Local Community Leaders Honored by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Resiliency, Perseverance Prevail Amid Pandemic Year
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (Nov. 9, 2021) – Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a leading nonprofit aimed to protect kids’ health with a network of 170 children’s hospitals, honored community leaders at its annual conference held virtually last week. These awards honor the nonprofit’s network luminaries for their admirable leadership despite many hardships healthcare professionals faced throughout the past 20 months.
“Amid the ups-and-downs caused by the pandemic, we’d be remiss not to shine a light on the resiliency and perseverance that children’s hospitals and their staff have achieved this past year,” said Teri Nestel, President and CEO of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “We’re incredibly proud that these individuals and hospitals are part of our network and work together to ensure all kids grow up stronger, healthier and ready for tomorrow.”
The 2021 Chief Development Officer of the Year Award is new to the network this year and was awarded to Grant Harris with Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Harris is known to foster valuable relationships with corporate partners and tirelessly look for future opportunities to maximize impact for kids served. He takes pride in connecting passionate donors to the needs of local families and seeing that generosity at work.
The 2021 Program Director of the Year award was awarded to Colette Forcier with Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu. This award is presented by McLane and recognizes those who exhibit selfless and heartfelt service, commitment and dedication. It’s representative of the organization’s belief that kids come first. Despite the challenges her hospital faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Forcier has become an invaluable resource to CMN Hospitals peers and community leaders alike for her steadfast motivation and dedication to the cause.
The 2021 Hospital Foundation of the Year Award has been awarded to two extraordinary hospitals: Seattle Children’s Hospital and Children’s Health in Dallas.
Grown from humble beginnings in 1988, when fundraising totaled just $23,000 to a record-breaking year reaching over $7 Million, the small but mighty team at Seattle Children’s Hospital brings over 35 years of combined experience to their work each day.
After decades of operating with only one dedicated staff member to Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, Children’s Health has invested and grown the CMN Hospitals team within the foundation to eight full-time employees in just under four years. This team is positive and engaged while working cohesively with their counterparts at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Ft. Worth, Texas, to maintain growth and promotion of all CMN Hospitals partnerships and programs in the greater Dallas, Fort Worth and North Texas region.
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About CMN Hospitals:
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals that support the health of 10 million kids each year across the U.S. and Canada. Donations go to local hospitals to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, child life services that put kids’ and families’ minds at ease during difficult hospital stays and financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these health services. When we improve the health of all children and allow them the opportunity to reach their full potential, we also improve our communities for years to come. Together, we can change kids’ health. Together, we can change the future. To learn about Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and your local children’s hospital, visit cmnhospitals.org.