Jill has been required not only to condense multiple inpatient units but also to deal with a strained budget, staffing, and developing a whole new leadership team, all while keeping up with her other responsibilities. I joined UCMC in a most sensitive time of restructuring a very established organization. I, being a novice to leadership, feel exceptionally grateful to have had Jill as my mentor and guide to implement fair, organized leadership. She has been the crucial component in keeping the NICU with family-centered care, daily operations, and collaboration with staff and providers, all while building the NICU leadership team.

The last 6 months have required an enormous amount of hours dedicated to team building, staffing, mentorship, and educational opportunities. Jill has been present every day in the NICU, providing support and guidance to all of us in leadership, including the CNE and APCMs, and onboarding our new PCM. She has done all this while being the director of her other units. I feel compelled to nominate her because of her superior dedication to the NICU and her ability to manage things together as we went through a very difficult transition in the NICU. She has made herself available during work hours and after work hours. I want her dedication not to go unnoticed. She has exceeded expectations as a director. She deeply cares for positive outcomes. She listens and supports leadership concerns. She supports and cares for family needs. She has been an exceptional example for me of how leadership is more than a role but a collaboration that requires emotional intelligence, nursing skills, empathy, and proper knowledge of informatics platforms like Smartsheet and how to navigate them. She provides the unit with transparent updates in regard to budget, staffing, and operations of the NICU.

As I mentioned, the NICU has experienced a huge transformation from the beginning of the year. Jill has been there, keeping it operational and supporting these changes in the best way possible. Changes are always difficult for any organization, but having an individual like Jill on our team has helped us navigate these changes easier. She has been so dedicated to keeping the operations of the NICU in line with change but also advocating for each of our roles. She has done all this while working on her doctorate and caring for her own young family. When you encounter Jill, you would never guess she is working on a different task. She takes on each goal with dedication and attention to detail. I honestly don't know how she does this all so well. All I know is that I have been so grateful to have her as a mentor and helped with the growth of my leadership skills as part of the NICU team.