney
Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (PMHS) and our parent organization, Trinity Health, encourage spiritual care as an integral and important
dimension of our healing work. PMHS embraces an integrated care system of mind, body, and spirit, certain that spiritual care is imbedded in our beliefs about wellness, our Mission, Core Values, and Catholic Identity.
Many studies and stories speak to the relationship between spirituality, religion, and health care. Research suggests that many people served, as well as our colleagues in the field of behavioral health, believe that spirituality plays an important role in their lives and has a positive impact on their own health; they want spirituality to be an ongoing part of their care. Connection to a faith community is often an important way to integrate into the life of the broader community.
In the not-so-distant past, many behavioral health providers, clinicians, and faith communities focused inwardly on their own silo of ideas about spirituality, and did not overtly support collaboration with one another. Today, that is changing globally and at PMHS. Now, there is broader recognition that spirituality is a key component of the recovery process. Resources and supports are being developed and shared among providers, faith communities, persons served, and peers promoting faith and a spiritual connection as part of the recovery tool kit. Spiritual care is seen as a source of hope, support, and an effective tool for coping.
In embracing personal spirituality, the spirituality of those we serve, and our colleagues’ spirituality as well, Christians embrace the Gospel, at the heart of healthcare, in attending to the whole person. The Gospel imperative compels Christians to make solemn commitments, one
of which is “recognizing and celebrating the dignity of the human person, and [honoring] each person’s culture, spirituality, and faith tradition”—in other words, respecting a person’s rights to autonomy and freedom of thought and belief.
The PMHS Mission Council wholeheartedly supports spiritual care for our colleagues and persons served in whatever form it takes: connection with mainstream religious groups (Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim); spiritual groups (older traditions Zen, Buddhism) or new spiritual groups (contemporary meditation practices,
breath work). The provision of spiritual care is a shared responsibility among us all, and is a tangible expression of our ministry.
As you and others move forward on your spiritual journey and have an opportunity to review and apply the PMHS Spiritual Care Standards of Excellence, along with the new Trinity Health and PMHS Code of Conduct, please know that Craig Douglass and I (Peggy Kearney) are available to meet with you to discuss.
In closing, I share with you reflections from Catherine McAuley and the late Cardinal Joseph Bernadin.
“Put all your confidence in God who never fails us,” says Catherine McAuley, “but don’t forget ... to dance.”
Bernadin admonishes: “We are to do for one another what Jesus did: comfort others by inspiring in them hope and confidence in life … The ultimate goal of our mission is to give those we serve [and each other], through our care, a reason to hope.”
“...Comfort others by inspiring in them hope and confidence in life...” Cardinal Bernadin
MH Residential Picnic was a cool place to be on a hot dayLester C. smiles for the camera at the Mental Health Residential Picnic, held September 2 at the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Schenley Park. The event theme was “Super Heroes.”
Buddy R., a Garden View resident, made the sign that welcomed picnic-goers from Pittsburgh Mercy Health System’s residential programs to the annual event.
Laurel Spigler, site supervisor at Garden View Manor, was the organizer for this year’s gathering.
Super heroes Dewayne G. and George B. of Journey Home Long-Term Structured Residence (LTSR), pose with Eric Tillman (front), program supervisor at Journey Home.
Through the smoke from the grill, John Nickoloff, a staff member at Carrick CRR, flips the burgers.
The smoke gets in his eyes as Ron Miller of Journey Home LTSR keeps the hot dogs moving on the grill.
A display of Nature-Related Programming included some of the good things growing at Garden View Manor.
Staff members Paul Protheroe of Morrow Supportive Housing and Kathi Leicht of Monarch Springs oversee the kitchen duties.
Picknickers who signed a “tobacco free” pledge for the day earned tickets to take a chance on some great prizes. (Photos by Micaela Young)
PAGE 6PULSE OCTOBER 2015
Wescott has conducted local, state, national, and international presentations on parish nursing, end-of-life issues, grief support, self-care, diversity, cultural awareness and sensitivity, aging, funding, and servant leadership. She has traveled extensively to share her parish nurse ministry with others, including trips to Australia and Pakistan. Wescott held and presently holds board membership in organizations such as Health Ministries Association, Kansas Ecumenical Ministries, Agape Care Cradle, New Orleans Community Advisory Board, Senior Companion Program, and Australian Parish Nurse Resource Center. For more information about Wescott, visit http://www.kansasparishnurseministry.com.
Through hearing personal stories, research, and other information, participants will be able to:
• Define spirituality.• Describe a personal plan for
one’s own spiritual journey incorporating two to three practical tools of interest.
• Explain why silence and solitude are important parts of one’s spiritual journey.
• Describe to others one’s spiritual journey and the experience of God speaking to one’s heart and mind.
Three (3) continuing education credits will be offered to registered nurses who attend. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is accredited
The Mercy Parish Nurse and Health Ministry Program invites anyone interested in whole-person health
to attend the 23rd Annual Mercy Parish Nurse and Health Ministry Symposium, “A Spiritual Journey: Opening Mind and Heart,” Saturday, October 24, 2015, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Sister M. Ferdinand Clark Auditorium, Level 2 at UPMC Mercy, 1400 Locust Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 (Uptown).
This year’s symposium will enable participants to take a creative look at what spirituality means to them along with practical tools they can explore on their journey, including prayer, meditation, and gratitude. This interactive symposium lets participants take part in fellowship, storytelling, prayer, meditation, music, and more.
JoVeta Wescott, executive director and founder of Kansas Parish Nurse Ministry Inc., will deliver the keynote address, “A Spiritual Journey: Opening Mind and Heart.” She is the author of “Because I Care … I Am a Parish Nurse … Becoming an Agent of Hope and Healing,” which embraces her love of parish nursing and how it continues to make a difference in our world. Wescott is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in health care administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She also holds professional certificates as a spiritual strengths healing coach and in spiritual gerontology.
Since her call to faith community nursing began in 1997, she has served in such roles as parish nurse in a congregation, coordinator, consultant, educator, faculty for preparing educators, and grant writer. She has written articles and book chapters of interest to faith community nurse peers on the topics of spirituality, grant writing, parish nursing, chronic illness, older adults, advance directives, and research.
October 17: deadline to register for annual Parish Nurse and Health Ministry symposium By Linda K. Ross
as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Participants who attend the entire session and complete an evaluation form will be awarded a certificate and three (3) contact hours for the symposium attended. UPMC and ANCC do not endorse any commercial products as a result of the CE activity.
The cost is $40 for registered nurses who wish to receive continuing education credits; $30 for those who do not wish to receive continuing education credits; and $20 for individuals who have never attended the annual Mercy Parish Nurse and Health Ministry Program symposium, ordained pastors/clergy, and undergraduate nursing students. The cost includes brunch and free parking in the Locust Street Parking Garage, located at Locust and Stevenson streets.
Registration is accepted by U.S. Mail only. Seating capacity is limited. Early registration is encouraged. The deadline to register is Saturday, October 17, 2015. To register, visit http://www.pmhs.org/parish-nurse-program/education-and-resources.aspx.
For more information, contact the Mercy Parish Nurse and Health Ministry Program at 412.232.5815 or email [email protected].
God is unconditional love.As a human being, we can only experienceA part of that love while on the physical plane.
Mankind can experience many facets of love.Each is only a portion of the whole, As water drops making up an ocean.
How do you express your love?Is it physical, emotional, or spiritual?And what conditions do you put on your love?
Does fear enter your heart?Surround the fear with your love unconditionally,And your soul will find peace and love.
In our world, we find many needs for love.Look into your conscience for the answerOf what need your love can do for humanity.
When our time in the physical bodies is over,We shall be reunited with GodAnd experience the totality of unconditional love.
Editor’s note: James R. Dickey is a counselor at Davis Avenue Community Living Arrangement (CLA).
PMHS is a Live Well Allegheny partnerContributed by Mark Rogalsky
Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (PMHS) is proud to be a part of the Live Well Allegheny campaign. The Live Well Allegheny campaign aims to improve the health and well-being of Allegheny County residents through a collaborative effort that involves multiple stakeholders, partners and residents.
You can follow social media updates for the campaign using the hashtag #LiveWellAllegheny.
You can check out PMHS’ presence on the Live Well Allegheny site by clicking here or visiting www.livewellallegheny.com.
Say what?!By Nicole Graff
Have a question for Pittsburgh Mercy Health System senior leadership? Want to suggest a topic for Ray Wolfe’s monthly “Say What?!” email? Members of the Say What Team would like to hear from you. Let us know what’s on your mind. Submit questions and ideas for consideration via email to the Say What ([email protected]) mailbox in Outlook.
We look forward to hearing from you!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us:
Do you follow Pittsburgh Mercy’s social media sites?By Zandy Dudiak
Have you found time to “like” us, “follow” us, “connect” with us, “subscribe” to us, join our “circle,” and “pin” us yet? We have a good, solid following on our social media sites. But, frankly, we still want to grow!Show us some love. Just click on the links below. And then share them with your friends, relatives and neighbors. Thanks!
• Facebook • Pittsburgh Mercy Health System
• Twitter • Pittsburgh Mercy (@PghMercy)
• LinkedIn • Pittsburgh Mercy Health System
• Pinterest• Pittsburgh Mercy Health System
• Instagram • PghMercy
• YouTube • Pittsburgh Mercy Health System
• Google+ • Pittsburgh Mercy Health System
Do you know, or do you remember that when you see the bright blue type in PULSE, you can click on it to go to a website, an email address, or, if it’s on the first page, listed in the “INSIDE” column, the blue type will take you to a specific page in the issue. Try it on this page and see where it takes you.
250 employees attend PMHS Day at PNC Park Story and photos by Leland Koehler
About 250 staff members came out for Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (PMHS) Day at PNC Park on August 20. The event kicked off with a pep rally at Reedsdale Center that included music by PMHS’ in-house DJ Dave McAteer. Mercy 360 Wellness Group offered healthy wraps and water. There was also a raffle and a cornhole game. The game kept the spirit of the day going as the Bucs defeated the San Francisco Giants 4-0.
Leighton Koehler plays catch with Louis Scialdone at the pep rally before the game. They are the children of, respectively, Leland Koehler and Julie Scialdone of Human Resources.
Pittsburgh Mercy staffers David Faynor and Carissa Wetzel enjoy the game.
Walking to the game.
The seats were great for the game against the Giants.
The crowd gathers outside Reedsdale Center before the game.
PULSE OCTOBER 2015PAGE 9
#PeopleCentered Care: Terrence Brown By Zandy Dudiak Terrence Brown, Pittsburgh Mercy safety manager, has continuously dedicated tremendous effort to advocate, plan, develop, and implement safety measures for all staff and persons served within the organization. His courageous leadership and integrity have led to increased awareness and understanding the significance of work and community safety.
Brown’s military and law enforcement background and knowledge have provided Pittsburgh Mercy with insight to reduce risks to staff and the people we serve. He has conducted safety assessments at each of the organization’s more than 70 locations. He has prepared staff to respond by conducting practice drills and educating them on how to properly respond to a threatening situation.
Brown’s ability to positively engage staff members led to the successful implementation of Active Shooter Preparedness training. Brown used his creativity to reduce the costs associated with Active Shooter Preparedness kits. When he was identifying safe rooms for all Pittsburgh Mercy sites, he took into consideration what staff members thought might be a good location but he often had to explain why certain rooms would not be good sites.
In every class he teaches for Pittsburgh Mercy, Brown introduces his “5P” approach—“Proper planning prevents poor performance.” The statement empowers everyone by suggesting they develop a plan in their minds before a situation happens. The “5Ps” bring out the best in people because it makes them think about others.
Most of all, Brown’s humility and honorable principles related to leadership in security and safety have remained steadfast despite obstacles encountered within his advocacy for the welfare of all of Pittsburgh Mercy.
Training & Development: Upcoming offeringsContributed by Donna Carman
Listed below are several upcoming professional training and development opportunities that are available to Pittsburgh Mercy Health System employees.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: An IntroductionFriday, October 9, 2015, from 9 a.m. to noon
Seizure DisorderThursday, October 15, 2015, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Positive Approaches Part 1: Paying AttentionMonday, October 26, 2015, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
A complete list of current course offerings is posted in Healthstream and on the G: drive. Visit T&D Calendars and click on the 2015 Training folder. Register for training through Healthstream. Remember, you can unregister from a class yourself; go to your inbox, find the training, and click on Unregister.
One of Pittsburgh Mercy’s core values is stewardship. If you are unable to attend a training for which you are registered, remember to cancel at least four hours prior to the start of training or call Training & Development at 412.488.4374.
REMINDER: If you cannot attend a DDAP training the day of the training and to avoid a $50 no-show charge, you must unregister at: apps.ddap.pa.gov/TMS .
15 Minutes with…Bill Connolly, Pittsburgh Mercy’s new mission director
How many years have you been with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System?Eight years as of September 17 (also my four-year wedding anniversary)
What led you to work in your field?
I guess the simple desire to help people was always my motivation. I started with the idea of working in special education when I went to college however, during my final year, I began working with a summer camp for individuals with special needs and then began doing habilitation (hab) aide work with one of those individuals in Duquesne, Pa. I really began to enjoy community work and found the classroom setting less appealing. After graduation, I began working as a child-targeted case manager for Mon Yough Community Services. I was fortunate enough to have a great boss, Luther Dupree, when I started my professional career and after he left to come to Mercy Behavioral Health as an adult service coordinator, he called me and told me I should consider applying. I followed his advice and here I am.
Education?
I have a bachelor’s degree in secondary English education, with a certification in special education, from La Roche College. I also just finished my master’s in organizational leadership from Robert Morris University this past August.
Experience?
As I mentioned before, I began working for the organization as an
adult service coordinator in 2007 and then switched to work as an assistant site supervisor for Morrow Supportive Housing in 2010. While in that position, I was fortunate enough to be asked to lead a new Accountability Group, which introduced me to a different side of the company. My interest in learning new skills outside of my comfort zone led me to apply for a fellowship position in the Quality, Risk, and Compliance (CRQ) Department and I began that part of my journey in February 2013. Fortunately, that led to a full-time position within the department. I simply cannot express the amount of gratitude I have for all of my experiences throughout my time here, especially my time in the CRQ Department as it truly challenged me, inspired me, and shaped who I want to become as a professional.
What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment to date, personally or professionally?
That’s a tough question because I’ve been very fortunate throughout my eight years here but, without a doubt, it would be developing the relationships I have with everyone here at Pittsburgh Mercy, because those are what I cherish the most. I think the most notable relationship would be the one with my wife, Linda, whom I met as a service coordinator in 2009 and married two years later.
Do you have any plans for your new role?
I certainly have a lot of ideas and areas that I feel very strongly about, but the plan for now is to take full advantage of the opportunity to apprentice under Peg Kearney, the
continued on page 11
Bill and his dog, Murphy, run along the beach in North Carolina.
PULSE OCTOBER 2015PAGE 11
current mission director, until the end of the year. Working closely with Peg will allow me to learn the nuances of the job, but also gain valuable organizational knowledge. I certainly feel that this gives me a head start and will allow me to hit the ground running come January.
In your current role, what has been your greatest “Aha!” moment?
There have been many “aha” moments because I honestly was learning something new every day. The realization that I still had so much to learn was a great motivator and inspired me to go back to school. However, I think the greatest “aha” moment, looking back, is understanding how valuable it can be to have support from colleagues, including superiors, when you are having a tough time, doubting yourself, or unsure of what to do next. Knowing that support will be there whether you succeed or not, is appreciated and has had a huge impact on me.
Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by many different people and my experiences at Pittsburgh Mercy have given me a long list of people who inspired me in different ways throughout the years. Most notably, Leland Koehler. Any grown man who is that confident and open for his love of The Wizard of Oz and Michael Jackson is a strong person who is comfortable with himself.
Little known fact?
I actually read, and finished, the “15 Minutes with Bobby Thomas” article in the September issue of the Pulse. It took longer than 15 minutes….
My personal motto is…
“You cannot change or heal what you don’t acknowledge.”
First job?
My first job was actually working in the rectory of my parish in Troy Hill when I was 15. I simply did secretarial and administrative work, but it was a great and influential experience and I worked there until my sophomore year of college.
In my spare time, I like to…
spend time with family, friends, and my dog, Murphy. Favorite book or movie?
This constantly changes as I am a big movie fan and have been since I was a kid. The original Star Wars movies will probably always be my favorite, but one of the more recent movies I really enjoyed was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013). I enjoyed the story of man who simply was not satisfied with his life and decided to take action which turned into a journey that even he couldn’t have imagined.
My favorite vacation spot is…
Outer Banks, North Carolina.
What makes you laugh?
Shane, the individual I’ve been working with for the past 11 years as a Hab Aide. We spend every Saturday together and he finds joy in everything, which is contagious.
I’m an avid…
runner. I enjoy running in the mornings before work and like to take Murphy when the weather is not too warm.
My playlist includes…
almost everything and it completely depends on what I’m doing at the time.
I’ve always wanted to…
take an Alaskan cruise, something the wife and I have on our bucket list. If I were to win the lottery today, I’d…
buy Shane and his mother a house near me because after 11 years of driving to Duquesne, I’m completely tired of the Parkway East traffic. I’d also have a window installed in Jean Coyne’s office for her. Secret vice?
Coffee and a few other things I’ll keep secret.
My philosophy on our mission is…
I think the happiness of the majority of our employees is not measured by the wealth of the organization, but rather by the quality of the services we provide. Our mission is the foundation of those services and it’s the common theme that brings us all together. The mission and core values are much more than words on a wall and act as a guide in how we treat the people we serve and our fellow coworkers.
15 Minutes, continued
PublisherSusan Welsh, RSM
EditorZandy Dudiak
Director of CommunicationsLinda K. Ross
ProofreaderMary Fries
Layout Micaela Young
OUR CORE VALUESReverence
We honor the sacredness and dignity of every person.
Commitment to Those Who Are Poor
We stand with and serve those who are poor, expecially those most vulnerable.
JusticeWe foster right relationships to promote
the common good, including sustainability of Earth.
StewardshipWe honor our heritage and hold ourselves accountable for the human, financial, and
natural resources entrusted to our care.
IntegrityWe are faithful to who we say we are.
CommunityWe demonstrate our connectednessto each other through inclusive and
