2020 PECSH-MNA Nominees
Note: Not all candidates submitted photos and bios. Ballots arrive by postal mail and are due by 5 p.m. March 19. Instructions for submission are on your ballot.
Bio/Description why I am running for House of Delegate position.
As a child I have always known that my calling was to help people. As I got older I realized the perfect way to do so was to become a nurse. Being a nurse has been one of the most meaningful things I have done in my life. It is a passion of mine to be able to advocate not only for my patients but also my fellow co-workers and nurses in general. I believe being afforded this opportunity to serve on the MNA House of Delegates will increase my ability and platform in order to advocate more effectively.
There is a need for change and I desire to be a catalyst to evoke change for the nursing profession for the betterment of all my fellow nurses. Working at the bedside allows me to witness first-hand the challenges that nurses’ face and I feel the need to do something about it. Believe me this is not a natural thing for me, in fact I have always considered myself an introvert. Lately, I have realized that I do not want to be the kind of person that will complain and do nothing to change the situation. That is my why for wanting to be a part of this important group of bargaining individuals. I know that I can help and I must do all that I can do to help. Thanks for your time and consideration.
Humbly submitted,
Lana M. Bey-Wright., BSN, RN
As a child I have always known that my calling was to help people. As I got older I realized the perfect way to do so was to become a nurse. Being a nurse has been one of the most meaningful things I have done in my life. It is a passion of mine to be able to advocate not only for my patients but also my fellow co-workers and nurses in general. I believe being afforded this opportunity to serve on the MNA House of Delegates will increase my ability and platform in order to advocate more effectively.
There is a need for change and I desire to be a catalyst to evoke change for the nursing profession for the betterment of all my fellow nurses. Working at the bedside allows me to witness first-hand the challenges that nurses’ face and I feel the need to do something about it. Believe me this is not a natural thing for me, in fact I have always considered myself an introvert. Lately, I have realized that I do not want to be the kind of person that will complain and do nothing to change the situation. That is my why for wanting to be a part of this important group of bargaining individuals. I know that I can help and I must do all that I can do to help. Thanks for your time and consideration.
Humbly submitted,
Lana M. Bey-Wright., BSN, RN
Hello, my name is Destinee Griffin and I have been nominated to be a delegate or our Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) House of Delegates (HOD). For those who do not know, the HOD is the governing and official voting body of the MNA. I hope to be a strong voice for my peers at the HOD as a strong caregiver and patient care advocate. If chosen, this would be my second time attending the HOD and I hope to continue to contribute to our union by being an active participant.
My history includes being a Registered Dental Hygienist for almost 10 years prior to going back to nursing school. My heart always ached that I did not pursue nursing initially, so I made the decision to go back for nursing. I feel it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I graduated from Lansing Community College in 2012 with my ADN and finished my BSN in 2017. I grew up in a union family and continue to live in a union home as my husband is a teacher. Seeing first-hand what has happened over the last few years in the teachers union has spurred my interest in becoming active in the MNA and PECSH.
I was hired by Sparrow in 2012, on 8 South, when it was Medical Specialties, where I stayed for 18 months. In January 2014, I was able to follow my dreams of becoming a labor and delivery nurse. I love my job. I honestly look forward to going to work and love learning new things daily. I work hard to support my unit to be clean, organized and stocked with all the resources that we need to do our job to the best of our abilities, providing the highest quality care.
In 2018, I attended the Magnet Conference. I yearn for Sparrow caregivers to have the same pride in being recognized as Magnet, as other hospitals do. This will be done by listening to the voices of bedside caregivers as well as educating our newer nurses about the importance of our union and why it is imperative to be members. Let’s be UNION STRONG!!
My history includes being a Registered Dental Hygienist for almost 10 years prior to going back to nursing school. My heart always ached that I did not pursue nursing initially, so I made the decision to go back for nursing. I feel it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I graduated from Lansing Community College in 2012 with my ADN and finished my BSN in 2017. I grew up in a union family and continue to live in a union home as my husband is a teacher. Seeing first-hand what has happened over the last few years in the teachers union has spurred my interest in becoming active in the MNA and PECSH.
I was hired by Sparrow in 2012, on 8 South, when it was Medical Specialties, where I stayed for 18 months. In January 2014, I was able to follow my dreams of becoming a labor and delivery nurse. I love my job. I honestly look forward to going to work and love learning new things daily. I work hard to support my unit to be clean, organized and stocked with all the resources that we need to do our job to the best of our abilities, providing the highest quality care.
In 2018, I attended the Magnet Conference. I yearn for Sparrow caregivers to have the same pride in being recognized as Magnet, as other hospitals do. This will be done by listening to the voices of bedside caregivers as well as educating our newer nurses about the importance of our union and why it is imperative to be members. Let’s be UNION STRONG!!
My name is Ann Pilot and I have been working at Sparrow Hospital for almost 3 ½ years. I received my Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing from Lansing Community College in 2002. Since then I have gone on to further my education by completing an RN-BSN program through the University of Texas-Arlington and am currently enrolled at Ferris State University to obtain an MSN in Nursing Informatics. I am interested in becoming a PECSH union delegate because I care deeply about nursing at Sparrow and retaining quality colleagues. I am interested in becoming a supporting voice for my colleagues and giving them a sense of connection to their union.
In my 17 years of nursing I have worked in several hospitals, in several different states, and the issues that arise are universal. Caregivers around the US have staffing issues, overtime issues, and disagreements with management. The benefit of working at Sparrow hospital is that we have a voice, through our union, to work with leadership to resolve these types of issues. I want to become a union delegate to be part of the working solution, rather than the voice of dissent. If we use the tools available to us, and engage our union, we can help ensure the future of Sparrow hospital and strive to be the preferred hospital system for quality employees.
In my 17 years of nursing I have worked in several hospitals, in several different states, and the issues that arise are universal. Caregivers around the US have staffing issues, overtime issues, and disagreements with management. The benefit of working at Sparrow hospital is that we have a voice, through our union, to work with leadership to resolve these types of issues. I want to become a union delegate to be part of the working solution, rather than the voice of dissent. If we use the tools available to us, and engage our union, we can help ensure the future of Sparrow hospital and strive to be the preferred hospital system for quality employees.
Peter Thelen RN
Clinical staff nurse in Cardiology. Employed at Sparrow since 1995. Has served as grievance rep., MNA delegate and negotiating team member.
Clinical staff nurse in Cardiology. Employed at Sparrow since 1995. Has served as grievance rep., MNA delegate and negotiating team member.
Hello!
My name is Kristen Walcott and I have been a nurse at Sparrow for almost eight years. Most of my time has been spent on labor and delivery, but I have also been on cardiac stepdown. The reason I chose to work at Sparrow as a young graduate was because of its Union representation. As I continue to work here, I look forward to being more involved in MNA by being part of the Council on Clinical Nursing Practice, Advocacy, and Education. I was privileged to go last year to House of Delegates and I look forward to representing you again! It is so important and valuable for us to have a collective voice and to be allies to each other.
My name is Kristen Walcott and I have been a nurse at Sparrow for almost eight years. Most of my time has been spent on labor and delivery, but I have also been on cardiac stepdown. The reason I chose to work at Sparrow as a young graduate was because of its Union representation. As I continue to work here, I look forward to being more involved in MNA by being part of the Council on Clinical Nursing Practice, Advocacy, and Education. I was privileged to go last year to House of Delegates and I look forward to representing you again! It is so important and valuable for us to have a collective voice and to be allies to each other.
