WSNA 2026 Leadership Conference Award recipients

WSNA gave out eight recognition awards for outstanding union leaders during the WSNA Leadership Conference in Wenatchee April 26-28.

Our local bargaining units would not be where they are today without the significant contributions of these award winners.

Each recipient was nominated by members, and the winners were selected by WSNA’s Labor Executive Council, the body elected by members to guide WSNA’s union work.

St. Joe’s Tacoma and St. Clare in Lakewood have membership densities of 97-98 percent. That doesn’t happen by itself.

Teresa has been the membership officer at St. Joe’s Tacoma for several years and handles new employee orientations for all three of the area CommonSpirit hospitals — Virginia Mason, St. Joe’s and St. Clare — at joint orientations in Tacoma.

Teresa is known for going out of her way to meet new nurses and talk about WSNA. She is dedicated to keeping bargaining unit members informed and engaged and has participated in monthly hospital rounding to connect with WSNA members.

Teresa also serves on several committees, including the Hospital Staffing Committee, the ADO Subcommittee, and the Nurse Conference Committee.

As a member of the St. Joe’s negotiating team, Teresa knows what it takes to get a fair contract, and she’s not afraid to shout it out. “What do we want? A fair contract! When do we want it? Now!”

Sara is a contract enforcement and organizing superhero. She has demonstrated time and again in the last several years that she is not afraid to stand up to hospital leadership to correct a wrong.

Sara is known for having an extensive contact list of co-workers and the ability to leverage her network to organize nurses for action. This includes pushing for progress on the Hospital Staffing Committee and contract negotiations and fighting back when the contract is not being enforced.

Her nominator said it best:

“Sara has taught me an extraordinary amount about what it means to organize and what it means to create community networks that care for one another, show up for one another, and fight together to better the conditions that we live and work in.

When I think about building a strong union, Sara Buck is the person that I see tangibly doing this work. I know that her co-workers see it too.

It is her work, and her organizing that have helped our bargaining unit to understand what it means to be part of a union, and I am so thankful for her.”

Shortly after joining Good Sam, Emma realized there was a vacancy for union representation in the nurse float pool. Being a nurse on the float pool means you work in areas that are short-staffed. These nurses see it all and visit every unit in the entire hospital.

Emma constantly checks in with the team, making sure they are aware she is there for questions and concerns. When nurses on a unit file a grievance, Emma encourages float pool nurses to join meetings and support them.

She educates new staff members, as well as old, about the significance of ADOs when placed in unsafe situations. Emma does all this - and isn’t even full time. She is per diem. Since Emma stepped up to become a union rep, the float pool has benefited every day.

Kara was nominated for being a consistent support for the unit and the entire healthcare system.

As her nominator said:

“She’s supportive, she’s kind, she’s very good to patients and very good to staff.” 

Kara was on the bargaining team that won an outstanding contract last year. She also serves on the Hospital Staffing Committee. When she feels like change needs to be instituted, she has no qualms about speaking up in meetings of the board that oversees this public hospital.

Kara has been in the Ellensburg community all her life and works to make the hospital better for employees and patients alike. There is no doubt that through her advocacy she has changed things for the better.

“She is kind, strong and available. It’s difficult to emphasize her impact without resorting to hyperbole,” her nominator said.

George became a union representative this past year and has been a champion for the nurses in the unit. His nominator said George brings a “golden retriever” energy to the table with his good nature and can-do mindset, traits that make him perfect for the unit representative position.

He takes the time to listen to the needs of the individual unit nurse and the hospital and portrays those issues to the union in a way that makes sense and gets things changed.

As his nominator said, “George is one of the most positive people I have worked with, and I am proud to have him represent us in the union. If anyone deserves this award it’s him!”

Dawn is a superstar. She brings an extraordinary level of dedication to every role she holds — from advocating on the staffing committee and navigating countless grievances to representing nurses in monthly conference committee meetings.

Dawn is relentless in holding management accountable and works with the bargaining unit and fellow officers to enforce the contract.

When ADOs were not being resolved in the Hospital Staffing Committee, Dawn took advocacy further. She worked directly with the state Department of Health and the Department of Labor & Industries to hold PeaceHealth accountable for unresolved staffing complaints related to break buddies.

Dawn is a veteran of multiple bargaining teams, and her institutional knowledge is matched only by her genuine passion for helping others. Nurses seek her out because they know she will listen and fight for them. 

Sarah has been described as the coworker you want beside you to protect you and to let you know your rights when you go into a meeting with management. She brings a sense of calm to nurses because they know they have someone to fight for them.

“I have seen nurses physically give a sigh of relief when they find out Sarah is going to help them in their meetings,” said one nominator, adding that she wished she had had Sarah there when she went into her own grievance meeting.

“I watched Sarah grow as a resident nurse into this amazing strong and intelligent union officer. I am so proud of her,” said her nominator.

The team includes Marshall Snoddy, Christine Gallup, Caitlin Orange, Rochelle Mason, Megan Baute, Waikele Frantz. 

In July 2023, nurses at the Confluence Mares campus elected WSNA to represent more than 90 nurses for collective bargaining. Despite the roadblocks all around them, these nurses never lost faith in the power of collective action and solidarity.

Soon after the election, the bargaining team started their first contract campaign. It was excruciating. After negotiating for more than 16 months, they started planning an informational picket and collecting picket pledges.

Then Confluence Health agreed to allow Mares nurses to merge with their peers at the main Confluence Health campus, which WSNA also represents. The merger is now in the final steps of uniting more than 700 nurses in five locations into one unified bargaining unit.

One of the many incredible things about this bargaining team is their ability to unite nurses around a shared vision that the nurses at Mares Campus matter and should have a voice.

Their leadership has helped create an environment where individuals feel empowered to be a member of their union and stand together in collective action.

The team includes Elena Schensted, Stephen Lee, Evie Devera, Tami Nesler, Carolyn Clark, and Kiesha Garcia-Stubbs.  

The WSNA union officer team for Public Health-Seattle & King County has demonstrated extraordinary perseverance and determination in the face of persistent workplace challenges and systemic opposition. For more than a year, this team has navigated a grueling and often frustrating bargaining process. But they don’t give up.

Despite the county's attempts to roll back established benefits, proposals of inequitable policies, and repeated failure to respond to critical economic proposals, the team has remained steadfast in its commitment to the bargaining unit’s priorities.

Through these difficult challenges, the WSNA officer team has shown that they will not be deterred in their fight for equity, value, and respect. Their collective actions not only protect the integrity of the bargaining unit but also fight for better care for all the patients they serve.

As local unit co-chairs, Liz and Kyla consistently demonstrate dedication, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to their members. They show up at every meeting prepared and engaged, and they work tirelessly to ensure every voice is heard and every member is protected.

Liz and Kyla’s advocacy for fair labor practices is not just talk. They actively promote equity, transparency, and accountability in all aspects of their work.

What sets Liz and Kyla apart is their courage. They are not afraid to speak up, ask hard questions, and stand firm in defense of what is right, even when it is difficult.

Their collaboration and mutual respect strengthen their effectiveness, creating a unified and supportive environment for members.

Through their leadership, they have built trust, encouraged participation, and reinforced the strength of the union. Skagit is truly fortunate to have such passionate, dependable, and inspiring co-chairs representing its members.

When long-time unit chair Martha Galvez sadly died of cancer, Meri, a secretary-treasurer at the time, stepped up to fill her very big shoes. Since then, Meri has been a constant presence doing the best for the nurses at Kadlec.

Despite contentious contract negotiations, the team had some major wins this round. Full- and part-time nurses will now be getting step increases based on years worked, not hours worked. They also won strong language on break nurses and workplace violence, and significant wage increases.

Meri is described as tenacious, a “spicy nugget,” and is extremely focused on getting things done. She makes sure all the nurses are represented fairly and any new or existing contract language is implemented the way it's supposed to be.

As one nominator said:

“I know at Kadlec we would not have nearly the presence and representation we have if it wasn't for Meri.”

The team includes Kara Henderson, Donna McCune, Anji Baker Bryant, Erik Berkas, Jordan Simmons, and Hanni Johnson. 

Right before bargaining began, the much‑appreciated CNO abruptly left the hospital. The departure made an already challenging time even more difficult. Through it all, this group came together and showed up. They spoke at board meetings and strongly advocated for better working conditions and patient care for the tight‑knit community.

Throughout bargaining, the team welcomed bargaining unit observers and encouraged them to speak up about issues affecting their units.

Nurses saw real gains in the contract ratified in December. Double time for full‑time nurses and time‑and‑a‑half for part‑time nurses when working a day off. A 12 percent night shift differential. Double time for nightshift holidays and $20,000 dedicated to the Nurse Clinical Practice Committee for education. This is in addition to individual nurse education funds.

This was truly a team effort, and it made a meaningful difference for nurses and patients alike.

The team includes Kara Yates, Annika Hoogestraat, Lindsey Kirsch, Sam Forte, AJ Nagal, Katie Podobnik, Therese Hill, Emma Gordon, Kelsey Gellner, Anne Marie Fountain, Cody Ian, Jon McAferty, Lauren Lustyk, Regan Halom, Sarah Munro.

The negotiating team for Seattle Children’s went to the ends of the earth to prevail against Seattle Children’s and the notorious anti-union law firm Children’s hired to represent them.

This team had several nominations from grateful nurses in awe of what these nurses went through over nine months and 36 sessions of negotiations. The team came back day after day and did not back down despite a disrespectful and antagonistic process.

The Children’s bargaining team was praised for its clear leadership, well-executed negotiation strategy, and outstanding communication.

The nurses fended off takeaways critical to the mission of the hospital and the rights of nurses, including ending payroll deduction for union dues, forcing nurses into arbitration so they couldn’t bring suit when the hospital broke the law, and many more insulting proposals aimed at weakening nurses’ power.

At the same time, this bargaining team gained improved safety, great wage increases, increased sick leave, and much more.

“I don’t know you all personally,” said one nominator. “But please know I am so grateful for each and every one of you.”

For many folks at Virginia Mason Medical Center, when you think of a ‘union strong nurse,’ Jane Hill-Littlejohn is the nurse that comes to mind.

Jane worked at Virginia Mason for nearly 40 years and served as a WSNA officer for almost two decades.

Jane ushered in a new batch of officers toward the end of her tenure, providing countless hours of encouragement, wisdom, and support during one of the more challenging contract campaigns in the hospital’s history.

During the 2023 contract negotiations, Jane expressed her frustrations with the hospital’s meager proposals so forcefully, she nearly broke a table. This unforgettable moment of passionate advocacy is still talked about to this day.

Jane “Table-Breaker” Hill-Littlejohn embodies the nurse and union advocate we all aspire to be. Through her tireless dedication, clinical expertise, and unwavering commitment to justice, Jane has touched hundreds of lives.

Though her retirement last year was bittersweet, her legacy as a nurse, a mentor, and a fierce advocate continues to shape our community.

Through countless contract negotiations, policy challenges, and organizational changes, Martha’s presence has been constant at Providence Holy Family.

For more than 30 years, Martha provided continuous leadership in her local unit. Her guidance shaped the culture of collective strength at the hospital.

Martha’s contributions, however, extend far beyond the unit. She served as both secretary-treasurer and member at large on what is now called the WSNA Labor Executive Council. She has served as secretary-treasurer on the WSNA Board of Directors and is currently serving in that role for the Washington State Nurses Foundation. She has also participated in national-level advocacy work.

Martha approaches complex challenges with clarity and confidence. She has raised up leaders all around her, offering mentorship, encouragement, and accountability to those who follow in her footsteps.

Although she has retired, Martha continues to give to WSNA as an individual member. Her impact continues through the many nurses she has empowered, the policies she has shaped, and the example she has set.